🏅 LOTS of change is coming to College Football...

Teaming up with

Hey there,

It’s been an absolutely insane week in NIL — there’s murmurs of a 70-team college football super league forming; the NCAA is reportedly pushing NIL legislation through that would change the entire system; oh, and the biggest basketball tournament in the world is in full swing. Don’t worry, we’ve got all the updates you need right here. Just keep reading

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KICK-OFF

College Football Super League Incoming?

Reports are swarming in about a proposed college football “Super League”, which would take the seventy most important football programs in the country, split them into seven divisions, and create a collectively bargained league. There is also wiggle-room in the proposal for smaller schools to be promoted from the second tier into the first, similar to European soccer leagues’ relegation system.

The proposal is being drafted by a group that calls themselves “College Sports Tomorrow”, which is comprised of various power-brokers and stakeholders from across the country – including university presidents and sports executives.

To be clear, this proposal is still in its early stages. One big problem with actualizing the plan could be the massive media rights contracts that conferences have already signed with TV providers. (More)

NCAA Wants New NIL Rules By End of Month

As if that story wasn’t wild enough, the NCAA seems to be attempting to regain control over the sport themselves. As we speak, the organization is trying to convince the Division I Council to adopt a proposal that would give colleges a more direct hand in NIL dealings.

The new proposal would include a variety of changes, but perhaps most importantly it would demand contract transparency on deals over $600, as well as standardized NIL contracts across the board. Relationships between schools and collectives would also become much more direct under the potential legislation.

If this feels like a whirlwind, that’s because it is – the NCAA’s “NIL working group” is trying to get this proposal passed quickly – like, before the end of this month quickly – as they’re recommending it be adopted as soon as possible. (More)

Bronny James Declares for NBA Draft

Surprise! Bronny James announced yesterday that he’s declaring for the NBA draft, while still maintaining his college eligibility. The announcement comes on the tail of a report he was entering the transfer portal earlier this week. 

As it stands now, Bronny is projected to go undrafted by a variety of draft analysts, but that’s based purely on talent. Bronny’s family name has catapulted him to the top NIL valuation in the country, and many think whichever team drafts him could increase their chances of luring his future Hall of Fame father to their squad.

As for now, don’t expect him to actually enter the draft. His options are still open, and his final decision will likely be made after gathering how highly NBA teams value him. Nevertheless, the biggest name in NIL could be on the move, so it’s something we’re keeping our eye on. (More)

Teaming up with

March Madness is here and so is Influxer with their brand new NIL jersey line!

Influxer, the premier NIL merchandise provider for over 265 universities and 9,000 student-athletes has launched basketball jerseys just in time for tip off. But the jerseys aren't just for the tournament teams and are not just for basketball.

Over the coming weeks, Influxer will be launching all types of jerseys for all sports at ALL universities in which they are licensed! The jerseys speak for themselves being top tier quality and short delivery times, but Influxer won't stop there. The team will continue to launch new items for sale available on all student-athletes collections at all universities.

If you're an administrator interested in learning more about how Influxer can provide your student-athletes and university a winning NIL experience, please contact the team via Contact Us. If you're a student-athlete, sign up here!

BEST PRACTICES

NIL Taxes for High School Athletes

NIL means money changing hands, which means taxes will be involved. This may be common knowledge to older readers, but today we want to bring awareness to high school student-athletes that may be dipping their toe into the NIL pool for the first time.

Even if an athlete is simply promoting a brand on social media, taxes will need to be paid on NIL deals – usually by parents. “Most parents are behind the technology curve,” said Michael Duffy, who works as a managing director at Merrill Lynch Global Wealth and Investment Management, “If they don’t pay taxes on behalf of the minor, the athlete could have tax liens.” 

When Yahoo asked the IRS for guidance on the subject, they referred to this piece of the tax code, which deals with children and dependents. We’re not tax experts here, and we don’t pretend to be… but with tax season in full swing, you should make sure you or your high-school athlete is covered. (More)

DOWN TO BUSINESS

DJ Burns: An NIL Legend in the Making

Meet DJ Burns Jr.: the fuel behind NC State’s March magic thus far, and a burgeoning NIL superstar. His on-court play has resulted in some sweet off-court winnings, which he admits probably had a lot to do with how he looks.

“It gave me an avenue,” the 275-pound big-man said of his weight “It gave me a platform that most people don’t have, just because I’m unique.” Thanks to deals with Barstool, TurboTax, Manscaped, and more, his current NIL portfolio has grown well beyond six-digits this March.

DJ’s always been a grinder – he literally operates vending machines as a side hustle. Now, however, the grind comes on the court as he preps to take on Zach Edey in tonight’s Final Four matchup. “The Final Four is not the same as the lead Elite Eight marketing-wise,” according to his agent, “The challenge is to be mindful that basketball comes first right now. DJ has to perform again.” (More)

• Drake’s October’s Very Own brand, otherwise known as OVO, is releasing more school-specific apparel, and they’re using NIL to do so. UCLA’s Devin Williams modeled a new sweatshirt as part of the promotion.

• Flau’jae Johnson signed a deal with The Athlete’s Foot following LSU’s loss to Iowa last week. The star guard was picked as the apparel brand’s 2024 ambassador, and will help launch their Baton Rouge store location later this month.

COLLECTIVE 101

How Steve Lutz could Revive Ok. State Basketball

Steve Lutz intends to take Oklahoma State back to the top of the Big 12’s basketball standings, and his roadmap couldn’t be clearer, at least according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman: harness the power of NIL and the transfer portal.

In his piece on the new coach, Mussatto suggested the path to victory for any college basketball coach comes by focusing far more on the portal than high school recruiting. Freshman rarely win titles in the new college basketball – just look at how schools like Kentucky fared in this year’s tournament, despite rostering tons of uber-talented freshman recruits.

Secondly, of course, Mussatto said that NIL fundraising is paramount. Former Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton was vocal about the programs’ need for more NIL money – perhaps Lutz could reformulate his predecessor’s ask into active NIL campaigning for his school’s collective. (More)

• Hoosiers for Good just released their annual report, which breaks down the accounting of their NIL efforts. They raised nearly $2.6M last year, which got distributed to both student-athletes and local charities.

• Virginia Tech’s live NIL auction is officially underway, which includes exclusive experiences like film sessions with football coach Bud Foster, dinner at basketball coach Mike Young’s house, and press box experiences at a football game.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Paige Bueckers

As the leader of UConn Women's Basketball, Paige Bueckers has propelled her team to the brink of glory. Paige's journey to the Final Four is not just a testament to her talent but also a reflection of her rise to national prominence. With her valuation soaring to $643K at the start of the 2023-24 season, Paige stands as one of the most sought-after athletes in college basketball, securing NIL deals with industry giants like Nike, Nerf, Bose, and even the U.S. military's GoArmy. After this year's tournament run Bueckers has elevated her brand even further, solidifying her status as a legend both on and off the court. 

NIL BLITZ

♦️ Sprouts announces NIL deals with eight female athletes, including Stanford’s Cameron Brink

♦️ Duke basketball’s catalog of NIL deals 

♦️ Iowa head coach shares thoughts on NIL, says it was helpful for her team

♦️ Robbie Avila talks NIL with McAfee

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Where is Bronny James' most likely transfer destination if he were to leave USC?

• Ohio State - 31%

• Duke - 18%

• Kentucky - 19%

• Oregon - 15%

• Other - 17%