Tennessee's NIL Investigation, Snoop Dogg, and a $78K trading card

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Hey there,

Today we’ve got a hot batch of NIL news — a lot of it coming out of the University of Tennessee. The Volunteers are currently under investigation for NIL infractions… and their Chancellor is not happy. Keep scrolling to see how it’s all going down.

Also — check us out on Twitter if you’re not already following us. We’ve got breaking news, great videos, and more to keep you in the loop on everything NIL related.

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— Cole, Justin and Collin

KICK-OFF

Ashley Jones Beats the Odds

At 14 years old, Ashley Jones lost her arm in an ATV accident – but that didn’t stop her from running cross country. As a result of her perseverance, Jones is now competing at the highest level, all while making NIL money. The Tennessee Volunteer sensation just signed a massive deal with running brand On:

"How amazing it is that (my story) can reach people” Jones said in an interview about the deal, “Encourage them and give them a hope that their life has purpose, that their life has meaning, that their story is not over.” (More)

Tennessee Under Investigation for NIL

Speaking of the Volunteers, The NCAA is currently conducting an investigation into alleged NIL infractions at the University of Tennessee, with “Major” violations potentially in play. The school’s Chancellor, Donde Plowman, deemed the NCAA’s allegations “Morally wrong” in an email.

“The NCAA’s allegations are factually untrue and procedurally flawed,” she said, adding that “It is intellectually dishonest for the NCAA enforcement staff to pursue infractions cases as if student-athletes have no NIL rights.” 

That’s not all, either. After the reports broke yesterday, the school decided to sue the NCAA for how it enforces NIL policy, invoking the Sherman Act in their official complaint. (More)

Athletic Department Donations Up Despite NIL

Many predicted the rise of NIL collectives would hasten the demise of athletic department funding, but the exact opposite is happening. According to data from Sportico, donations to athletic departments are up 13% from years prior.

“In 2021-22, everybody was worried,” said Ben Broussard, who heads NC State’s Wolfpack Booster Club. “[But] overall… [NIL collectives] have not had a negative impact on us.”  

That’s not to say every school is thriving, though. Schools like LSU, Louisville, and Cincinatti all saw substantial donation drops over the same time period. “While there could potentially be a future correlation between collective dollars raised versus institutional dollars raised, at this point it’s too early to tell,” said Cincinnati athletics CFO/deputy AD John Daniel. (More)

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WHAT’S TRENDING

Ups and Downs

• Dayton big-man DaRon Holmes just saw a $252K NIL valuation spike after dominating the month of January 📈

• Celsius continues aggressive NIL strategy by signing freshman hoopers from across the country 📈

• The women’s basketball market continues to grow, as the recent Iowa State vs. Ohio State game became the most watched regular season matchup in over a decade 📈

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Why aren’t HS Athletes in Georgia using NIL?

Many Georgia residents were worried about the future of high school sports when the state began permitting NIL at the high school level. “I don’t think the intentions are bad,” said one Georgia football coach after the change passed, “But the execution of it can be dangerous.”

A few months later, it seems like those fears may have been premature. According to recent data from the Georgia High School Association, only 44 of the state’s 429,714 student-athletes have utilized NIL since the resolution passed in November. That’s good for .001% of the high school student-athlete population. (More)

• A Caitlin Clark trading card just sold for $78,000 at auction, which is nearly seven times the previous record for highest value on a women’s basketball card. The sale also marked her becoming the first female athlete to ever outpace the price demand of Serena Williams.

• Iowa State is selling Cyclone-branded Brock Purdy jerseys ahead of Super Bowl to support their NIL efforts. The 49ers quarterback started under center for four years in Ames before being picked with the last pick of the 2022 NFL draft.

COLLECTIVE 101

DePaul Coach Fired for… NIL Failings?

DePaul fired head basketball coach Tony Stubblefield after a 3-15 start to the season. According to analyst Jeff Goodman, a lot of that decision came down to how his employment affects the school’s NIL abilities:

Goodman followed up the tweet with a pretty damning stat, if true: DePaul’s NIL operation operates below $500K, whereas at least six other schools in the Big East work with over $2M. That’s a 75% funding disadvantage. (More)

• Texans QB CJ Stroud just made a massive donation to his alma mater’s NIL collective, THE Foundation. He just became a “platinum donor” for the Ohio State entity, which means that his gift landed somewhere in between $50K and $100K.

• Oklahoma’s Crimson and Cream NIL collective announced a $2M fundraising effort to bolster their finances before entering the SEC next year. The initiative looks to add around 2,000 members to the collective, with $250,000 coming in for every 250 new members over the duration of the promotion.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Jared McCain

Meet Jared McCain, the 6-foot-3 shooting guard from Duke who's making waves both on and off the court. Averaging 12 points per game, McCain has started every game this season. He’s an elite shooter, boasting over 40% accuracy from beyond the arc. It's his scoring instincts, sharp shooting, and basketball IQ that have him projected as a first-round pick in the next NBA draft.

Off the court, Jared holds a $1M NIL valuation and has secured deals with Panini America, Celsius Energy, and Duke's NIL store. 

NIL BLITZ

♦️ One Alabama fan urged Tide supporters to “Stop tithing, donate to NIL.”

♦️ Florida high school sports officials are warming up to the idea of NIL

♦️ 1870 Society signs all fifteen of Ohio State’s early enrollee recruits

♦️ Alabama A&M basketball standout signs on with Snickers

♦️ Snoop Dogg talks about his misgivings with NIL

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Who do you think is going to win the Super Bowl?

• San Fransisco 49ers - 48%

• Kansas City Chiefs - 52%