Hey there,

Welcome to Tuesday — better than Monday, but worse than just about anything else. The only redeeming factor of Tuesday is that you get to catch up on all of the latest NIL news with us, NIL Wire. So sit back, relax, and let’s dive into the weekend’s biggest stories.

Before we do though.. We’d love to hear feedback about our newsletter. Simply hit reply or send us an email at [email protected]!

— Cole, Justin and Collin

KICK-OFF

Presidential Preferences

Many were a bit surprised to see President Biden host former college superstars to the White House to talk about NIL, athlete’s rights, and more a few weeks ago. They shouldn’t be though – everything we know about the President points toward his support for their cause.

Biden has recently made an effort to position himself as a leader on the labor front – a likely reason the aforementioned roundtable was called in the first place. His hand-picked appointee for General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board has even said that she views athletes as employees in the past.

If you’re wondering where the President stands on the many issues surrounding NIL and athlete compensation, look a bit harder. When push comes to shove, the Biden administration would likely support athletes being considered workers, legally. (More)

The Next Chapter

Athletes.Org (AO) is emerging from the ether as a potentially game-changing college sports players association. The association’s founders – INFLCR’s Jim Cavale and former Penn football player Brandon Copeland – are trying to unite athletes together through local “chapters” that can vote on key issues, and potentially down the road even collectively bargain.

It was a big week for AO. The organization didn’t just hire on legendary Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim to its board of directors; they’ve also begun tapping chapter leaders to begin organizing. What better place to start than where they did: at Duke and North Carolina, with superstar hoopers Armando Bacot, RJ Davis, Jeremy Roach, and Deja Kelly. (More)

Bo’s Big Break

Bo Nix became the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman after a legendary battle with Caleb Williams a few weeks ago, and that hype has begun to translate into even more NIL deals. The Oregon QB just became the first college athlete to sign on with Google Shopping for endorsement.

Nix already held one of the ten largest NIL valuations which now looks poised to grow. He may have some of the best name recognition in college football too due to his on-field success. (More)

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

What’s Going on with Angel Reese?

Angel Reese is one of the biggest earners in NIL, but she’s been noticeably absent from the LSU team in recent weeks. This weeks video is a short roundtable discussion on how NIL may impact the situation.

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Klutch Picks an NIL Ambassador

If you follow professional basketball, you’re well aware of Klutch. The sports agency was founded by LeBron James’ childhood-friend-turned-superstar-agent Rich Paul, and represents some of the biggest names in the NBA. Well, Paul just launched his own apparel brand, Klutch Athletics, and he’s looking to the college game for branding help.

Enter Kentucky freshman Justin Edwards, the five-star forward who’s been projected as a top draft pick since before stepping foot in Lexington.

Edwards getting the nod for NIL ambassador shouldn’t be too surprising. He signed with Klutch for NIL representation before the season started this summer, so this whole agreement happened underneath the Klutch umbrella. (More)

Reaching New (Siena) Heights

Siena Heights is an NAIA-competing school located in Adrian Michigan. The school’s athletic director, Sue Syljebeck, recently talked about how she saw their school’s NIL opportunities as an edge in acquiring talent.

“Even though we did it to help our student athletes, it can be a recruiting advantage as well,” Syljebeck said of the school’s willingness to help athletes get NIL deals.

Siena Heights athletes may not be cashing million-dollar checks, but NIL still plays a huge role in their athletic experience. NIL affects all schools in the U.S. – not just the massive NIL spenders. (More)

COLLECTIVE 101

A House Divided

UCLA’s head basketball coach Mick Cronin has taken a very forward approach when it comes to promoting the school’s NIL collective, Men of Westwood. He’s worn promotional t-shirts, talked to the media, and performed just about any other responsibility a coach would need in the age of NIL. Football coach Chip Kelly, on the other hand, has taken a reserved approach:

Not all NIL efforts are as seamlessly coordinated as some might have you believe, even within schools. (More)

Aztec Artifact

In order to bolster their NIL efforts, SDSU is letting fans relive their 2023 March Madness run. Fans can now purchase signed pictures of “The Shot” – which every SDSU homer knows refers to Lamont Butler’s game winner over FAU – signed by Butler himself.

The proceeds from this initiative will only go two places: one, toward the Aztecs’ NIL collective efforts; two, directly into Lamont Butler’s pocket. (More)

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Mady Aulbach

Meet Mady Aulbach, a graduate student at Youngstown State University pursuing her Master's in Professional Communication. Her impact extends far beyond basketball as she has forged partnerships with major brands like WWE, TrueRep app, eyebuydirect, and Sam's Wedge Inn, utilizing Opendorse to leverage her platform for meaningful collaborations.

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NIL BLITZ

♦️ Charlie Hustle signs eight Kansas and Kansas State hoopers

♦️ Houston basketball’s Jamal Shead nabs a deal with Electrolit

♦️ Maryland hosts educational NIL sessions on campus

♦️ The Cavinder Twins talk future NIL plans

♦️ Actively Black has seen growth through NIL deals

♦️ Caitlin Clark signs on with Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning’s agent

BATTER UP

Todays Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Could Vanderbilt reform their NIL strategy enough to compete for an SEC title within the next half-decade?

• Yes, if they take the right measures - 79%

• No, the program would need a longer overhaul - 21%