Yurachek's Op-Ed, NIL Trading Cards, + ICYMI & More | NIL Newsletter #175
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Major News
Arkansas AD Yurachek Pens Op-Ed on NIL
Yurachek penned an Op-Ed focused on NIL earlier this week, discussing what he revered to as the “elephant in the room when discussing college athletics.”
He specifically warned against legislation introduced in California earlier this year which proposed sharing up to 50% of the revenue generated by a sport.
“[I]t is that very revenue that supports the non-revenue-generating sports at these schools. If you are a fan of college athletics this potential new model could place women's and Olympic college sports in serious jeopardy.”
Yurachek speaking out against the fragmentation of NIL rules and regulations is nothing new. In June, he had this to say: “Does that make any sense, that you can make more money by staying in college than you can by going and being a professional athlete? That’s where we have some issues in college athletics.”
Yurachek’s full Op-Ed is available HERE.
NIL Trading Cards Marketplace Comes with Questions
Earlier this year, Arch Manning signed a notable NIL deal with Panini. Just last month, without Manning playing a single down of football, a one-of-one autographed card sold for $102,500.
Daniel Atkins, CEO of Wild Card—a memorabilia dealer, cautioned those purchasing NIL trading cards: “There’s a lot of hype and anticipation in the past for these guys’ autographs because they weren’t available previously, and people want to see those on rookie cards. But because of the NIL and them coming out as sort of pre-rookie cards, it kind of dilutes the market.”
Panini, one of the largest trading card companies, nevertheless continues to expand their NIL practice:
“I think that early on in 2021, we probably had maybe five or six [athletes signed to deals] across even the basketball, football landscape,” said Jason Howarth, vice president of marketing for Panini America. “In 2022 we increased that, but the number for 2023 is exponentially higher than where it was in 2021.”
More from the Washington Post is available HERE.
For Athletes
Blake Corum, Michigan’s returning Senior Running Back who passed on the opportunity to go pro this spring, has been one of the team’s top NIL earners.
Corum, who has deals with Wolverine boots, Derek Jeter’s apparel company, and several local businesses, referred to NIL as “a bonus.”
“NIL has been really good to us, my teammates and I,” Corum said. “It’s a bonus. It’s still all about ball, but who would turn down a little bit of money while you’re playing a little bit of ball?”
For Admins
A joint survey from Sportico and The Harris Poll focusing on NIL was released this week.
25% of U.S. adults strongly agree that student-athletes should be able to receive direct compensation from their school, while a further 42% somewhat agreed.
Perhaps most notably, 80% of U.S. adults support uniform NIL standards across college sports.
ICYMI
NCAA President Charlie Baker said this week that they continue to lobby Congress for federal NIL legislation, while still working to find a new solution within the NCAA. LINK
Florida State and INFLCR launched the Apex Exchange to connect student-athletes with NIL opportunities. LINK
Quinnipiac partnered with Opendorse to launch an NIL marketplace for student-athletes. LINK
Have you checked out OSC’s website?
Head to www.OptimumSportsConsulting.com to find important resources and features relating to all things NIL. These resources include State by State Resources for Admins, Agents and Athletes, including our initial “OSC Summaries” for over a dozen states coming soon.
More to come too, including links to helpful state information- agency laws and information about school policies, as well as seminar/congressional notes, worksheets, and much more!