Patrick Mahomes Announces Inaugural "Team Mahomes" Adidas Class, Colorado Staffer Lobbied Saudi PIF For NIL, and More | Newsletter #265
Welcome to the NIL Newsletter by Optimum Sports Consulting - providing valuable, actionable NIL resources for athletes, administrators, agencies and other sport professionals.
Today’s newsletter includes updates on the new “Team Mahomes,” Colorado’s NIL reach, updates for athletes and administrators, and more.
Keep up to date on all of our newsletters and content by checking out past Optimum Sports Consulting Newsletters, and following us on Twitter!
This Monday Newsletter includes:
1. Adidas “Team Mahomes” Class Announced
2. Colorado’s attempt at raising NIL from Saudi Arabia
3. What’s coming up in the world of NIL
4. Legal Update: North Carolina high schooler suing over NIL ban
5. News/tips for administrators and student athletes
Major News
“Team Mahomes” Adidas class announced
Adidas and Mahomes’ alma mater Texas Tech announced a ten year partnership. Now, Mahomes revealed the signing of six new athletes for NIL deals, making them the inaugural class of "Team Mahomes."
The student-athletes joining Team Mahomes will participate in brand marketing campaigns, including for the Chiefs quarterback's signature shoe and apparel line with adidas.
The athletes are Micah Hudson, NiJaree Canady, Jasmine Shavers, Matthew Comegys, Sam Courtwright, and TJ Pompey.
In addition to the signing of these athletes, all eligible Texas Tech student-athletes can join Adidas' NIL Ambassador Network, which has included over 12,000 student-athletes nationwide so far.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
Colorado Sought Private Funding From Saudi Arabia For NIL
Former Colorado special teams coordinator Trevor Reilly claims he spent time lobbying Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to invest in the school’s NIL program on behalf of the football team.
Reilly sought to grow Colorado’s Buffs’ 5430 NIL collective. Reilly said he lobbied for the NIL program on his own accord, claiming, “I did nothing illegal and was trying to help Colorado the best way I knew how.”
Reilly resigned earlier this month and expressed his displeasure with the NIL management at Colorado.
This is not the first case of a school seeking private equity funding. Howard basketball coach Kenny Blakeney pitched to private equity firms asking for $100 million in return for a 33% stake in the program.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
Other Notable Stories to Follow
Clothing company, Hollister, launches NIL campaign for new collegiate line, where more than 150 athletes made over 500 social media posts showcasing their school spirit by wearing Hollister apparel - LINK
Over 50 student-athletes from the University of Oklahoma have sponsorship deals with local company Fowler Automotive Group - LINK
Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, and BYU named top NIL programs in college basketball - LINK
What’s Coming Up Next For NIL
Judge Wilken’s House Settlement Decision
Johnson v. NCAA District Court Judgement
Legal Updates
North Carolina High School Athlete Sues Over NIL
A high school football player in North Carolina has filed suit against the North Carolina Board of Education over their NIL ban. The ban specifically prohibits public school athletes from making money on their name, image, and likeness.
Lawyers say the athlete was harmed “by unlawfully restricting his right to freely use his NIL, which he and he alone owns, thereby jeopardizing his ability to capitalize on life-changing opportunities currently available to him and provide himself and his family with financial security.”
The lawsuit is seeking an injunction on the ban.
A major issue with the North Carolina ban is that private school athletes are not prohibited from capitalizing on their NIL, which many in the state believe is unfair.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
Optimum Sports Consulting is here to help.
For athletes looking for NIL insight and advisement, administrators and collectives looking for resources and facilitating a best-in class process, or agents looking to navigate the changing landscape, we’re here to help!
Message us now for a free consultation.
FOR ATHLETES
Notes for the Week
Texas quarterback, Quinn Ewers, signs NIL deal with non-alcoholic brewing company - LINK
Texas receiver and Beats by Dre Ambassador, Johntay Cook II, gifts Texas teammates orange Beats - LINK
Ole Miss right tackle, Micah Pettus, donates NIL money to give high school football team new uniforms - LINK
Tip of the Week: Make sure you budget your time when it comes to NIL deals.
With school starting back up, student-athletes are busy balancing academics and athletics. When it comes to NIL deals, make sure you are budgeting your time. Social media influencing tops the list of NIL activities. Although being paid to post sounds easy, it may be more work than you think. According to data from an NIL survey poll of 5,000 college student-athletes, a social media post as part of an influencer campaign takes about three hours on average with the planning, communicating and coordination required to execute a campaign. If you’re an athlete already working with limited free time, be prepared to grind it out off the field, too.
FOR ADMINS
Notes for the Week
Ohio State hosts Buckeye Bag Bing-OH, an NIL event to benefit the women’s basketball and volleyball teams - LINK
Illinois' NIL Collective announced partnership with DESTIHL Brewery to produce two beers to debut at the football team’s season opener - LINK
Lenoir-Rhyne University announced the Bears Champions Collective as the preferred NIL Collective of their athletics - LINK
Tip of the Week: If you are considering investments from 3rd parties, take into account what kind of control they would want and when they would want it.
When making a deal to give a minority stake to investors, schools and conferences should be very careful in reading over the terms of the contract to understand exactly how much influence over decision-making their new business partners will have. In college athletics, third-party investors may seek control over decisions related to coaching hires, recruitment strategies, and budget allocation in order to ensure a return on their investment. These investors may want to have a say in the direction of the athletic program, which could potentially conflict with the goals and values of the institution's administration. Carefully consider the level of control that potential investors may seek before accepting their financial support.
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