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Sacramento State is an NIL Powerhouse...?
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Hey there,
College sports is a big business… but maybe it’s even bigger than we thought it was. According to reports, Sacramento State just raised more NIL money than… well, everyone? Seriously – we’re confused too.
But that’s not all – we’ve also go updates on how Oregon is becoming an even more powerful player in the college football business landscape. And, at last, one of the weirdest NIL loopholes in the country finally just closed. It’s all coming up right now – let’s lock in!
— Cole, Justin and Collin
The Big 3
Sacramento State is an NIL Powerhouse…?
Sacramento State wants to be admitted into the Pac-12 – bad. In an effort to strengthen their bid, the school announced plans for a new football stadium a couple weeks ago… and now, they’ve apparently raised $35 million for NIL efforts.
Yes, you read that correctly. Sacramento State has reportedly raised $35 million to show the Pac-12 they’re serious about competing for top-end talent. It almost seems… too good to be true?
Something doesn't add up to me about this. $35 million would be a TON of NIL money even for a Texas or Ohio State, let alone a Big Sky team. I'm not sure if there's $35 million in NIL money across the entire FCS
And NIL money isn't even whats keeping Sac State from moving up?
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP)
1:26 AM • Oct 1, 2024
Later on in this thread, Matt Brown points out that the $35 million figure is actually about how much money the entire school’s annual budget is. Okay – maybe it’s corporate money. But why would those companies pick Sac-State over… well, just about any other school in the country? (More)
Oregon’s Big Ten Boom
Speaking of the Pac-12, the Oregon Ducks seem to be enjoying their transition out of the conference. Despite only getting a half-share of TV revenue from the Big 10 this year, they’re already making $18 million more than they were last year.
To be clear, these numbers aren’t even factoring in NIL, but everyone seems to think the Ducks are one of, if not the most well-funded NIL programs in the country. Combined together, and this Big 10 iteration of Oregon may possess the most cash-on-hand of any athletic program in the nation.
If you want to look at their entire budget summary, you can see it here. It breaks down how much money each team makes per year (football makes about $24M in ticket sales alone, if you were interested), as well as how much each sport spends. (More)
North Carolina Closes NIL Loophole
One of the most baffling legal NIL loopholes in the country has finally closed. In North Carolina high schools, student-athletes were only allowed to take advantage of NIL opportunities if they went to private schools. Now, the rules have expanded to all student-athletes, public or private.
The rule change comes after Faizon Brandon, a North Carolina native and #1 player in the 2026 recruiting class, was denied the ability to sign a massive NIL deal with a trading card company. The problem ballooned when administrators realized that they were subtly incentivizing students to transfer out of the public school system.
Now, North Carolina is the fortieth state to allow high school NIL across the board. Some of the most prominent states for high school football, however, still have prohibitions on high school NIL – states like Texas, Alabama, Ohio, and Michigan. (More)
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ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
Azzi Fudd
School: UCONN
Position: Guard
Sport: Basketball
Class: Redshirt Junior
Accolades:
2022 NCAA Tournament Bridgeport All-Region Team
2022 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team
Three-time Gatorade Washington, D.C. Player of the Year
NIL: Azzi has partnered with Curry Brand and appeared in commercials for big names like American Eagle Outfitters, TikTok, BioSteel, and Chipotle.
NIL BLITZ
♦️ Oklahoma State will raise NIL funds by hosting a reunion concert for one of the state’s legendary country rock bands
♦️ The money behind last week’s Georgia vs Alabama matchup is staggering
♦️ Cal wants to raise $2M for NIL in preparation for their matchup against Miami
♦️ The NLRB’s power could be lessened by 2025, which would have massive impacts on whether student-athletes are employees
♦️ This former Colorado coach explains why he went to Saudi Arabia to ask for NIL money
♦️ Opendorse’s Blake Lawrence talks about the potential for predatory business in the NIL representation space
♦️ UNLV’s head coach just released a statement on the Matthew Sluka saga
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BATTER UP
Today’s Poll Question:
Is Sacramento State's $35M in NIL fundraising for real? |
Last Edition’s Poll Results:
Will Dave Portnoy actually follow through on his Michigan-QB comments?
Yeah, he seems serious about it - 54%
No, I’m calling his bluff - 46%
“We’re asking him to do all this stuff and make all these miracles, and he only has $6 million [for NIL]. He brought it to the table, not them. There was no donor, there was donor fatigue. He shows up, they get this money.”