The Congressional NIL Standoff, Collegiate Swimming Issues, Big 12 Discussions + ICYMI | NIL Newsletter #165
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Major News
Senator Mitch McConnell Blames Universities for Congressional NIL Stalemate
McConnell, who has previously called for a federal solution, says that the biggest issue is that universities cannot seem to agree on a solution.
McConnell, along with many other lawmakers have expressed frustration at the “patchwork” of state laws that have upended college athletics.
Per one tracker, 32 states have passed some version of NIL laws.
The issue, as McConnell sees it, is that if they cannot all come behind a particular proposal, then it will not make it through the legislative process.
At this point, multiple bills regarding NIL have been introduced in Congress, but none have come anywhere near close to becoming law.
That said, with more pressing matters afoot, lawmakers question whether Congress should even be devoting time to the matter. (link)
Swimming through the NIL Pool
While NIL creates a great opportunity for athletes, it also provides an opportunity for athletics as a whole.
Swimming, for example, is a sport that struggles to bring in a new fan base, aside from the one that watches the Olympics every four years.
If used the right way, NIL could allow for swimming to grow both on the collegiate and professional level.
For decades, the sport of swimming has struggled with popularity for a variety of reasons: lack of viewership, lack of knowledge about the sport, and low name recognition.
That said, each aspect of NIL can be related back to one of the reasons swimming has struggled in the past. With the new NIL rules, swimming can use NIL to its advantage and promote swimmers while allowing them to continue to compete on the college level. (link)
Big 12 Admins Agree NIL Existence is Not the Issue
In the first two days of coaches and administrators speaking at the Big 12’s annual football media days, one thing is clear: NIL is not the problem.
This is not to say that conference representatives do not recognize the problems associated with NIL, but rather that the issues are a byproduct of NIL.
According to coaches and admins alike, the problem is with the discrepancies, and not the existence
Voicing the thoughts of many others, WVU coach Neal Brown simply put, “the players should be paid.”
Brown went on to explain that these players should be getting a piece of the enterprise of college football. In his mind, if everyone else benefits, the players deserve to benefit too. (link)
The issue however, comes with the discrepancies among different states as to how these players get a piece of the enterprise.
In an attempt to reconcile this, Brett Yormark, the Big 12 Commissioner, backed the NCAA memo, stating that Big 12 Schools should adhere to NCAA policy.
For the full interview, click HERE
For Athletes
Friends of UNILV signs entire women’s basketball team to NIL deals
Friends of UNILV, a collective supported by Blueprint Sports (a full-service provider for collectives), managed to sign every female basketball player at UNLV to a NIL deal.
While Blueprint Sports declined to disclose the value of the monthly deals or whether the compensation varies by player, they did say that the deals are worth an average of $1,400 per deal. (link)
For Admins and Agents
New York State’s New NIL Law
New York State recently modified its NIL law, attempting to strip power from the NCAA. Below are the modifications:
(d) An athletic associated, conference or other group or organization with authority over intercollegiate athletics, including but not limited to the NCAA, shall not and shall not authorize its member institutions to:
(i) prevent a college from participation in intercollegiate athletics because a student-athlete in attendance has previously earned or intended to earn compensation for his or her name, image, or likeness;
(ii) entertain a complaint, open an investigation, or take any other adverse action against a college for engaging in any activity protected in this section or for involvement in a student-athlete's name, image, or likeness; or
(iii) penalize or prevent a college from participation in intercollegiate athletics because an individual or entity whose purpose includes supporting or benefitting the college or its athletic programs or student-athletes violates the collegiate athletic association's rules or regulations with regard to a student-athlete's name, image, or likeness.
On its face, the modification suggests that the NCAA can’t do anything in New York to enforce anything having to do with NIL.
(link)
ICYMI
Rachel Glenn, a 2024 Olympic high jump hopeful, is leaving the University of South Carolina to join the Arkansas track and field team.
Glenn claims that South Carolina was unwilling to help her capitalize on her NIL rights, and instead focused on basketball and football. (link)
Former Marshall tight end, Devin Miller, turned one of his NIL deals from his final year as an athlete into financial compensation for more than 20 members of Marshall’s 2023 signing class. (link)
In his final year of eligibility, Jared Wilson, a running back at Mississippi Valley State University, signed a NIL management deal with Jefferson Sports Enterprise to capitalize on NIL opportunities. (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!