🏅 Cheesy Commercials and Paris Phenoms

Hey there,

Have you recovered from your hot dog-drenched, frosty beverage-filled holiday weekend yet? We’re still recovering over here, but we’re more than ready to give you the NIL news you missed out on. Keep scrolling to get all caught up.

Oh, wait. Did you see our top ten stories of the year list? If you haven’t, go check it out now. It’s the perfect way to get all caught up on the year’s NIL news so far.

Look out for our interview with agent Brad Blevins tomorrow. You won’t want to miss it!

While you’re here, you should really check out our sponsor today, Public Rec. They keep the bills paid for us, so please go take a look at their ad in today’s edition!

We love hearing from you! Send your thoughts, questions, and concerns to [email protected]. Now, let’s get you to the news!

— Cole, Justin and Collin

KICK-OFF

Teenage NIL Track Phenom is Heading to Paris

At only 16 years old, Quincey Wilson just became the youngest person to ever make the men’s U.S. Olympic track team. That’s not just good news for his Olympic aspirations – it’s also going to pay him handsomely in NIL. 

The youngster was already becoming an NIL sensation. Wilson is a prodigy of sorts, which led to him signing a hefty NIL agreement with New Balance last year to become one of the brand’s track and field spokespeople. He was only 15 when he inked the deal.

Just over a week ago, we told you about how shoe companies are playing the long game with track athletes. Wilson may be New Balance’s newest attempt at securing a running superstar for the future. (More)

Ole Miss is Exploring Corporate Logos on their Field

It was only a matter of time. This fall, Ole Miss’s athletic director Keith Carter expects the school to display corporate logos on the field – right near the 25-yard line, where the SEC logo has been displayed in years past.  

“I don’t think we want to become NASCAR and have logos everywhere, on our foreheads,” Carter explained, “But we’re definitely looking at the on-field logos, what that’s going to look like this year. I would say there’s going to be some version of that this year by the time we get to football season.” 

With seemingly every athletic department facing budget shortfalls, Ole Miss is simply the first to publicly affirm their intention to utilize this new revenue stream. (More)

Cavinder Twins’ New NIL Deal Cements CBB Return

Two of the NIL era’s biggest stars – the Cavinder twins – just signed an NIL deal with Under Armour to stay with the company through 2027. Add this sponsorship to their already long list of successful ventures since 2021.

The twins began their basketball careers at Fresno State, where they immediately capitalized on the new policy by signing a deal with Boost Mobile. From there, they transferred to Miami – one of the biggest NIL brands in the country. After a year-long hiatus to focus on branding, they announced their return to the court earlier this year.

“For a lot of people that don’t know a lot about NIL, it’s very easy to say ‘NIL is why they’re coming back,’” Haley Cavinder said. While her primary motivation may be basketball, it can’t hurt to expand her brand for another season with the Hurricanes. (More)

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VIDEO OF THE WEEK

NIL Commercial of the Year (So Far)

Maybe my favorite part of giving y’all the NIL news is watching the countless NIL commercials that accompany this job. Some advertisements are creative, some are cheesy, and some are just downright hilarious. This one could be all three.

Watch as 2026 tight end recruit JC Anderson “goes long” to show off a property as part of an NIL deal. Give this man an Oscar already!

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Teamworks Acquires… Nutrition Service?

We’ve mentioned Teamworks on more than one occasion here – the company builds out technology to help schools and athletes streamline their athletic goals, including NIL branding. Well, they just made a deal to acquire ZoneIn, a nutrition and meal-planning service they intend to integrate immediately.

The move is just another example of how the NIL service arms race has been heating up. Nutrition doesn’t have much to do with NIL on the surface… but combined with their other features, Teamworks continues to pitch a comprehensive one-stop-shop for student-athletes to take their brand to the next level – on, and off the court.

Better nutrition means better athletes, which in turn means more branding demand, which in turn means profit for Teamworks. (More)

• Gannett and Opensponsorship create a new network for creators to make money – opening up yet another potential sponsorship platform for NIL athletes.

• The NCAA and USA Gymnastics may overhaul the men’s championships for financial reasons, trying to increase the sport’s exposure. That could be good news for NIL sponsorships.

COLLECTIVE 101

Wyoming’s NFL Studs Help Bring in NIL Cash

Wyoming’s NIL program isn’t exactly raking in cash. That’s not their fault, to be clear – with a smaller and less active donor base, they simply have to get creative in raising money. That’s why the school’s NIL collective gathered the old band back together to raise some money.  

Wyoming’s biggest selling point isn’t the current brand… it’s their former players. The Cowboys’ football team has sent multiple players on to successful NFL careers, which is why they decided to fundraise with an “NFL and NIL” night. 

The event featured multiple Cowboys-turned-NFL players like Andrew Wingard, Marcus Epps, and more. However, their biggest superstar alumni – Josh Allen – was notably absent from the event. (More)

• Michigan launches an NIL-driven fan sweepstakes with sideline access for their home opener.

• Florida State baseball needs more financial support to stay competitive… meanwhile, their football program thrives with NIL.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Carter Starocci

• School: Penn State 

• Sport: Wrestling 

• Class: Senior 

• Accolades: 

  • Three-time All-American (2021, 2022, 2023)

  • Three-time NCAA Champion (2021, 2022, 2023)

  • Two-time Big Ten Champion (2022, 2023)

  • All-American as a freshman

  • Named Big Ten Freshman of the Year

• NIL: He recently announced his latest venture with Happy Valley United, the NIL wing of Penn State.

NIL BLITZ

♦️ The official and permanent split between FBS and FCS is here

♦️ Mount St. Mary’s launches an NIL collective at last

♦️ UCLA began thriving in basketball as soon as their NIL came around

♦️ How will NIL be featured in the College Football video game’s dynasty mode?

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