🏅 Is Amateurism in Sports Dead?

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Hey there,

In today’s newsletter, we’ve got updates on the House v. NCAA settlement, details on the TNT deal for CFB rights, and a softball star using NIL for the homeless. Keep scrolling for the latest news from around the NIL world!

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KICK-OFF

Questions Still Remain Following House Settlement

Following the agreement reached by the power conferences in the House v. NCAA dispute, there have been many questions and misunderstandings surrounding the settlement. First, it's important to note that the lawsuit is not finalized. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilkin has yet to certify the agreement, and athletes have the option to opt out of the settlement terms. Once these matters are resolved, the lawsuit will be officially concluded.

It's worth noting that in addition to the House v. NCAA case, the settlement terms also encompass the Carter v. NCAA and Hubbard v. NCAA lawsuits, despite these not always being mentioned in headlines.

Finally, while the future of NIL collectives could end up heading in a variety of directions, evidence points to them being a permanent fixture. It is likely that in the future, collectives will primarily be used to supplement the income given to athletes directly from schools. (More)

TNT Signs Massive Deal for College Football Playoff Rights

TNT Sports has reached an agreement to acquire the rights to broadcast early-round College Football Playoff (CFP) games, averaging approximately $1.3 billion in rights fees per season. Unlike previous years, there will now be 12 teams in the CFP, not four. With extra playoff games in the mix, TNT saw an opportunity to expand its televised sports portfolio.

Additionally, extra playoff games being broadcasted nationally means big NIL opportunities for athletes who would not have been given a chance in past seasons.

It’s not quite the beloved 64-team March Madness tournament, but Cinderella stories will still be found. All it will take is one big upset win on TNT to change an individual's NIL prospects. (More)

Northwestern Softball Star is Using NIL to Aid Homeless

Northwestern centerfielder Ayana Lindsey has developed an impressive resume: Big Ten champion, College World Series participant, and one of the only Northwestern student-athletes to start every game for the Wildcats. 

Amid all of this success, Lindsey wanted to use her platform to give back to her community. After approaching Northwestern collective director Jacob Schmidt, he paired her with Chicago HOPES, an organization that offers after-school care to children who are dealing with homelessness.

“All of the kids I’ve worked with have been really open to having an outsider like me come in,” Lindsey said. “They gave me an open door to get to know them.”

Lindsey is currently preparing for another trip to the College World Series, but that won’t stop her from continuing to help Chicago HOPES. (More)

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BEST PRACTICES

DIII Schools Can Still Utilize NIL

NIL playing a significant role in DIII sports seems like wishful thinking to most – the average DIII NIL deal is less than $100 per year, and schools don’t even give these athletes scholarships.

However, at schools with substantial donors, it does remain a possibility. 

Kevin Wolma, Assistant Athletic Director at Hope College, is using an NIL club to create opportunities for the athletes at his school. NIL clubs are essentially online fan communities where fans can receive exclusive content in exchange for a yearly subscription fee. 

While Wolma did admit that this service does not generate much revenue for Hope student-athletes, he is intrigued by the future of the service. Thanks to individuals like Wolma, a future may be built where NIL can benefit student-athletes even at the DIII level. (More)

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Syracuse Student is Using AI for NIL Startup

Jack Alder is a student at Syracuse who founded Out2Win following the NIL rule changes in 2021. Out2Win connects businesses directly to athletes for NIL deals. Now, Alder is trying to launch an AI-powered platform that ranks athletes based on NIL marketability, mainly based on off-the-field actions.

Alder thinks companies should base their investments on athletes more toward their ability to create content rather than athletic success. Content creation gives athletes a place where they are able to promote the products and services of companies that back them, giving those who are better in that area more opportunities to create earnings for their sponsors.

“A major challenge is that athlete creators are sometimes overshadowed by those performing at a higher level competitively,” Adler said. “Our platform allows brands to holistically evaluate athlete creators based on their off-the-field strengths.” (More)

• Florida softball star Skylar Wallace provides Oakleys for teammates through NIL.

• South Carolina has a new NIL law – here’s what it means for big schools like South Carolina and Clemson.

COLLECTIVE 101

Why Revenue Sharing Gives Collectives a Competitive Advantage 

A new era of NIL is underway now that universities can pay athletes directly. However, with the revenue-sharing cap, it is important to note how collectives can still be used. Money given to athletes through collectives does not affect the revenue-sharing cap. Due to this, schools can leverage well-funded collectives to retain top talent.

Additionally, collectives could even be used to distribute revenue payments. According to On3 sources, at least two SEC schools are looking into ways to incorporate donor-funded groups. Collectives present a potential solution here.

Collectives are not and will not die like some feared after revenue sharing is implemented. In fact, collectives may become a necessity for schools looking to remain as competitive as possible. (More)

• Jalen Rashada's lawsuit will likely affect the future of NIL collectives.

• The Kentucky collective hit its $1M fundraising goal, giving Mark Pope a hefty budget to work with for rebuilding.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Hanna Hawks

• School: University of Kansas 

• Sport: Golf

• Class: Freshman

• Accolades: Competed in nine events, scoring an average of 73.9, 3 Top 20 finishes, and a career-low round of 67 at the Wisconsin Westbrook Invitational, tying for 14th place with an outstanding score of 8-under-par.

• NIL: Using marketplace Postgame she’s secured NIL deals with brands like Hero Aid Healthy Hydration, Lulus, Adidas, and DKNY. 

NIL BLITZ

♦️  Dual-sport LSU commit signs the obligatory NIL deal with local Baton Rouge Law Firm

♦️  Lindsey Jones appointed as Stanford NIL general manager

♦️ Cavinder twins invest in slate milk

♦️ Quinnipiac Athletics launches NIL collective

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Are the House vs. NCAA settlement terms overall good for college sports?

• Yes - 42%

• No - 57%