Reality of NIL at USC, Unnamed Player Demands Payment, Efforts To Combat Inequality + ICYMI & More | NIL Newsletter #231
Welcome to the NIL Newsletter by Optimum Sports Consulting - providing valuable, actionable NIL resources for athletes, administrators, agencies and other sports professionals.
Major News
University of Southern California Frustrated With NIL Restrictions
USC recruits are experiencing a disconnect between initial valuations and the amount disclosed in a legitimate NIL contract offer.
Per NCAA rules, collectives aren’t allowed to communicate directly with recruits; forcing coaches and athletic personnel to relay information before arriving at USC.
USC’s NIL Collective, House of Victory, has two primary interests- the desires of head football coach Lincoln Riley and their own budget based on the funding they receive from donors.
A majority of families believe that their athletes should be earning more than they do, but the House of Victory is at the mercy of USC’s donor base.
LINK.
Unnamed College Basketball Player Demands $1.5M To Leave His Team
An unnamed college basketball player not in the transfer portal is having his representatives contact interested teams.
Coaches attempting to land players not in the portal is a clear violation of NCAA rules.
NIL is supposed to be handled outside of official school channels.
Most college basketball players can earn mid-six figures if they have enough name recognition.
Challenging The NIL Gender Pay Gap
NIL spending is projected to increase to over $1.175B in 2024.
Only six female athletes crack the top 100 in terms of NIL valuations; eight of the top ten athletes are male.
Male athletes have earned more than 70% of the total NIL earnings among student-athletes since 2021.
UGA’s Athletic Association has enforced mandatory meetings throughout the year to educate its female athletes and help them gain notoriety.
LINK.
For Athletes
Deal of the Week
Former LSU women’s basketball star and top WNBA prospect Angel Resse inks a multiyear deal with Panini America.
Panini remains committed to featuring more women’s athletes across all sports.
The Panini deal is Reese’s first since declaring for the WNBA Draft.
LINK.
ICYMI
Brian Kelly discusses NIL challenges in college football; calling for a salary cap. LINK.
Texas Quarterback Quinn Ewers signs with private jet company, Nicholas Air, gaining access to his own flights. LINK.
The list of state laws pushing back against the NCAA’s power to govern continues to pile up. LINK.
Two Kentucky boosters contribute over $4M in NIL to support new men’s basketball coach Mark Pope. LINK.
The University of Alabama Defense signs its own NIL deal. 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!