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Create an 8 minutes presentation answering these 3 key questions

1. How can colleges and regulatory bodies ensure fair and equitable access to NIL opportunities across different sports, genders, and institutions?

Explore the disparities in NIL Benefits between male and female athletes, high-visibility vs. lower-profile sports, and institutions with differing NIL policies. Also explore at glance subjects in pay equity and systemic imbalance. 

2. What regulatory and educational safeguards are necessary to protect student-athletes from exploitation and ensure NIL deals support both their financial and academic development?

Explore NIL collectives, legal representation, and compliance support. This raises concerns on young athletes being exploited, making uninformed contract decisions, or prioritizing profit over education.

3. How is the combination of NIL rights and the transfer portal reshaping recruitment practices and team culture in collegiate athletics?

Take a look into mobility and monetization, how do these elements shift recruitment dynamics and affect team cohesion, coach authority and the eco-system of college sports. 

 

NIL: Changing the Game

Tag: Figure 1

https://www.youtube.com/embed/7uve_G3fag0

NIL Negatively Impacting College Football

Tag: Figure 2

https://www.youtube.com/embed/x40PG8FqsqA

How Do NIL Collectives Work?

Tag: Figure 3

https://www.youtube.com/embed/aEhJqTKKfTI

The Evolutionof the Transfer Portal in College Sports

Tag: Figure 4

https://www.youtube.com/embed/lIjlsXDP4as

 

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)

The Impact on the Collegiate Athlete, Higher Education and Issues Like Pay Equity

“Rather than treading lightly around this situation, we should seize the opportunity for reform and improvement. … We should allow our student-athletes (NIL) opportunities. Certainly, there is potential for abuse here. Institutions or their boosters may offer what are actually recruiting or other enticements under the guise of payments for the use of NIL. We must fashion regulations to prevent such abuses, while still allowing student-athletes to earn fair market value.”

John Jenkins, Notre Dame president in a July 1, 2021, NY Times op-ed [1]


What is NIL?

NIL is an acronym that stands for Name, Image, and Likeness. It refers to the ability of college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness while still maintaining their amateur status. In the past, college athletes were not allowed to earn money from their publicity or endorsements without risking their eligibility to compete in collegiate sports. However, recent changes in NCAA rules and state legislation have opened opportunities for college athletes to capitalize on their NIL rights, allowing them to have endorsement deals, monetize their social media presence, and participate in other commercial ventures.

Figure 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uve_G3fag0&t=129s


What are the issues with NIL?

While Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights for college athletes offer numerous benefits, there are several potential issues associated with their implementation. These include:

  • Inequity: There's a concern that NIL opportunities may not be equally accessible to all college athletes. High-profile athletes in popular sports like football and basketball may have more lucrative endorsement deals available compared to athletes in less popular sports.
  • Impact on Amateurism: Allowing college athletes to profit from their NIL rights blurs the line between amateur and professional status. Some critics worry that this could undermine the amateur nature of college sports and lead to further commercialization.
  • Recruitment Imbalance: Schools in states with more lenient NIL regulations may have a recruiting advantage over schools in states with stricter regulations. This could potentially exacerbate existing disparities between schools in different regions.
  • Compliance Challenges: Managing NIL activities for college athletes introduces complexities related to compliance with NCAA rules, state laws, and potential conflicts of interest. It also raises questions about how schools and athletic departments will monitor and regulate these activities to ensure compliance.
  • Exploitation Concerns: There's a risk that athletes, particularly young and inexperienced ones, could be taken advantage of by unscrupulous agents or sponsors. Without proper guidance and support, athletes may enter unfavourable contracts or face exploitation.
  • Team Dynamics: Introducing NIL opportunities could potentially disrupt team dynamics, as athletes who secure lucrative deals may receive special treatment or face jealousy from teammates.
  • Impact on Education: There's a concern that focusing on NIL opportunities could distract athletes from their academic responsibilities and priorities, potentially impacting their educational experience and outcomes.

Addressing these issues will require careful consideration and ongoing monitoring to ensure that NIL rights are implemented to benefit college athletes while preserving the integrity of collegiate sports.

Figure 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x40PG8FqsqA


What is the role of NIL Collectives?

“NIL Collectives" refer to organisations or groups that help student-athletes manage and monetise their name, image, and likeness rights. NIL collectives provide services such as:

These collectives can play a critical role in empowering student-athletes to leverage their identities and talents for financial gain while pursuing their academic and athletic goals. There are also concerns about how they impact recruiting and the coach’s role in recruiting.

Figure 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEhJqTKKfTI


The Transfer Portal and NIL?

The transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights are two separate developments in college athletics, but they can interact in several ways:

  • Increased Mobility: The transfer portal allows college athletes to explore transfer opportunities without seeking permission from their current school. If an athlete feels they are not getting enough NIL opportunities at their current institution, they can choose to transfer to a school where they believe they can better capitalize on their NIL rights.
  • Recruitment Tool: Schools can use NIL opportunities as a recruiting tool to attract transfer athletes. They can highlight their connections with local businesses, endorsement opportunities, and support networks to entice athletes to transfer to their program.
  • Market Dynamics: Athletes in the transfer portal may consider NIL opportunities as part of their decision-making when choosing a new school. They may look for programs in regions with more favourable NIL regulations or schools with established networks for securing endorsements and sponsorships.
  • Compliance Considerations: Schools must navigate compliance issues related to the transfer portal and NIL. When recruiting transfer athletes, schools must ensure that NIL opportunities are offered in compliance with NCAA rules and state regulations. Similarly, transfer athletes need to understand how their NIL activities can be impacted by NCAA rules and transfer regulations.
  • Impact on Team Dynamics: Transfers motivated by NIL opportunities can potentially impact team dynamics. Athletes who transfer for NIL reasons may prioritize individual opportunities over team success, leading to potential conflicts within the locker room.

Figure 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIjlsXDP4as

Overall, the transfer portal and NIL rights represent significant changes in the landscape of college athletics. While they offer opportunities for athletes to pursue their academic and athletic goals more freely, they also present challenges related to compliance, recruitment, and team dynamics that schools and athletes must navigate.


Who are some of the athletes with NIL Deals?

Since Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights have been introduced for college athletes, numerous athletes across various sports have secured NIL deals. Here are a few notable examples:

  • Paige Bueckers (UConn Women's Basketball): Bueckers, a standout guard for the University of Connecticut, has reportedly signed NIL deals with companies like Gatorade and StockX.
  • Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma Football): Rattler, the quarterback for the University of Oklahoma, has announced partnerships with companies like Raising Cane's and OU Credit Union.
  • Haley and Hanna Cavinder (Fresno State Women's Basketball): The Cavinder twins have gained attention for their social media presence and have signed NIL deals with companies like Boost Mobile and Six Star Pro Nutrition.
  • Quentin Grimes (Houston Men's Basketball): Grimes, a guard for the University of Houston, has signed an NIL deal with Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits.
  • Emoni Bates (Michigan State Men's Basketball Commit): Bates, a highly touted basketball prospect, has reportedly signed an NIL deal with LeBron James' media company, Uninterrupted.
  • Regan Smith (Stanford Women's Swimming): Smith, an Olympic swimmer and student-athlete at Stanford University, has secured an NIL deal with Speedo, a well-known swimwear brand.

These are just a few examples, and many more college athletes across various sports have also announced NIL partnerships with brands and companies. Additionally, as the landscape of NIL continues to evolve, more athletes are likely to enter into similar agreements to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness.


Pay equity - the Caitlin Clark example[2],[3], [4]

Caitlin Clark has 11 known NIL deals worth a combined estimate of $3.1 million, according to ON3. She ranked fourth among all NIL-eligible athletes, the second female behind number 3 ranked gymnast Livvy Dunne at $3.6 million and first in women's college basketball before being drafted in April 2024. As a WNBA rookie drafted in the top four overall picks in 2024, she will receive a base salary of $76,535 during her first pro season. Her NIL deals included Nike, Gatorade, Buick, State Farm and others. She is has seen the Nike deal increase to $28 million as a professional. If we compare Clark to the top male NCCA Basketball NIL valuation it is Bronny James at $4.9 million and the 2024 number 1 draft pick in the NBA will receive a $10.13 million contract under the current salary structure. Bronny also has the highest-ranked NIL valuation just ahead of Shedeur Sanders, sons of superstars LeBron James and Deion Sanders. There has been a large conversation on social media about the fairness of the pay Caitlan Clark will receive as a pro versus the number 1 NBA draft pick.


How has NIL impacted collegiate athletics?

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights have brought about several significant changes in collegiate athletics, including new monetisation opportunities for athletes. However, it has also raised concerns about the potential for inequity, the impact on amateurism, compliance challenges, recruitment imbalances, exploitation concerns, and the potential to disrupt team dynamics. Schools and athletes must work together to navigate these challenges and ensure that NIL rights are implemented where it benefits everyone involved. What can be done to address these challenges?

 

[1] https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2022/06/06/Portfolio/NIL-quotes.aspx

[2] https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/ncaa-basketball/news/caitlin-clark-nil-deals-money-iowa-nike-sponsors-2024/e58534cadc3b2960663a36cb

[3] https://www.businessinsider.com/top-nil-earners-in-college-sports-ranked-2024-3#1-the-highest-paid-student-athlete-in-nil-history-is-the-son-of-nba-legend-le-bron-james-bronny-james-with-an-on3-nil-valuation-of-4-9-million-10

[4] https://www.si.com/college/2024/04/23/caitlin-clark-nike-deal-worth#:~:text=The%20West%20Des%20Moines%20native,partnered%20with%20back%20in%202022.

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