Congressional NIL Hearing Gets Dicey

Hey sports fan,

What a crazy week in NIL. There was a huge hearing on NIL in Congress this week you probably didn’t catch, seeing that you (hopefully) have better things to do with your time than tune into C-Span. Don’t worry, we watched the whole thing — all three hours of it — so that you didn’t have to, and we’re giving you the most important updates from it. That, and much more, down below.

Before that though… you should probably follow us on Twitter/X. Trust me, you’ll thank us later.

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— Cole, Justin and Collin

Collectives Clear the Air

Tuesday saw college officials, collective heads, and athletes themselves descend upon Capitol Hill for a Congressional hearing on NIL. Among the most important developments was the inclusion of NIL collectives in the testimony, which brought out a seemingly unexpected response.

At one point in the hearing, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) suggested that collective heads don’t actually want any regulation, but was abruptly corrected by Walker Jones, the head of Ole Miss’ The Grove Collective.

“Senator, just in response, we’re for regulation…we’re not asking that there not be transparency.” Jones’ comments reveal that perhaps there’s been a bit of a narrative forming around what collectives do and don’t support, which is probably why they’ve wanted a seat at the table for some time now. (More)

Congress on Equity

At one point during the very same hearing, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) asked the women that were testifying their thoughts on gender equity in the NIL space. Florida gymnast Trinity Thomas was the first to speak.

“I do see it as an issue,” she explained, “Me as a female athlete, I feel like I personally have to do a lot more, especially in the NIL space, to receive what I deserve.”

Next up was St. Joseph’s Athletic director Jill Bodensteiner. “Right now at St. Joe’s male basketball student athletes are asking what the collectives… will ‘do for them,’” she said, adding air quotes with her fingers, “That is not happening in any of our women’s sports.” If you want to see more of the discussion, click the following link and skip ahead to the 54-minute mark. (More)

Transfer Portal = Free Agency?

In his short tenure as commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, Tony Petitti has already overseen tons of growth. Since he took over in April, the conference has been able to add some of college sports’ premiere west coast brands by capitalizing on the disintegration of the PAC-12 . That’s not to say everything is just peachy, though. Petitti talked about the challenges of recruiting in an NIL world, and he’s a bit worried.

“In terms of just money being used… touching recruiting and touching the transfer portal, it's not how the system is supposed to be,” he said, “It's not what NIL was intended to do.”

Petitti’s concerns are shared by many. The combination of NIL with a looser transfer portal has produced a system that resembles a sort of free agency more than what many traditionally understand college sports to look like. (More)

Cruz-ing Through Congress

Cruz has been extremely pro-NIL for a while now. “[If athletes are] able to generate millions of dollars for their school, that they’re entitled to earn the fruits of their labor,” he said, “A big question is going to be can we get democrats and republicans to come together.” (More)

Aresco’s Irritation

It’s not exactly a secret that the NCAA has had trouble reigning in NIL. Well, the head of the American Athletic Conference is fed up with it, even suggesting that they outsource their enforcement measures.

“What’s also a little disconcerting is that the states have gotten involved,” AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco said, referencing the tension between state legislatures and the NCAA, “They are basically saying to the NCAA, ‘You can’t enforce anything in my state because my attorney general will go after you.’”

He tempered his comments with praise of current NCAA president, however, describing Charlie Baker as “a breath of fresh air.” (More)

The Collective Good

There’s been a lot of negativity around NIL lately, which is why we have to be reminded that it really can do extraordinary things. Troy’s NIL collective is one such example. Josh Boutwell is a reporter that covers all things Troy, but this summer he was diagnosed with cancer. Troy’s Trojans Together Collective decided to help fight that battle with Josh.

The collective decided to start raising money to help cover Josh’s medical expenses. He didn’t ask for it from them – Trojans Together just did it. While it’s easy for many to see NIL collectives as entirely self-serving entities, that’s not exactly accurate in many cases – there is good to be found. Just ask Josh Boutwell. (More)

Gundy Gets Grouchy

Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy has never been one to mince words. He spoke out again on NIL, this time voicing a frustration with athletic facilities being sapped for cash because of NIL payments.

“Don’t build it, put the money in the bank,” Gundy said, “Put the money in the bank and spend it on NIL. That’s just the future, and I’m not saying I agree with it. I only know the sign of the times.”

He explained how recruits used to be enticed by “shiny new facilities and uniforms,” but now they’d rather just get paid out. To him, that puts extra stressors on the school itself to keep their facilities up to date while collectives take in the majority of the money for player acquisition and retention. (More)

Like a Good Neighbor, Caitlin is There

Women’s College Basketball has never been more popular, a development that has a lot to do with Caitlin Clark.

Last year’s national championship showdown between Iowa and LSU was the most viewed game of women’s basketball ever, and this year Iowa’s somehow upped the hype even further by playing a game in their football stadium. The reason for all this hype is, simply put, Caitlin Clark. That brand recognition is likely why State Farm tapped Clark as their newest NIL representative.

@jakefromstatefarm

@Caitlin Clark next question. Be fr. Was the red velvet cake good? #CaitlinClark #Basketball #WomensBasketball #CollegeBasketball #D1Athlete

The national deal isn’t Clark’s first, but it’s certainly one of her biggest to date. She joins superstars like Patrick Mahomes and Chris Paul in repping the company, and becomes the first collegiate athlete to do so. (More)

Lexi Rodriguez

Click the link below to learn how Nebraska volleyball star Lexi Rodriguez is using her NIL to make an impact.

♦️ A former Arkansas athlete is starting an NIL matchmaking company

♦️ Georgia HS athletes ramp up for NIL

♦️ Texas State inks a multi-sport deal with a local bank

♦️ Dan Murphy show: NIL changes and their impact on college sports

♦️ USF’s collective is hosting an NIL Gala, coming in November

Todays Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Should coaches publicly urge their fanbases to donate to NIL?

• Yes, no reason not to - 91%

• No, coach the damn team - 9%