🏅 Coach Prime, Saudi Arabia, and NIL

Hey there,

Let’s not beat around the bush: Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes just made headlines for one of the wildest attempts to secure funding I’ve ever seen. That’s just the beginning, too – Oklahoma State is putting QR Codes on their helmets, and there’s news on which college basketball teams may be the biggest NIL spenders. All this, and more, coming right up.

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The Big 3

Saudi Arabia and Colorado… NIL Partners?

Colorado tried everything to increase their NIL funding under Coach Prime – even going so far as to ask Saudi Arabia for NIL investments. The whole story was told by former Colorado special teams coordinator, Trevor Reilly. 

"I even went to Saudi Arabia and got a meeting with the Saudis, who were interested in pursuing business,” Reilly said to the Colorado administration in his resignation letter earlier this month, “I have email receipts to prove it, and you guys let it fall flat on its face.”

The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund has been buying into sports leagues across the world as of late. It owns stake in multiple soccer teams, as well as operates the LIV golf tour. Who’s to say they may not want a slice of the college football industrial complex as well? (More)

QR Codes are Coming to Helmets

Oklahoma State just announced that players will be wearing QR codes on their helmets this upcoming season, which will contain direct links to the school’s NIL collective. While fans in the stands won’t be able to scan the codes, anyone watching on TV can scan and donate directly.

This is good news for Mike Gundy, who’s been open about how exhausting the NIL process has become. “Quit calling us and asking for more money,” he said recently, lamenting how players want to renegotiate their deals mid-season.

The Cowboys are the first college football team to take a step like this. It’s just about as perfect an idea as any in the current NIL space: the QR codes cost basically nothing to print onto the helmets, so there’s virtually no downside to the move. (More)

College Hoops Coaches Guess Top NIL Programs

CBS sports asked 100 college basketball coaches which three programs they thought had the biggest NIL war-chest, and the top three contained a surprising team: BYU. The Cougars appeared on 30% of ballots – more than powerhouse programs like Kentucky, North Carolina, and UConn. 

BYU wasn’t the only non-blueblood to appear on ballots. Arkansas – fueled by the recent hire of John Calipari – topped every team, appearing on 73% of ballots. Kansas came in at #2, followed by BYU, Kentucky, and Indiana to round out the top five.

Some teams you may have thought would top the list fell closer to the bottom. Duke came in on only 8.4% of ballots, while UConn and North Carolina only made it onto 6.3% of ballots. You can see the full list by clicking the following link. (More)

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ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Luther Burden III

• School: Missouri

• Sport: Football

• Position: Wide receiver 

• Class: Junior

 Accolades: 

• 2023 Second-Team All-America (AP and CBS Sports/247 Sports)

• 2023 First-Team All-SEC (AP and Coaches)

• 2023 Midseason All-America (AP)

• 2023 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist

• 2023 Maxwell Award Watch List

NIL: He recently signed a deal with NXTRND, the football equipment brand known for its top-tier gear. Now, you can catch Burden front and center on their social media, repping their latest products.

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NIL BLITZ

♦️ Georgia QB Carson Beck just starred in an NIL advertisement for a private jet company

♦️ This is what a day in the life of a collective head looks like

♦️ Dr. Pepper releases new “Fansville” commercial, which will likely star Texas QB Quinn Ewers this season

♦️ Florida State unveils new NIL technology that lets businesses contribute to the school’s collective through their everyday payment processing

♦️ Stanford QBs are repping Tiger Woods’ brand as part of an NIL partnership

♦️ North Carolina’s field hockey squad just signed a teamwide trading card deal with Upper Deck

♦️ One LSU offensive tackle just gifted $10K in Bose products to other members of the O-line

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Will you be watching the Amazon NIL Docuseries

• Yes, I want to see behind the scenes of an NIL operation - 54%

• No, I don’t care enough to carve out the time - 46%