I thought with a variety of rumblings and discussions in football and basketball about NIL, it would be good to refresh this thread.
A few recent developments that come to my mind. Add more when you think of them.
Rumor that Brohm didn't like Purdue's approach to NIL so he found a new spot.
Rumor that a Texas Tech player got stiffed on an NIL promise.
Players bailing on bowl games and folks wondering if NIL might solve it.
Early on, I was dismissive of the impact of NIL and I think my thoughts were largely accurate. It's pretty apparent that few companies are paying for endorsements from college athletes. Certainly nothing that is generating the NIL payments that are being rumored. Early on, Illinois and the administration was touting Opendorse but that has become a bit player in this whole scheme.
Somewhere along the line, schools and agents and attorneys and boosters figured out that the NIL rules/laws/court cases gave some wiggle room to payouts that are actually tenuously tied to an athlete's name, image, and likeness. Soon, the wiggle room became an open field.
The great, great, great news is that our people (boosters and admin apparently) have adjusted quickly to the new reality. It would be impossible to overstate the importance of their change in approach on this. I have no idea how this will end up and how the playing field will change, but in the early days it sounds as if we've established a strong position.
I have no doubt that Whitman's legal background and general savvy have been a big part of this rapid adjustment. I am so thankful he came on when he did.
A few recent developments that come to my mind. Add more when you think of them.
Rumor that Brohm didn't like Purdue's approach to NIL so he found a new spot.
Rumor that a Texas Tech player got stiffed on an NIL promise.
Players bailing on bowl games and folks wondering if NIL might solve it.
Early on, I was dismissive of the impact of NIL and I think my thoughts were largely accurate. It's pretty apparent that few companies are paying for endorsements from college athletes. Certainly nothing that is generating the NIL payments that are being rumored. Early on, Illinois and the administration was touting Opendorse but that has become a bit player in this whole scheme.
Somewhere along the line, schools and agents and attorneys and boosters figured out that the NIL rules/laws/court cases gave some wiggle room to payouts that are actually tenuously tied to an athlete's name, image, and likeness. Soon, the wiggle room became an open field.
The great, great, great news is that our people (boosters and admin apparently) have adjusted quickly to the new reality. It would be impossible to overstate the importance of their change in approach on this. I have no idea how this will end up and how the playing field will change, but in the early days it sounds as if we've established a strong position.
I have no doubt that Whitman's legal background and general savvy have been a big part of this rapid adjustment. I am so thankful he came on when he did.
