🏅 The Vegas NIL Basketball Tournament is on

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Hey there,

Today’s edition is packed — I don’t want to waste any time getting to it. But I do want to point out one thing — our sponsor today, BetterHelp.

If you read today’s first Kick Off story, you’ll see that student-athletes are no exception to mental health struggles. BetterHelp offers therapist resources to get everyone back on track with their mental health, and we’re really excited to rep them. So please, check out their ad in today’s edition!

If you have thoughts, questions, or concerns about NIL Wire, you can send them to us at [email protected]. Now, let’s get you to the news!

— Cole, Justin and Collin

KICK-OFF

WAC Signs Conference-Wide Mental Health Deal

The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) just struck a conference-wide NIL deal with Hercules Tires for Mental Health Awareness Month. The deal will see athletes from each school in the conference promote mental health initiatives through May.

This is a really cool story for two reasons. The first, of course, is the campaign’s actual content. Data shows us that student-athletes are not exceptions to the mental health crisis sweeping young people. Less than half of student-athletes even feel comfortable seeking mental health support on campus – this campaign can, hopefully, normalize some mental health concerns amongst this vulnerable group.

The second angle is the conference-wide aspect. NIL deals are usually signed with individuals, but this deal affects every athletic department in the conference. If entire conferences start signing massive NIL deals, everything about college sports could change. (More)

Athletes Can Make NIL Money “On Call” Now

Last week sports Attorney Mit Winter took to Twitter to talk about one of the more overlooked portions of the NCAA’s new NIL guidelines: Athletes can now use NIL when they’re “on call”:

Before this policy, an athlete profited off of their NIL solely “off the field/court,” so to speak; they could only make money doing sponsorship deals, promotions, and commercials when the game wasn’t going on. Now they can perform money-making tasks during games and post-game activities. (More)

Should NIL Deals Include Buyouts?

If student-athletes sign professional contracts in the future, why not add buyout options for those contracts? That’s what Norfolk State’s head basketball coach, Robert Jones, said on Twitter this week.

It’s an interesting idea, and not necessarily an original one. NIL agent Daniel Poneman broke down how buyouts might work in the future with his own Twitter thread, adding that such a system could be a “win-win” – the contracts could provide longer-term financial security for the player, while the schools could protect themselves from another school swooping in and stealing their talent. (More)

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Ditch the Stigma - Find Your Strength and Start Therapy on BetterHelp

Did you know May is mental health month? There is no better time then now to take control of your mental health. Take care of your health off the field so you can perform better on it.

Talking about mental health can feel daunting, but you deserve to feel supported and understood. BetterHelp creates a safe, stigma-free space where you can be your authentic self and explore your concerns. Your therapist will listen without judgment and guide you toward positive change. Remember, millions of people use therapy, and it's a sign of strength, not weakness, to invest in your emotional well-being.

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BEST PRACTICES

NIL Agent Costs

Because it’s so new, the business side of NIL is still developing. What we’re left with as a result is a rather confusing system… no one knows how much anyone’s services – from players to agents – should even cost. That's why two industry insiders, Mit Winters and Jeff Goodman, want to set the record straight about paying agents:

Let’s break down this exchange. Goodman starts by tweeting about how agents should not get 20% commission on NIL deals. Winters then quotes the tweet, agreeing with Goodman but adding the following caveat: 20% is standard for most regular marketing deals, but that should not be standard for signing NIL deals with a collective.

Because collective signings are completely different agreements in nature, the agent should be compensated less. You can read more from the exchange here, and follow the thread.

If you’re an athlete, let this be a reminder to make sure you’re not being taken advantage of. Choose your agent carefully, because if you’re not careful, there’s a chance they could take more money from you than they should.

Athletes should consider having a lawyer – whose duty is solely to their client -  review the terms of any deal – whether with an agent, marketing deal, or collective. With this much money at stake, it’s wise to play it safe.

DOWN TO BUSINESS

The Rumored Vegas NIL Tournament is Happening

A while back, we told you about a potential NIL-driven basketball tournament proposed to take place in Las Vegas next year. Well, that’s basically a done deal now. The “Players Era Festival”, as it’s being called, will take place on the Vegas Strip during Thanksgiving week and include a $1M NIL payout to the winner — not to mention other long-term NIL opportunities too.

The tournament plans to host eight teams next year and expand to sixteen for 2025. What we don’t know is exactly who will be playing in the tournament in 2024, although some college names have been thrown in the mix.

This is a massive development that could reshape everything about college basketball. An elite, in-season tournament like this could open the door for more NIL-driven competitions in the future, perhaps even luring talented teams away from the NCAA’s March Madness. (More)

• South Carolina seemed set to pass legislation to help the state with NIL recruiting, but the bill is now being held up by a debate on whether student-athletes should be allowed to rep guns with their NIL.

• A Four-week extension was announced on the House v. NCAA case. Judge Claudia Wilken pushed the next court date back from May 17^th to June 21^st.

COLLECTIVE 101

$95M Head Coach Is Opposed to “Buying” Players

When Brian Kelly took his gritty playstyle from Notre Dame to LSU, a big part of his success needed to come via defensive line play. After a lackluster transfer portal showing, however, Kelly admitted that the Tigers’ search for beef on the D-Line “hasn’t fared well” – which he’s attributing to NIL. 

“We're not in the market of buying players,” he said, “And unfortunately, right now, that's what some guys are looking for. They want to be bought. Look, I understand NIL is part of this. We have an incredible collective. We have very generous opportunities… But we're not going to go out and buy players.”

Kelly also hinted that the Tigers may spend their resources elsewhere – opting to prioritize recruitment over portal success. If LSU can successfully develop recruits, they could cut down their reliance on the portal substantially. (More)

• Terése Whitehead, a Former NFLPA executive, was just named as Michigan’s In-House general manager. Whitehead has marketing and branding expertise – skills that have become invaluable for any school’s NIL operation.

• Stanford’s collective signed 100% of football players to a second round of contracts. Looks like the Cardinal are going the “retention” route instead of big-player hunting.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Joseph Isaac

Meet Joseph Isaac, a rising star in the world of track and field. Hailing from the NAIA division, Joseph's talent has earned him the title of All-American in the men’s 60m dash at the NAIA Indoor Nationals. But his achievements don't end there. With his debut indoors, Joseph hit not one, but TWO 'A' standards, solidifying his position as a top-tier athlete. Honored as the NAIA Track Indoor Athlete of the Week during his standout season at Saint Thomas University.

Joseph leveraged his platform to secure impressive NIL deals with renowned companies like C4 Energy, Carnivor Protein, iHerb, and more. Now, as he gears up to represent Haiti in the Paris Olympics, Joseph Isaac is poised to inspire a new generation of athletes with his determination, talent, and unwavering spirit. 

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NIL BLITZ

♦️ What would basketball coaches change if they ran the NCAA?

♦️ UNC legend Roy Williams is saddened by the current state of college sports

♦️ University Credit Union strikes a big deal with Saint Mary’s athletes

♦️ One Arkansas baseball player is using NIL to give back to a children’s center

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

When will we see a settlement in House v. NCAA?

• This week - 23%

• This month - 23%

• This summer - 24%

• We ain’t seeing it anytime soon - 30%