Golf, Gators, and a $22K NIL Birthday Present

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Hey there,

In today’s newsletter, we’ve got updates on one of the wildest stories in all of NIL — Nick Dunlap’s improbably victory in the American Express golf tournament. The Alabama sophomore won the entire thing, but because of amateurism… he doesn’t get a penny of the purse. Keep reading to find out more about how it affects his NIL.

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— Cole, Justin and Collin

KICK-OFF

Alabama Golfer Becomes the Hottest Item in NIL

Earlier this week, Alabama golfer Nick Dunlap just became the first amateur winner on the PGA tour since 1991 – when a guy named Phil Mickelson took home the honor. Even more shocking, he’s not getting a dime from his win because of amateurism rules.

His second-place runner up took home over $1.5M from the tournament, and the entire tournament paid out $8.4M in total. That’s a tough pill to swallow.

But while Dunlap doesn’t receive any prize money for his win, the publicity alone will absolutely skyrocket his NIL brand — in fact he’d already attracted a ton of NIL attention even before his win. The sophomore golfer can likely strike any deal he wants, and is expected to soar up NIL valuation boards thanks to his historic performance. (More)

Department of Justice Joins in Suit against NCAA

The U.S. Department of Justice is joining the Antitrust lawsuit that’s challenging the NCAA’s transfer rules. The plaintiff’s case to this point has centered around the Sherman Antitrust Act, which forbids “horizontal agreements from competitors” 

It might help if we translate the argument into business terms: The transfer portal consists of an agreement between the competitors (schools) to limit the number of times employees (student-athletes) can switch jobs (schools), even if switching jobs (schools) would mean them making more money.

According to the plaintiffs, if NIL money-making opportunities are inextricably tied to where the athletes are competing, then they should have the freedom to move on somewhere else to increase their NIL earning capacity. The DOJ seems to agree now, which is probably not what the NCAA wants to hear. (More)

Florida Football Under Investigation

The Florida Gators’ football team is currently under investigation for NIL violations due to their recruitment of Jaden Rashada in 2022. Rashada, the #2 dual threat QB prospect at the time, allegedly committed to the Gators with a $13M, four-year package in place through an NIL collective.

The deal reportedly fell apart – the collective that offered the behemoth package folded, and Rashada committed to Arizona State instead. However, the NCAA still seems skeptical about what went on during his recruitment, likely suspecting an inducement violation. (More)

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WHAT’S TRENDING

Ups and Downs

• Texas A&M has bounced back from a potentially disasterous start to portal season by bringing in one of the best transfer classes in the country 📈

• Alabama QB Julian Sayin saw a $77K drop in NIL valuation immediately after entering the transfer portal 📉

• Ohio State is crossing their fingers that they’ll be able to secure a commitment from Bryce James, who holds a $1.2M valuation as a high school junior 📈

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Caitlin Clark’s NIL Birthday Present

Caitlin Clark’s NIL relationship with State Farm just grew deeper. As part of the celebration of her twenty-second birthday, the insurance giant donated $22,000 to the Caitlin Clark foundation.

Clark has starred in a few commercials for State Farm to date. The company has always been involved in athlete partnerships – working with professional athletes like Chris Paul and Patrick Mahomes – but Clark became the company’s first college NIL spokesperson in October of last year.

• The NIL Store just announced that they’ve surpassed $1M in total payouts to athletes. The Mark Cuban backed venture offers player-branded merchandise that redirects a massive portion of the profits back to the athletes themselves.

• The NCAA was denied their bid for an early appeal in a case that, if lost, could force them to pay out around $4B to student-athletes for damages stretching back to 2021.

COLLECTIVE 101

Penn State’s New NIL Guru 

Pat Flannery now operates as Penn State’s basketball defacto roster-builder as general manager for the school’s Happy Valley United collective. The Pennsylvania native has deep roots in the state, which he believes helps him connect with potential donors.

Flannery has held coaching positions at a myriad of schools, including Lebanon Valley College – where he coached Mike Rhoades, Penn State’s current basketball coach.

Rhoades implied that the key to winning ballgames is recruiting Pennsylvania, saying that he and Flannery will use their “shared Pennsylvania ties to build something special.” (More)

• Mack Brown says UNC has hit a “wall”, and he’s hoping NIL can help. He called the Tarheels’ recent fundraising efforts a “challenge” the fan base in order to “democratize our football program."

• The recent Florida State sanctions show the NCAA means business in NIL enforcement, and collectives around the country are starting to tighten up their operations as a result.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Lance Jones

Meet Lance Jones, the viral sensation whose dance moves during Purdue basketball games have captivated social media. Leveraging his newfound fame, Lance has partnered with Purdue's NIL Store to launch "The Lance Dance" t-shirts, allowing fans to groove in style.

Lance is using his NIL to support Phelan McDermid — who suffers a rare genetic disorder. As a key player for Purdue men's basketball, Lance isn’t just a dancing sensation — he’s also a driving force behind their 17-2 record and #2 national ranking.

NIL BLITZ

♦️ Bronny James joins his father in LeBron for exclusive signed trading card

♦️ Florida NIL collective welcomes QB back by asking fans for donations

♦️  Michigan’s Donavan Edwards launches trading card

♦️ Sports Business Journal: The cost of winning in college football

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Is Charlie Baker the right guy for the job of NCAA President?

• Yes, he’s doing a good job with the hand he’s been dealt - 68%

• No, he has to do better - 32%