🏅 Kiffin's NIL Criticisms

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Hey there,

You remember that whole two-step we did in December with the college football transfer portal? Yeah, it’s happening again. As of yesterday, college basketball’s transfer portal is officially open, adding more madness to the wildest month in college sports. Don’t worry though – stick with us and we’ll guide you through all the latest moves.

While you’re here, you should really check out our sponsor today, FanBlitz. They’re doing a wild promotion right now — $250K for a perfect bracket, with half of the money going directly to the winners’ preferred NIL collective! We’re excited to have them on as our partner, so please go take a look at their ad in today’s edition.

What better way to celebrate March Madness than by joining the official NIL Wire Bracket Challenge? You might not get an NIL package, but we’ll announce the winner in the post-Madness edition. Click the link here to join today!

If you like what we’re doing, let us know. If you aren’t satisfied, we’d also like to hear about it. Tell us how we can make NIL Wire better suited for you by emailing [email protected]. Now, to the news!

— Cole, Justin and Collin

KICK-OFF

International Athletes Still Can’t Use NIL

UConn basketball’s Aaliyah Edwards is a superstar… but because of how Visa laws work in the U.S., she’s not able to utilize her NIL to the greatest extent. The Canadian sensation just signed a deal with Adidas, but don’t expect to see her posting about it anytime soon – doing so could jeopardize her ability to stay in the country.

That’s because the Visa system still disallows international student-athletes from actively participating in NIL deals. The F1 (student) Visa only allows athletes to work on campus, and for 20 hours a week maximum. In short, that means athletes like Edwards can’t actively use their own NIL for dealmaking on personal social media channels.

“That’s the obvious way of how they’re not benefiting,” said soccer agent and former international college athlete Tay Hawker, “But I think at the same time… I think now they’re getting pushed more into the shadows because brands have to ignore them.” (More)

Majority of Americans Don't Want College Unions

Despite Dartmouth basketball’s recent legal win which allowed them to unionize, a majority of Americans are weary of college athletes unionizing in the future. According to a poll from the Associated Press, 55% of American adults do not support student-athletes becoming employees that could collectively bargain. 

The story becomes more complicated if we break down the age ranges, though. Under the age of forty-five, about 60% Americans are in favor of their ability to unionize. From 45-59, that figure drops to 36% in support; in the 59-and-older category, it’s only 23% in favor.

Interestingly enough, over half of the same data pool believed student-athletes should be involved in some revenue sharing model, 53% of polled adults. Only 38% said student-athletes should receive salaries. (More)

Kiffin’s NIL Criticisms

Ole Miss has transformed into an NIL hotspot thanks in large part to head football coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has utilized NIL and the transfer portal better than perhaps anyone in the country, which has elevated the Rebels’ player talent levels tremendously the last few years. If Kiffin is so good at NIL, then why is he still frustrated with it?

“It just probably sounds strange to a lot of people for me to say the disaster when we’re out there — some would say — maximizing it as well as you can and as well as anybody,” Kiffin said to On3, “But to me, that tells you how much of a disaster it is. Even though it benefits us, I’m still telling you it’s a disaster even though it benefits us at Ole Miss a lot.”

How would he fix it, then? It seems like Kiffin wants to professionalize the system further instead of pulling back: “I would get some structure around it to make them employees so they have real contracts that everyone can see…So you know the market,” he said, “Then there would be revenue sharing involved, so it would be more equal what they’re getting. And then there would be a cap.” (More)

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ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN BIG 

FanBlitz is launching the first-of-its-kind NIL-related bracket challenge for the men’s college basketball tournament. Join in for the FanBlitz Bracket Challenge, where college fans have the opportunity to win a $250,000 grand prize for a perfect bracket.

Half of the winnings will go to the lucky fan, while the other half goes to support the NIL collective of the winner’s favorite team. Additional prizes will be awarded to the top finishing brackets. Register now at www.fanblitz.co and make your picks!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

March Magic Has Officially Arrived

For some it’s March Madness, but for others, it’s March Magic. Over the weekend NC State capped off an improbable ACC tournament run with a win over North Carolina. Check out the players’ emotional response after winning the conference for the first time in 37 years.

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Should NCAA Income be Taxed?

The Indianapolis Star’s Scott Hedge is fed up with what he sees as an unfair system: Caitlin Clark must pay taxes on her NIL earnings, yet the NCAA pays absolutely no income taxes on their billions of dollars of revenue. Why is this the case? 

Well, for tax purposes, the NCAA functions much like a charity. According to lawmakers, “the broadcasting of these events promotes various amateur sports, fosters widespread public interest ... and encourages public participation.” If their mission is public interest and participation, then the earnings they make off of TV revenue fall under that non-taxable mission.

According to forensic accountant Serena Mornes, the NCAA accumulated over $13.6B in total 2022 revenue, none of it taxable. For Hedge, that’s not going to fly. If an athlete’s NIL earnings are taxed, he thinks the NCAA’s earnings should be too. (More)

• Learfield was named one of the best places to work in 2023 by Sports Business Journal. The NIL service provider ranked high on inclusivity metrics.

• Bumble is upping their NIL game by signing three women’s hoopers to their roster. They join fifty other female athletes as Bumble spokespeople.

COLLECTIVE 101

Kentucky Gets Basketball-Exclusive Collective

At long last, Kentucky has formally launched their very own basketball-exclusive collective, LaFamilia Club. The much-anticipated reveal has no one more excited than head coach John Calipari: 

This move means the rich get richer. Kentucky was already an NIL powerhouse – the Wildcats’ team currently contains five top 25 NIL valuations in college basketball. When your school houses 20% of the sport’s highest NIL earners, adding more NIL infrastructure is a luxury that will likely lead to on-court success sooner rather than later. (More)

• The Grove Collective just signed Ole Miss’ softball team to their NIL ambassador program. It’s the third time the collective has signed a full team, along with the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

• Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said that the Razorbacks weren’t always “the highest bidder” for players on their roster, but that many college athletes aren’t chasing the money.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

R.J. Davis

RJ Davis, a rising star in North Carolina basketball. Ranked at an impressive number 30 on On3's Top 100, RJ isn't just a formidable athlete but also a social media juggernaut with over 206,000 followers. Using his platform strategically, RJ has inked NIL deals with some renowned brands, from Zip Car Wash to Reebok, showcasing his entrepreneurial flair. On the court, RJ's leadership has propelled North Carolina to a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, solidifying his status as a dynamic force both in the game and in the digital sphere.

NIL BLITZ

♦️ Gonzaga launches NIL store

♦️ Nevada expands Learfield partnership

♦️ Kim Mulkey is the highest paid women’s basketball coach at $3.26M

♦️ Ohio State is now selling NIL frozen pizzas 

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Which is the best basketball conference this season?

• Big 12 - 24%

• Big East - 17%

• ACC - 12%

• Big 10 - 15%

• SEC - 21%

• Pac-12 - 11%