The NIL Thread

[NDhoosier 1,229]

schools are not allowed to facilitate NIL deals as that is essentially the school "buying" athletes. However, A&M and Tennessee have been doing it and the NCAA does not seem to care. NIL is being abused.... if only people predicted this would happen instead of just screaming "pay the players what they deserve; their piece of the pie."

[SpeedsterX 652]

I don't know but could be a totally separate company "fundraising" for NIL money for the players at a separate site than at the University. Company owner probably HUGE Michigan fan with no official affiliation with the University. Got to the players and made sure he had enough and enough big names on the team for them to personally want to come do it. I see no problem with the rules how they are now. Yes, ND players should be able to do this type of thing and I am sure only a matter of time until they will.

[soulpatch 149]

14 hours ago, NDhoosier said:

NIL is being abused.... if only people predicted this would happen instead of just screaming "pay the players what they deserve; their piece of the pie."

Well, if we're dusting off old posts, I don't wanna miss out

[soulpatch 149]

21 hours ago, ndfanatic78 said:

https://valiantuofm.com/pages/meettheteam

If a university facilitating NIL with players is supposedly against the rules it appears to me that this would be pretty blatant cheating. I don’t see how this was setup without the help of the university. If it isn’t against rules why isn’t ND doing the same thing.

Looking at the site, I don't see where UM of is involved at all. From what I see, it's non-University private citizens that are coordinating NIL activities in support of a particular program (but with no clear signs that it's in coordination with it). 
https://valiantuofm.com/pages/about

Let's recall, Terrelle Pryor was run out of CFB for selling autographed merchandise while the head of compliance within tOSU Athletic Department (who I believe pulled 7-figures but certainly got paid a metric ton) kept his job after A) leaving a paper trail on how this was coordinated with Tressel and B) definitely having 'zero idea that tOSU athletes were (actually illegally) making money off their name'. 

Sunlight is the best disinfectant

[Tailgate Approved 248]

"Some teams will cheat" is not an effective argument against NIL, because  *gestures at the entire history of college football*

[Rocketsan 768]

The sport we so cherish and love is doomed… 

[NDhoosier 1,229]

On 4/1/2022 at 12:09 PM, soulpatch said:

Well, if we're dusting off old posts, I don't wanna miss out

I fail to see the point you are trying to make....

[irishwavend 572]

I’m trying not to hijack other threads where this may naturally come up, but I have this creeping feeling that we are going to end up like Jerry Maguire here when he lost Kush… “What happened to your ‘Word is stronger than oak…?’”  We’re going to be left holding our dicks if we aren’t careful.

The NIL groups are not illegal.  They’re third parties offering athletes the compensation they’re constitutionally allowed to collect from folks who use their name, likeness, and appearance.  All we have to say is, “If you come to Notre Dame, we’re more connected in the business world than any other school with folks who would love to gain your sponsorship.”  Then, the alums do the rest.  It is naive and stuck in the past to think that this is somehow a violation of NCAA rules.  What a player does outside the program with alums is the player’s business.  
 

To me, it looks like we’re going to lose championship recruits because we aren’t smart… That’s just the outside impression I have from the peanut gallery.  The tide just feels like it’s turning against us and that’s the only thing I can put my finger on.

[golson5 176]

11 minutes ago, irishwavend said:

I’m trying not to hijack other threads where this may naturally come up, but I have this creeping feeling that we are going to end up like Jerry Maguire here when he lost Kush… “What happened to your ‘Word is stronger than oak…?’”  We’re going to be left holding our dicks if we aren’t careful.

The NIL groups are not illegal.  They’re third parties offering athletes the compensation they’re constitutionally allowed to collect from folks who use their name, likeness, and appearance.  All we have to say is, “If you come to Notre Dame, we’re more connected in the business world than any other school with folks who would love to gain your sponsorship.”  Then, the alums do the rest.  It is naive and stuck in the past to think that this is somehow a violation of NCAA rules.  What a player does outside the program with alums is the player’s business.  
 

To me, it looks like we’re going to lose championship recruits because we aren’t smart… That’s just the outside impression I have from the peanut gallery.  The tide just feels like it’s turning against us and that’s the only thing I can put my finger on.

How do you know what is or isn't happening behind the scenes?

[irishwavend 572]

Just collecting circumstantial evidence.  Look at the recruits who we seem to be closing, then magically, they’re taking visits to other schools who are known to be building strong NIL plans.  If we lead for recruits AND our NIL is strong, that simply doesn’t happen…. As it is, that isn’t the case which makes me worry about those things I articulated above.

[jessemoore97 1,287]

Let the process play out.  NIL or not every single year we are the leader for this super recruit or that one, and will end up with the best class ever.  It never pans out and the next class is going to be the big one who'll lead us to a NC.

We can compete with NIL money, but how much do you offer a recruit?  Some are simply going to go to whoever offers them the most money.  I have a feeling ND related sponors/businesses are never going to try an outbid others for a HS recruit.  I bet they will be more than generous to a proven commodity like a Kyle Hamilton or a Mayer who have made a significant impact in college.  I can imagine ND NIL reps explaining the differences and why's each school's is dealing with this stuff.

Winning takes care of everything.  Winning will bring more donor NIL money and both will attack recruits.  We have to start winning  some notable games and finishing as a playoff contender each year.

[EddieAngel 508]

ND recruits get as much or more exposure than other schools recruits. The NIL paycheck is really about brand, not school brand but individual brand. Moore, for example, needs to take all his visits and get maximum exposure to maximize his NIL money wherever he ends up. It is just good business in his part.

That said, since ND exposure is great, I wonder how much of it breaks down to boosters saying we will pay you xyz to go this school for our boosters and administration pointing out that and players get as much NIL money as anyone else but we can’t promise a number or guarantee it as a condition of commitment. 
 

Could be untrue but I like the narrative better than apathy.

[irishwavend 572]

When someone like Rhett decommits, I can’t help but think…NIL.  We have one of the nation’s best business schools.  I pray we utilize our knowledge to overcome the NIL strategies of other schools.  Just not seeing it outwardly yet, though.

[NDhoosier 1,229]

It is being report that it was his academics, not about NIL

I hate NIL as much as anyone (trust me), but it is going to get annoying when everything bad that happens will be blamed on NIL and "Notre Dame isnt doing enough, they need to get with the times."

Edited April 17, 2022 by NDhoosier

[irishwavend 572]

That’s good (and bad) to hear.  Until we become a little more transparent, the anxiety is going to be there.  Keeping things close to the best has its advantages, so hopefully we see this play out in our favor over the year.  It’s just so tough to tell right now, especially when you’re hearing a lot about other programs and their NIL deals which are translating to actual results.

[jbrown_9999 1,020]

7 hours ago, irishwavend said:

When someone like Rhett decommits, I can’t help but think…NIL.  We have one of the nation’s best business schools.  I pray we utilize our knowledge to overcome the NIL strategies of other schools.  Just not seeing it outwardly yet, though.

Freeman has a top three class for 2023 so far. As a result, he and ND must be doing something right even taking NIL into account

[jbrown_9999 1,020]

New ND related NIL organization

Friends of the University of Notre Dame (FUND)

Supposedly Tom Mendoza and Brady Quinn are involved. Players will receive a stipend from FUND.

http://www.fundfoundation.org/

https://trend.cema4.onl/notre-dames-new-nil-collective-brings-a-blueprint-from-brady-quinn-and-a-nuanced-mission-the-athletic/

Edited April 18, 2022 by jbrown_9999

[Synoptico 334]

The Athletic has a great article on it. 

Here is the basis of it, as it is unlike most other schools. The collective wants to tie it into the university's mission. The selected athletes will work and represent charities, for which they will be compensated for their NIL in their charitable work, the collective will also make a donation to the charity as well as the player being compensated. 

 

This aligns with the University and not "buying" players but also being able to give back and stay in the NIL marketplace. 

[NDhoosier 1,229]

https://www.ncaa.org/news/2022/5/9/media-center-di-board-of-directors-issues-name-image-and-likeness-guidance-to-schools.aspx

Let's hope this causes some changes, but if there is no enforcement, then the rules do not really matter.

[SDIrishFan 607]

7 minutes ago, NDhoosier said:

https://www.ncaa.org/news/2022/5/9/media-center-di-board-of-directors-issues-name-image-and-likeness-guidance-to-schools.aspx

Let's hope this causes some changes, but if there is no enforcement, then the rules do not really matter.

Agreed, I'm all for players making money that they are owed and earned. But this whole going after high school kids, getting them to commit to X school and we'll give you a million dollars thing, isn't what it NIL was intended for. 

But as you said, unless they are willing to enforce the rules, it doesn't matter.

And any "rules" the NCAA tries to enforce and punishment they try to dole out is one step closer to schools telling the NCAA to pound sand and we'll form our own league.