NIL King and 7-Eleven's Shoe Dog

Hey there,

Another weekend of college sports means another week of NIL news.

Today’s newsletter has you covered. Did you know TCU is a rising NIL powerhouse? Or that designing cleats could help kids suffering from cancer? What about the “King of NIL”, who’s secured nearly 100 NIL deals thus far? This, and much more, in today’s edition.

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— Cole, Justin and Collin

House v. NCAA

There’s an antitrust court case coming down the pipeline that could have massive implications for the future of college sports. It’s called House v. NCAA, and the NCAA is terrified of what might come of it. Here’s the skinny:

The plaintiffs want money for NIL damages, but not in the same way that these cases have unfolded in the past. The’ve requested class certification, which means that it’s not just them that could get money, but potentially thousands of Division I athletes that weren’t able to take advantage of NIL.

We’re not just talking about some settlement with a handful of athletes – the damages could amount to billions of dollars. Then it gets really hairy – Title IX would absolutely come into play if 96% of money went to male athletes. Right now, it’s only in a Northern California court, but according to lawyer Mit Winter, “the entire current college athletics model could be over” based on the outcome of this case. (More)

NIL’s Educational Epicenter

A new NIL powerhouse is emerging, but not in the way you may be thinking. Whereas schools like Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Alabama have created NIL fundraising infrastructures matched by almost no one in the country, TCU is becoming the epicenter of NIL education.

Last week we told you about the NIL business class they’re offering this semester; well, the Horned Frogs just announced a business partnership with Robinhood and their business school.  

The partnership will allow students to “operate at the intersection between academics and industry,” TCU president Dan Pullin said of the partnership, which will teach financial literacy to students and student-athletes alike. (More)

Strikeout Cancer

It started with a hug at a country concert – that’s when Ball State’s Hannah Dukeman knew that her pursuit to become a pediatric cancer doctor was the right choice. But as she embraced a man whose six-year-old son had just been diagnosed with cancer, she realized that she couldn’t wait any longer to start helping. She would be a doctor eventually, but her advocacy started now. Enter, NIL.

Dukeman and her softball teammate Emma Eubank decided that if NIL exists, they could direct funds toward combatting pediatric cancer. With the help of an NIL sponsor, they created custom cleats to help spread awareness. The tandem also committed to the St. Jude’s walk/run event in Indianapolis with a fundraising goal of $10,000.

“Our goal is to share our story and get it out there and raise awareness for the cause” Dukeman said. (More)

Open Doors Policy

Opendorse’s tech capabilities pair seamlessly with the TCA’s 21 school student-athlete base. “We’re looking at long-term outcomes,” said Opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence. “It’s important we have access to TCA members.” (More)

Te’o Talks

On the Pat McAfee show a few days ago, former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o was asked how NIL would have changed his life when he was in college. “I remember my senior year, they were making all of the #5 jerseys…If I could just get like a fraction of that.”

Te’o went on to discuss how he saved up his stipend checks each year to fly his family out from Hawaii to see his games. Had he been able to profit off of his NIL, they could have come to more than just two games a year.

During the interview Te’o also touched on the importance of setting student-athletes up for success after the checks come in. “NIL is one of those things now where I’m glad they’re compensating these kids… I just wish they’d go a step further and educate these kids on how to use that money.” (More)

POV on NIL

It seems like members of Congress are warming up to collectives sharing their point of view on how NIL should be regulated. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) reportedly had a “productive meeting” with The Collection Association last week, as the trade association made their way to Washington in hopes of being heard. They also held meetings with staffers from two other Republican offices in hopes of being included in the legislative process.

Up to now, TCA’s perspective had been spurned by Congress, which provoked a recent letter from the association asking to be looped in on the lawmaking conversations.

That effort seemed to be more-or-less ignored until this point, so this development is certainly progress. It’s yet to be seen, however, if Sen. Graham and others are willing to give TCA anything more than a meeting. (More)

Cincy names Official Collective

When the Big 12 announced that Cincinnati was joining the conference, many were… well, skeptical. Sure the Bearcats had strung together some good teams as of late, but could they really compete with the big dogs? It wasn’t quite obvious.

Now it’s a bit more clear that they can. They just made Cincy Reigns their official NIL partner, making them competitive in a space that requires a tightly coordinated effort for success. Now that they’ve got an official NIL Collective directing funding efforts, the Bearcats can take the recruiting leap and get some high profile commits. (More)

7-Eleven’s Shoe Dogs

Every kid wants to design their own shoe. It’s like the pinnacle of sports success for most young athletes; it’s not enough to dominate on the field, but you’ve got to look good doing it too. A signature shoe designed by the player themself – it’s a dream for most.

Well, those dreams are about to come true for a few standout football players. 7-Eleven just signed nine college football studs to a unique NIL deal that allows them to design their own cleats for auction.

The one-of-a-kind shoes will be designed by the player himself before being sold, meaning the buyer will be possess a completely unique pair. Oh, and the best part? It’s all going to benefit children’s hospitals in the cities where these guys play ball. Talk about a win-win. (More)

Rayquan Smith

Rayquan Smith isn’t the type to take no for an answer. The former Norfolk State football player decided that in order to make NIL money, he needed to market himself well – which compelled him to send hundreds of emails asking to rep various company’s products.

“I was hitting up every company I could, just asking ‘Can I do this, can I help promote your product?” he told On3. The result? Almost 100 NIL deals, totaling deep into five figures, directly into his pocket. From Eastbay to Spikeball, the “King of NIL” has repped some of the biggest brands in the NIL space, and all he had to do was ask. (More)

♦️ Auburn QB signs an RV deal “the way [NIL]’s designed to be”

♦️ Former OK St. player thinks NIL will help with recruiting parity

♦️ SDSU rebrands NIL collective

♦️ LSU tight end signs with Walk On’s

♦️ Minnesota Soccer team snags the first teamwide deal at UM

Todays Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

If he stayed in school, how much could Shedeur Sanders make with NIL next year?

• About what he's making now, $5-6 million: 71%

• A little more than what he's making now, $7-9 million: 19%

• Around or surpassing $10 million: 10%