Pac-12 Demise, NCAA Crossroads, Mercedes NIL deals + ICYMI | NIL Newsletter #171
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Major News
The Devolution of Pac-12
As of Friday night, only 4 colleges/universities remain in the Pac-12 conference.
Oregon and Washington are joining the Big Ten.
Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah are all joining the Big 12
While this is sad news, it also has repercussions on the competitiveness of each conference.
Now, the Big Ten and SEC dominate college football and hold all the universities that any top-100 athlete would want to play at.
These conferences will begin to face levels of competition unlike ever before, however, for those not in one of these top conferences, the door to competition may have just been shut.
more HERE
The Crossroads of College Sports
After a review of the NCAA’s business model, the main takeaways suggest that college athletics are “at a crossroads”
The key pressures that were cited in the article include:
the decline of the allege-age population
rising costs of attendance
the ability for college-aged athletes to go professional
the influences of social media and sports betting
media partners experiencing existential threats to business
In a statement, Charles Baker said, “college sports remain in a period of dramatic transformation, and the NCAA must evolve in response to and anticipation of these changes.”
click HERE for more of the issues discussed in the article.
For Athletes
USC freshman basketball guard Judea “Juju” Watkins has received a 2023 Mercedes EQS to drive during her 2023-24 season thanks to an NIL partnership between House of Victory and Fletcher Jones Motorcars. (link)
For Admins
Penn State football is offering fans the opportunity to watch a preseason football practice with free admission for everyone.
While the admission tickets won’t provide revenue for the Penn State Lions, the opportunity to receive a signed autograph will.
Prior to practice, Penn State Players will sign autographs exclusively for members of Happy Valley United, Penn State’s newly rebranded NIL collective.
Fans who are not already Happy Valley United Members can join the collective on-site for $25 a month.
This opportunity offers a new perspective on NIL-revenue earning tactics.
(link)
For Agents
Five TikTok employees from the company’s content partnerships visited Colorado’s campus last week to provide an educational workshop for student-athletes with content creation tips to help maximize their personal brand and NIL opportunities.
The 2.5 hour session was the first of many that the company is planning to make to Boulder. (link)
ICYMI
LSU Emery Jones signed a new NIL deal with John Deere Dealer. (link)
The NIL Store powered by Campus Ink has announced a partnership with WKU athletics as its official NIL merchandise provider. (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!