$13 Million Budget, SweetKiwi, and "Pandoras Box"

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Hey there,

Hope you had a great weekend! In today’s edition, we’ve got updates on the Arizona State AD search, massive new brand deals, and how the transfer portal/NIL combo is under fire.

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KICK-OFF

Sweetkiwi signs Mercy Miller on as Brand ambassador in potential $1.4M deal

Greek yogurt company Sweetkiwi - of Shark Tank fame - just signed high school phenom Mercy Miller to an NIL deal that could reach up to $1.4M. The company, which promotes healthier dessert options, saw Miller as a logical brand ambassador because of his health conscious lifestyle.

Miller is the son of music industry titan Master P, and plays with Bryce James at Notre Dame high school in Sherman Oaks, California. He’s currently committed to play at the University of Houston, one of the most successful programs in the country the past few years - sure to bolster his NIL brand as well. (More)

The Biggest Spenders in the Country

Ohio State seems to be operating in a different dimension in terms of their NIL spending. The median Power Four school will deploy somewhere around $3.5-4M in NIL funds to build out their football roster. Ohio State, on the other hand, is close to reaching their goal of $13M.

Of course, if you follow the transfer portal, you may have already guessed that. The Buckeyes had one of the most successful “offseason” of any Power 4 school, luring elite talents away from schools like Alabama and Ole Miss.

Many are predicting the Buckeyes to be the most generous spenders of any school in the country especially after their recent missteps against rival powerhouse Michigan. (More)

Opening “Pandora’s Box” with NIL/Portal Combo

At the American Football Coaches Association conference in Nashville earlier this month, coaches from every corner of the country sounded off on the transfer portal mayhem that they witnessed through December

“I think NIL is good, per say. I think the portal is fine, per say,” said one defensive coordinator, “But the two should not be mixed together.”

Another coach questioned the actual timing of the portal: “There’s not another sport that has free agency start while your season’s going on, and there’s no contracts… Our compliance people can’t even enjoy Christmas because they’re waiting for the next (transfer) email to drop.” (More)

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VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Caitlin Clark Uses Nike NIL Deal to Gift Teammates

Check out this video of Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark. She used her NIL deal with Nike to give out shoes to her teammates on her own birthday. (More)

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DOWN TO BUSINESS

Under Armour All-Americans say NIL is “crazy” in high school right now

At the January Under Armour All-American game, NIL talk was all the rage. “There’s been some crazy, crazy things,” one recruit said about NIL’s role in recruitment, “But I’m not going put out names.”

On the whole, these athletes possess a measured approach to NIL. “It’s a great thing,” one prospect said, “But some people misuse it.” Another prospect stressed the importance of immediate fit: “A big part of it is your brand, being able to get on the field early.”

Not every athlete discusses NIL during their recruitment though, opting for program fit instead. “I feel like once I get there, my freshman year, they’ll work some things out for me as far as getting money,” one prospect explained, “I trust the coaching staff. And everybody I know has trusted him.” (More)

• Some believe that an expanded football playoff will lead to compensation leverage for athletes. Many currently choose to opt out to prepare for the draft, but with $2B on the line in potential revenue, networks will go to great lengths for them to suit up.

• After the NIL hearing in D.C. last week, Rep. Lori Trahan expressed her doubt that Congress can find common ground on granting employment and antitrust protection for college athletes. “These are big, thorny issues… That is not going to pass both chambers.”

COLLECTIVE 101

Arizona State coaches want their new AD to be NIL-savvy

After firing their AD for overseeing “financial disaster” in the athletic department, Arizona State is looking for someone to turn their massive fanbase into NIL dollars.

“There’s a reason that all across the country, people think that we’re a sleeping giant,” head basketball coach Bobby Hurley said, “It’s the magnitude of our base and the depth of our base of alums and fans across the country that we could be an unstoppable force.”

He’s not necessarily wrong. The Sun Devils boast almost eighty-thousand students on campus any given year, many of which are starving for athletic success. If they were able to energize one of the biggest student populations in the country, they could easily pull in more money than most Division 1 schools. (More)

• Vanderbilt head coach and former NBA hooper Jerry Stackhouse called Ole Miss the “best team money can buy” after falling to them earlier this month. “You go into the portal and add juniors and seniors,” he said on a radio show postgame, we don’t add juniors and seniors at Vanderbilt. They just don’t transfer to us.”

• UCF’s collective is seeing rapid growth, but it’s going to need more to compete financially in the Big 12. “It may take a minute to get our heads above water and understand what it’s going to take to hang in this league,” said collective director SJ Tuohy.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Hailey Van Lith

Hailey Van Lith, from small-town sensation to college basketball star. With a string of accolades including McDonald’s All-American and NCAA Wichita Regional Most Outstanding Player, her impact on the court is undeniable.

Now, as she takes her talents to LSU after a stellar career at Louisville, Hailey's influence extends far beyond basketball. With a massive social media presence Hailey has secured NIL deals with Dicks Sporting Goods, Valentino, Overtime, Billionaire Girls Club and many more. 

NIL BLITZ

♦️ Runner Alia Armstrong signs deal with injury law firm

♦️ How UNLV is navigating the NIL era

♦️ Kentucky commit makes a deal with local Nevels Fitness

♦️ Old Dominion announces partnership with Teamworks

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Will donor fatigue negatively affect parity in college sports?

• Yes - 86%

• No - 14%