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Underdogs and Amatuers

Underdogs and Amatuers

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The weekend comes and goes, but NIL news takes no days off. That’s why we’re here to deliver the weekend’s biggest NIL news directly into your inbox. What are you waiting for? Keep scrolling to catch up on everything and anything NIL.

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— Cole, Justin and Collin

Strength in Numbers

Last week, twenty-eight Division I conferences joined together in pleading to Congress for NIL guardrails. They’re calling the group The Coalition for the Future of College Athletics, or, C4FCA.

Their ask is simple, but direct, and includes abolishing state NIL laws, setting up oversight and enforcement, and establishing that student-athletes are not school employees.

Last month saw legislative hearings on NIL make headlines, but Congress seems to have shown very little urgency to pass anything to this point. This coalition may provide added pressure – along with pressure provided by the NCAA – to push an NIL bill to the top of lawmakers’ agendas. (More)

Boogie Ball

Five-star basketball prospect Boogie Fland just committed to Kentucky for college ball. He spoke up about how NIL affected the recruitment process, not just with Kentucky, but with all the schools that wanted him.

“They would tell you anything you wanted to hear,” Fland said, “You have to make sure you listen to everything they say.”

NIL has made recruitment even dicier than it already was. With players like Boogie Fland, schools must tiptoe around recruiting violations; They’re allowed to talk about potential NIL deals, but can’t promise a deal without it looking like an inducement. (More)

One Last Ride, this One’s for the Family

Utah tight end Brant Kuithe is one of the oldest players in Division I football at 25. He’s been out this whole season with an injury, but because of eligibility quirks, he’s able to return to Utah again next season if he wants to. That decision, according to Kuithe himself, has everything to do with NIL.

“Obviously NIL does help because if I want to come back for another year,” he said, “But it just kind of has to be for the right number.”

We’ve known that NIL is very often a huge factor in these sorts of decisions, but rarely do we see a student-athlete speak so candidly about its effect on their choice. NIL money really does provide a financial incentive to stay in school. (More)

Bo Nix Brings the Heat

Oregon QB Bo Nix showed why he holds one of the highest NIL valuations in the country with this slick, money-making move on Saturday.

This was just filthy by Bo Nix
— quack 🦆 (@quack_attack21)
4:47 AM • Nov 5, 2023

Amateur Hour

“If this was just about NIL, you would have a bill.” That’s what one Senate aide said when talking about why there hasn’t been any legislative movement on NIL yet. The problem transcends even college sports, and its answer could shape labor policy for decades to come.

Many Democrat lawmakers are suggesting student-athletes must be recognized as employees of the school; others, mostly Republicans, vehemently oppose this model. As discussions on an NIL bill intensify, the fault lines are becoming clearer.

Republicans have indicated a willingness to include certain concessions if Democrats agree to codify amateurism. Democrats are unwilling to do so to this point, however – to them, this is an issue of labor law more than anything else. (More)

Under(dog) the Radar

A big move happened yesterday in the NIL business world. Altius Sports Partners – which provides educational resources on NIL to almost forty athletic departments nationwide – has been acquired by marketing agency Underdog & Co.

According to the report, the Altius team will remain fully intact through the acquisition. Altius has ushered massive brands, such as Shake Shack, Powerade, and NBC Sports Group into the NIL space in the past. (More)

Collectives aren’t NIL?

Michelle Meyer wants everyone to “Stop calling donor-funded Collective payments ‘NIL.’” Why?

Her argument has to do with collectives actually obscuring student-athlete’s true market value, and thus depressing the NIL market overall. “Collective payments and valuations are being mistaken as the standard rate for NIL deals,” she explains. The result of this is that “businesses see the headlines and believe that they are completely priced out of the NIL market.”

Collectives aren’t doing “NIL”, Meyer believes, they’re simply offering a legal way of paying players that play sports at their school. This hurts most everyone involved, especially local small businesses and lower-profile student athletes who’d otherwise have deals cooking. (More)

The “Duel-Threat” NIL Strategy

While Deion Sanders’ Buffs may dominate headlines, Colorado State has built out a formidable NIL foundation in their own right. It’s been built on the shoulders of John Weber, a CSU alumnus who directs the school’s Green & Gold Guard collective.

Weber’s strategy is simple: two wings — one non-profit, another for-profit, that coordinate together with the school itself. This two-pronged NIL attack has become a popular strategy with most of the country’s premiere athletic programs. (More)

Aijha Blackwell

Meet Aijha Blackwell, a basketball sensation known for her impressive achievements on and off the court! Her impressive journey began as a high school standout, where she was awarded WBCA High School All-America Honorable Mention honors and an invitation to the 2019 USA Women’s U19 World Cup Team Trials.

Aijha's dedication paid off, as she was selected to be a member of the USA U18 National Team, winning a gold medal at the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championships. The proud daughter of former Kansas City Chiefs player Ernest Blackwell, Aijha is carrying her family's athletic legacy forward.

In her junior year at Missouri, she averaged 14.9 points and 13.1 rebounds, earning her All-SEC Second Team honors and setting a program record for the highest single-season rebounding average. Aijha's talent and determination are truly remarkable, making her a rising star at Baylor and in college basketball.