🏅 Is Ollie Gordon off the hook?

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Is the transfer portal changing how coaches discipline their players? Is Oregon in deep trouble over Title IX issues? And how much would Shaquille O’Neal have made if NIL were around in the 90s? All this, and more, on today’s edition of NIL Wire.

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KICK-OFF

Ollie Gordon off the Hook?

There’s a term often used to discuss the shifting power landscape in professional sports – player empowerment. This term generally refers to a player’s ability to leave a team to get what they want or receive otherwise special treatment. It’s leverage, really. 

Well, with the transfer portal wide open, we’re seeing the very same situations in college sports. That’s what columnist Cedric Golden thinks is happening in Stillwater, where star running back Ollie Gordon saw no repercussions from Oklahoma State after receiving a DUI late last month.

Referring to the threat that Gordon could enter the transfer portal, Golden explained it as such: “If anything, giving his best player a pass is further proof that coaches no longer have absolute power when it comes to dealing with their star athletes in this NIL era.” (More)

Report: Schools Should Lobby States for NIL

Researchers at Ole Miss just published a study examining how the relationship between lawmakers, NIL, and the NCAA affects policy at the Federal and state levels. Let’s break down the findings.

Their research asserts that the NCAA lobbies the federal government far more than the state governments. As a result, when schools reach out to state lawmakers about potential NIL policy changes, they usually succeed.

The study, which was funded by the American Athletic Conference, shows that the schools themselves are actually the most important stakeholders when trying to pass NIL legislation. (More)

UConn’s NIL “Laboratory”

UConn basketball is more than just a successful on-court program – it’s an off-court NIL brand factory too. The school’s newest NIL class, taught within the business school, is a testament to the way the Huskies have taken a holistic approach to NIL.   

“This is an experiential sandbox,” said David Noble, who teaches the class, “Failing is a necessary part of learning what to do and how to do it… We work with them on the application of different subject matter to their actual businesses, which happens to be the business of them: their name, their image, their likeness.” 

In collaboration with UConn’s Championship Labs, athletes are able to collaborate with videographers, producers, and more to expand their NIL portfolio while still in school. That is how you build sustainable NIL success.  (More)

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VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Justin Hill Discusses Aggressive NIL Recruitment

Rarely do we see a player talk candidly about how NIL played into his recruitment, but that’s exactly what happened with highly sought-after ‘Bama commit Justin Hill. Teams were begging to get him on campus — even to the point of increasing their NIL offers an hour before his verbal commitment.

Hill ended up staying with his initial decision, Alabama… but it’s wild to hear him talk about it. Click the video below to see for yourself!

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Title IX Battle Takes Aim at Oregon’s NIL Collective

Oregon has been battling a Title IX lawsuit that alleges its NIL distributions discriminate against female athletes, who are given far fewer NIL opportunities than male athletes. The plaintiffs argue that the school’s relationship with its NIL collective, Division Street, is the problem.  

“Plaintiffs have not alleged that the university directly or even indirectly controls the allocation of NIL proceeds by these third-party collectives,” Oregon said in their legal motion, “Further, under the current NCAA bylaws, universities cannot assist student-athletes in marketing their athletics ability or reputation.”

Ever since schools began forging relationships with their NIL collectives, the Title IX alarms have been sounding. Considering the plaintiffs are seeking a class-action certification, this issue may only get bigger. (More)

• June’s list of the top NIL Store schools has some familiar names at the top, including UConn, North Carolina, and Purdue taking up the top three spots.

• The SEC just named Southwest Airlines the conference’s “official airline” as leaders attempt to expand revenue streams in light of the House settlement.  

COLLECTIVE 101

Do Schools Owe Athletes… More?

In an interview with On3, athletic financial advisor Aaron Ryan gave insights into the growth he’s seen in business literacy over the past three years of NIL. Before NIL, athletes weren’t focused on their personal brand. Now it’s all the rage.

“It’s become popular to think about yourself as a brand,” Ryan explained, “It’s been inspired by folks like LeBron, and prior to him, Magic Johnson. There’s a lot of conversation around building businesses.”

Ryan also described the duty he feels schools hold in providing their student-athletes with financial literacy resources. “Now that these athletes are effectively [potential] employees, there’s new responsibility,” he said, “If you think about the evolution… everything from world-class coaching… to incredible facilities … This just sort of extends the responsibility of services that surround a student-athlete.” (More)

• Pitt’s NIL collective received a donation challenge wherein an anonymous donor will match NIL donations up to $500K.

• Penny Hardaway talks NIL with Shaq: “Who knows what you would have gotten coming out of LSU now. That would have been crazy numbers.”

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Taylen Green

• School: University of Arkansas 

• Position: Quarterback

• Sport: Football

• Class: Redshirt Junior

• Accolades: 

• College Football News Freshman All-America Second Team (2022)

• Frisco Bowl Offensive MVP (2022)

• CFPA National Performer of the Week Honorable Mention (Nov. 27, 2022)

• 4x Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week Honorable Mention.

• NIL: Taylen recently inked a NIL deal with Fletcher Auto Group, facilitated by the Arkansas Edge NIL collective. As part of the deal, he’ll be cruising around in a brand-new Ram 1500 truck. He also has secured endorsement deals with EA Sports College Football 25 and His Huddle.

NIL BLITZ

♦️ An inside look to Baylor’s increased NIL efforts 

♦️ Florida State continues to talk with a Private Equity firm about a cash influx

♦️ 2027’s top QB recruit signs an NIL deal with Leaf trading cards

♦️ Oklahoma announces new football recruitment structure… which makes them look more like a professional front office

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

If you've given money to an NIL collective, do you feel your money has been well spent by the collective?

• Yes, I think the money is well spent - 39%

• No, I don’t know where my money goes - 61%