Hey there,

In today’s newsletter, we’ve got a little bit of everything. There’s a ton happening on the legal front of NIL right now, not to mention million dollar fundraising efforts and an NIL collective sending fans on vacation to raise money. Oh, and the #1 NIL player in the nation is returning to play.

We’ve also got a really important Best Practices section today, which goes through how international student-athletes can use NIL under the current student visa restrictions.

Before all of that though, we’d love to hear feedback on anything and everything about our newsletter. Hit reply or send us an email at [email protected].

— Cole, Justin and Collin

KICK-OFF

The Cowboy Collective

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the NIL efforts. LONE STAR NIL has one goal, to keep Texas student-athletes in Texas.

Their eligibility requirements are simple: Be from Texas, and enroll in any of the 116 public or private colleges that Texas has to offer. It’s the first program of it’s kind, serving the athletes of an entire state rather than just one school.

To get the word out, they just announced an ambassador program to promote their brand on campuses. Ten students, in schools ranging from Lubbock Christian to Texas A&M Corpus Christi, were signed on as part of their initial efforts. (More)

Bronny James Cleared to Play

Bronny James Jr., son of NBA superstar LeBron James, has officially been cleared to play basketball for the USC Trojans. He currently holds the highest NIL valuation in the country, regardless of sport, at $5.9M.

Bronny is already an NIL juggernaut, despite not suiting up for the first few games of the season due to a heart problem. The next closest NIL valuation is held by Shedeur Sanders at $4M. For those counting, that means second place is almost $2M less than Bronny. (More)

NIL Stakeholders Speak on Biggest Concerns

As part of their State of College Sports series, On3 asked NIL stakeholders from around the country (many of whom are NIL Wire readers, by the way) what their biggest concerns with the landscape are. Their responses make a lot of sense if you’ve been following NIL recently.

At the top of the list were concerns around a potential ‘collision course’ between NIL and Title IX, the grey-area around international students’ ability to use NIL, and frustrations around Congress’ lack of urgency to pass any NIL legislation. (More)

BEST PRACTICES

The NIL Playbook for International Athletes

There’s been a ton of confusion around whether or not international athletes can take advantage of NIL. With the possibility that their student visas could get revoked, we wanted to give you resources on how it all works. According to FanNation problem comes down to active vs passive NIL involvement.

Active involvement – which involves the athlete performing labor – could put an F-1 visa at risk. This could involve something like an autograph signing or even a social media post.

Passive involvement shouldn’t usually be a problem, however. A good example of this may be something like licensing – a company pays a player for the right to use their name, image, and likeness in a video game.

Read more to see the ins and outs of how it works, legally.

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Former Buff Wants the Bag

A big piece of former running back Alex Fontenot’s argument is that most college athletes will never have the ability to make compensation for their athletic achievements, because so few players are able to play professionally after college. He also alleges, like many others have, that the NCAA has been violating anti-trust law for years. (More)

A New Legal Frontier Emerges

As NIL explodes, a new legal market is exploding too. Student-athletes are becoming more and more like entrepreneurs, and as a result, they’re needing legal counsel to guide their business decisions.

Lawyers are capitalizing on this market emergence. From deciphering business contracts to making sure athletes are complying with state and NCAA guidelines, attorneys have never been more welcome in the college sports space. (More)

COLLECTIVE 101

Indiana Aims High

Earlier this month Indiana’s Hoosiers Connect collective set their sights high by setting a one million dollar fundraising goal by December 31^st. In the first day of fundraising, they brought in almost $500K in donations.

That’s not even the best part though. An anonymous donor pledged to match every dollar, putting their current total at well over $1M. The initiative was so successful that they’re trying to take the mojo to the football team, too.

The fans still have until December 31^st to reach the full goal, which would put the Hoosiers at $2M after the donation match. (More)

Ticket to Paradise

Oklahoma’s Crimson and Cream collective has proven themselves to be one of the most innovative NIL entities in the country, and their newest initiative is no exception. In honor of their star QB Dillon Gabriel playing perhaps his final home game for the team, they’re offering a member-exclusive giveaway trip to his home-state.

Where is that hometown, you might ask? Hawaii. The trip’s value comes out to over four-thousand dollars, and includes an all-expense paid stay at the Waikiki Malia. (More)

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Bronny James

Bronny’s name recognition and connections have made him basketball royalty before he even stepped foot on campus at USC. He is the most valuable college athlete in NIL leading the nation with a $5.9M valuation.

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NIL BLITZ

♦️ Could Utah be in Title IX trouble for their Truck Deal?

♦️ Top ranked offensive tackle recruit signs with WME for NIL representation

♦️ Arizona State adds collective members in wake of AD’s resignation

♦️ Quinn Ewers snags Law Firm sponsorship

♦️ Iowa pitcher inks a high tech deal

♦️ Texas Tech baller gives thanks to his community

♦️ South Carolina track star lands another deal with Gamecocks collective

BATTER UP

Todays Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

In terms of NIL, who stands to gain the most by transferring to another school?

• Former Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke - 65%

• Former Notre Dame WR Chris Tyree - 14%

• Former Kansas State QB Will Howard - 21%