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Post by unalions on Dec 2, 2022 19:40:24 GMT -6
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Post by unalions on May 22, 2023 21:35:33 GMT -6
This is the "elephant" in the room, y'all. It's been crickets since I posted this but the importance has only increased. UNA's close proximity to Tuscaloosa puts it in stark contrast to the top of the division and just highlights the huge gaps in D1 sports. That is only complicated now by NIL. Here's an interesting part of the D1.ticker newsletter today about how Bruce Pearl at Auburn would now rather folks donate to NIL groups than get a new basketball facility. How will UNA compete in this new normal? It's a red alert, folks. From D1.ticker: Auburn AD Cohen, noting that Tigers Men’s Basketball HC Pearl recently pumped the brakes on his desire for a new hoops facility in favor of directing funding toward NIL, points out that "Name, image and likeness funding comes from a very similar source of facility funding. I mean, that's the reality of it. It's not a secret. … So, we have to go into this with our eyes open, and we have to make priority decisions in terms of the flow of funding for priority. I don't think it's any secret that name, image, and likeness opportunities for student-athletes has become a priority around the country, and we have to be competitive in that area. And thank goodness we have groups of folks who believe that as well. Those two things have to balance out − future facility opportunities, along with opportunities for our student-athletes." www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2023/05/22/auburn-football-basketball-facility-upgrades-athletic-director-john-cohen-bruce-pearl-hugh-freeze/70236570007/ |
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UNA NIL
May 23, 2023 6:53:19 GMT -6
Post by unafied on May 23, 2023 6:53:19 GMT -6
I'll be perfectly honest here... I have a wife and two kids and we aren't millionaires despite my fine UNA education (haha). I have little, maybe zero, desire to donate money so that college kids can be paid for being good athletes. I guess that might be pretty stupid for someone on a diehard fan board to say, but it's the truth. I can't go to the grocery store without spending $300 these days, plus daycare prices are through the roof. My money has much more important uses.
SEC-level programs have at least 3x the alumni UNA does, and being flagstone and state schools, they have higher earners. I just don't see UNA ever have more than a few "millionaires" at any given time that can contribute meaningful dollars to an NIL fund.
Now of course, a $100 here and there can be useful as well. It's not that I CAN'T spare $100. But these facility arms races, conference realignment, the transfer portal, and just the way NIL was created and instituted has left a really bad taste in my mouth. I'm probably a little bitter and jealous since I am 40 and my memories of being a poor college student are still fresh (relatively, lol). Even though I want UNA to win and for all of our programs to be successful, I just do NOT support NIL in its current state. It was first sold to us as, for an example, letting students profit from jersey sales that just so happen to have their number. Things of that nature. I can even stomach a player being on a Bojangles billboard and getting paid for it. But at my current financial level, with the economy the way it is, I just don't see myself willingly giving a lot of money just so players can be paid because they're players. Especially not when the likelihood of them leaving us after a great season is so high. Did any local businesses have Daniel Ortiz promoting their product this past season? If they do, I wonder how they feel about their investment now.
So yeah. Sorry for the rant, but I'm sure I am far from alone in these feelings, especially among alumni from schools like ours. If I'm doing a cost-benefit analysis of a contribution to NIL, I just don't see it being very beneficial to me.
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UNA NIL
May 23, 2023 9:43:30 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by unalions on May 23, 2023 9:43:30 GMT -6
I'll be perfectly honest here... I have a wife and two kids and we aren't millionaires despite my fine UNA education (haha). I have little, maybe zero, desire to donate money so that college kids can be paid for being good athletes. I guess that might be pretty stupid for someone on a diehard fan board to say, but it's the truth. I can't go to the grocery store without spending $300 these days, plus daycare prices are through the roof. My money has much more important uses. SEC-level programs have at least 3x the alumni UNA does, and being flagstone and state schools, they have higher earners. I just don't see UNA ever have more than a few "millionaires" at any given time that can contribute meaningful dollars to an NIL fund. Now of course, a $100 here and there can be useful as well. It's not that I CAN'T spare $100. But these facility arms races, conference realignment, the transfer portal, and just the way NIL was created and instituted has left a really bad taste in my mouth. I'm probably a little bitter and jealous since I am 40 and my memories of being a poor college student are still fresh (relatively, lol). Even though I want UNA to win and for all of our programs to be successful, I just do NOT support NIL in its current state. It was first sold to us as, for an example, letting students profit from jersey sales that just so happen to have their number. Things of that nature. I can even stomach a player being on a Bojangles billboard and getting paid for it. But at my current financial level, with the economy the way it is, I just don't see myself willingly giving a lot of money just so players can be paid because they're players. Especially not when the likelihood of them leaving us after a great season is so high. Did any local businesses have Daniel Ortiz promoting their product this past season? If they do, I wonder how they feel about their investment now. So yeah. Sorry for the rant, but I'm sure I am far from alone in these feelings, especially among alumni from schools like ours. If I'm doing a cost-benefit analysis of a contribution to NIL, I just don't see it being very beneficial to me. Thanks for the post. It’s a huge issue. I agree with you in a lot of ways. But, this mindset and reality will keep UNA at the bottom of D1. It’s a new “world” in college sports and I just don’t see UNA having the money to compete in this new normal. But they won’t be alone. Tons of mid-majors are in the same boat. These schools will now become the feeder programs for transfers to bigger schools with huge NIL pools. It’s frustrating. |
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Post by unafied on May 23, 2023 10:29:35 GMT -6
I'll be perfectly honest here... I have a wife and two kids and we aren't millionaires despite my fine UNA education (haha). I have little, maybe zero, desire to donate money so that college kids can be paid for being good athletes. I guess that might be pretty stupid for someone on a diehard fan board to say, but it's the truth. I can't go to the grocery store without spending $300 these days, plus daycare prices are through the roof. My money has much more important uses. SEC-level programs have at least 3x the alumni UNA does, and being flagstone and state schools, they have higher earners. I just don't see UNA ever have more than a few "millionaires" at any given time that can contribute meaningful dollars to an NIL fund. Now of course, a $100 here and there can be useful as well. It's not that I CAN'T spare $100. But these facility arms races, conference realignment, the transfer portal, and just the way NIL was created and instituted has left a really bad taste in my mouth. I'm probably a little bitter and jealous since I am 40 and my memories of being a poor college student are still fresh (relatively, lol). Even though I want UNA to win and for all of our programs to be successful, I just do NOT support NIL in its current state. It was first sold to us as, for an example, letting students profit from jersey sales that just so happen to have their number. Things of that nature. I can even stomach a player being on a Bojangles billboard and getting paid for it. But at my current financial level, with the economy the way it is, I just don't see myself willingly giving a lot of money just so players can be paid because they're players. Especially not when the likelihood of them leaving us after a great season is so high. Did any local businesses have Daniel Ortiz promoting their product this past season? If they do, I wonder how they feel about their investment now. So yeah. Sorry for the rant, but I'm sure I am far from alone in these feelings, especially among alumni from schools like ours. If I'm doing a cost-benefit analysis of a contribution to NIL, I just don't see it being very beneficial to me. Thanks for the post. It’s a huge issue. I agree with you in a lot of ways. But, this mindset and reality will keep UNA at the bottom of D1. It’s a new “world” in college sports and I just don’t see UNA having the money to compete in this new normal. But they won’t be alone. Tons of mid-majors are in the same boat. These schools will now become the feeder programs for transfers to bigger schools with huge NIL pools. It’s frustrating. I don't disagree with you. Maybe it's hypocritical of me to even be on this board when I feel so strongly about the system being so broken, but here I am anyway. There will no doubt be some mid-majors whose fans donate more consistently or in greater amounts than others. UNA has the disadvantages of being a smallish (but growing) school, a curriculum that doesn't produce a ton of big earners, and a home base in the Shoals where there aren't exactly a lot of wealthy "sidewalk fans". Those are some tough obstacles to overcome. Hopefully at some point measures are put in place to curb some of the worst aspects of NIL (and the portal too). Otherwise I do think you may see a lot of people start to walk away from college sports. I have talked to several folks from different schools who see their interest dwindling every day. |
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Post by unalions on May 23, 2023 10:40:41 GMT -6
Thanks for the post. It’s a huge issue. I agree with you in a lot of ways. But, this mindset and reality will keep UNA at the bottom of D1. It’s a new “world” in college sports and I just don’t see UNA having the money to compete in this new normal. But they won’t be alone. Tons of mid-majors are in the same boat. These schools will now become the feeder programs for transfers to bigger schools with huge NIL pools. It’s frustrating. I don't disagree with you. Maybe it's hypocritical of me to even be on this board when I feel so strongly about the system being so broken, but here I am anyway. There will no doubt be some mid-majors whose fans donate more consistently or in greater amounts than others. UNA has the disadvantages of being a smallish (but growing) school, a curriculum that doesn't produce a ton of big earners, and a home base in the Shoals where there aren't exactly a lot of wealthy "sidewalk fans". Those are some tough obstacles to overcome. Hopefully at some point measures are put in place to curb some of the worst aspects of NIL (and the portal too). Otherwise I do think you may see a lot of people start to walk away from college sports. I have talked to several folks from different schools who see their interest dwindling every day. Yep, I agree. They either need to cap budgets and NIL or the P5 needs to break away and do their own thing. |
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UNA NIL
May 23, 2023 11:54:09 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by brandon on May 23, 2023 11:54:09 GMT -6
In fairness, most NIL is through businesses. While you can personally give said amount to NIL, even the wealthy aren't doing that as much as you think. I have heard interviews about schools like Alabama and their donors don't want to give to NIL either. We are not the only group of schools that don't like it. The only way it will stop is people realize that it's not even an investment rather than just throwing money around. Even if you have programs with donors who willingly throw away their money, that will stop as soon as they realize there is no return. It's already happening.
So, in the end, I don't worry too much about NIL. It's been happening forever, it was just under the table and yes, even at UNA...
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Post by unafied on May 23, 2023 12:04:31 GMT -6
In fairness, most NIL is through businesses. While you can personally give said amount to NIL, even the wealthy aren't doing that as much as you think. I have heard interviews about schools like Alabama and their donors don't want to give to NIL either. We are not the only group of schools that don't like it. The only way it will stop is people realize that it's not even an investment rather than just throwing money around. Even if you have programs with donors who willingly throw away their money, that will stop as soon as they realize there is no return. It's already happening. So, in the end, I don't worry too much about NIL. It's been happening forever, it was just under the table and yes, even at UNA... Good points. But it also goes back to what I said earlier. The Shoals just doesn't really have the corporate base to be able to compete with many schools. Even Chattanooga, where I live, you have quadruple the population and a LOT more businesses that could be interested in supporting the Mocs. Unless/until we have Huntsville buy in, I don't see who (other than the Andersons) will really be contributing much. I really don't enjoy having such a negative take on this, but I don't see it as a problem that has a lot of easy solutions under the current rules. |
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Post by brandon on May 23, 2023 12:17:07 GMT -6
In fairness, most NIL is through businesses. While you can personally give said amount to NIL, even the wealthy aren't doing that as much as you think. I have heard interviews about schools like Alabama and their donors don't want to give to NIL either. We are not the only group of schools that don't like it. The only way it will stop is people realize that it's not even an investment rather than just throwing money around. Even if you have programs with donors who willingly throw away their money, that will stop as soon as they realize there is no return. It's already happening. So, in the end, I don't worry too much about NIL. It's been happening forever, it was just under the table and yes, even at UNA... Good points. But it also goes back to what I said earlier. The Shoals just doesn't really have the corporate base to be able to compete with many schools. Even Chattanooga, where I live, you have quadruple the population and a LOT more businesses that could be interested in supporting the Mocs. Unless/until we have Huntsville buy in, I don't see who (other than the Andersons) will really be contributing much. I really don't enjoy having such a negative take on this, but I don't see it as a problem that has a lot of easy solutions under the current rules. Also in fairness, UNA has a lot of businesses in our NIL deal... at least what I'm being told. About Chattanooga, I'm sure they are in the same situation as Florence/Huntsville market... Chattanooga has the Vols fans and we have Auburn and Alabama fans. |
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Post by unalions on May 23, 2023 13:09:03 GMT -6
Also in fairness, UNA has a lot of businesses in our NIL deal... at least what I'm being told. About Chattanooga, I'm sure they are in the same situation as Florence/Huntsville market... Chattanooga has the Vols fans and we have Auburn and Alabama fans. That's curious. I've not seen a single UNA player doing PR or social media for any local businesses. |
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Post by unalions on May 23, 2023 13:21:26 GMT -6
An article today with Auburn's AD talking about how NIL trumps facilities now: www.outkick.com/auburn-nil-name-image-likeness-john-cohen-hugh-freeze-bruce-pearl-rennovation/It was a big factor in Auburn's current AD leaving Mississippi State for Auburn. That's wild to think about. Within the same P5 conference, there's that much difference? Wow. www.si.com/college/2022/10/31/john-cohen-auburn-mississippi-state-hire-nil-lane-kiffinThis is a good article on NIL collectives and how they work at different schools. businessofcollegesports.com/tracker-university-specific-nil-collectives/What is an NIL collective?
A collective is an organization formed to benefit student athletes, usually at a specific institution. The models vary somewhat, but the basic premise of most is that an alum, or group of alums, band together to form a company whose goal is to provide NIL opportunities to student athletes of that institution. How they find or provide those opportunities is where the models really differ. Notes on Auburn's "On To Victory" collective:
On to Victory will pool funds from businesses and fans to help Auburn athletes profit off their NIL. The board has vowed not to receive any compensation so 90% of proceeds can go directly to athletes. Notes from others:
Alcorn State - The 1871 Collective utilizes the publicity rights by having the athlete engage as an influencer with posts on social media, provide appearances at events, sign memorabilia, and various other forms of engagement. Compensation may be paid in monthly installments to student-athletes that are signed long term. Arizona State - Sun Angel Collective provides fans and supporters with access to their favorite student-athletes through contributions and subscriptions. ECU - Membership-based collective that offers ECU student-athletes opportunities to engage in permissible NIL activities, including: autograph signings, social media promotions, camps and clinics, charity events, special appearances, speaking engagements, product reviews/endorsements, commercials and more. Kansas State - Donations of any amount are accepted, and the group will help arrange appearances, autograph sessions, sell merchandise and memorabilia, etc. The Cat Family Club within Wildcat NIL appears to be focused on higher-end donors. “This exclusive group of 100 supporters has each committed to donating $1,000 per month to a fund that is used for NIL opportunities for our players. Our goal with this $1.2 million-dollar annual fund is to remain competitive with what every other college program is doing nationally in NIL opportunities and ensure Kansas State Athletics has the resources to remain competitive.” Alabama - High Tide Traditions was established to harness the power of Name, Image, and Likeness with student-athletes to make and propel positive business relationships across the city, state, region and nation. Through strategic partnerships utilizing data analytics, it is important to High Tide Traditions that student-athletes will be engaged in amplifying the exposure for our business partners through relatable and authentic content, appearances, and other mutually beneficial services. Northern Iowa - The Panther Collective is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation with the goal of helping the University of Northern Iowa Men’s Basketball athletes in amplifying their NIL opportunities by contributing their time and talents through work with non-profits, being active in our communities, and providing mentorship to future generations. |
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Post by unalions on May 23, 2023 21:40:36 GMT -6
It’s interesting that some of the collectives (funded by one- time and recurring donations/subscriptions) offer a monthly payout to student-athletes who make themselves available for a certain amount of time related to fans and alumni like promos, gatherings, camp instruction, etc. So much of that was banned and done under the table. It was silly. But, now is legal and can be beneficial even on a much smaller scale than the P5s. Yet, NIL is also more than these collectives and business/brand deals. It simply allows student-athletes to earn some money as an influencer. Remember the UCF kicker several years back that had to quit the team in order to keep earning from his YouTube channel back in 2017? From this recent update article on him from Sports Illustrated: College football has changed, too. In the second year of NIL, athletes aren't just able to make money off their image and likeness by making deals with companies, they're also now starting player-led collectives to which fans can donate and get exclusive player content not so different from what De La Haye was creating back then. His story now looks like a harbinger of the modern college athlete, where winning still rules, but leveraging your audience and exposure also matters. As does making sure there's another path to success that doesn't involve the pros. www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/34494288/how-things-come-full-circle-ucf-kicker-chose-youtube-footballI’d like to chat with the AD soon an maybe offer a workshop on YouTube and TikTok to current student-athletes. |
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Post by unalions on May 25, 2023 15:55:33 GMT -6
NIL infiltrating the Ivies whether they like it or not.
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Post by unalions on Aug 8, 2023 12:07:05 GMT -6
Wow!
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Post by unafied on Aug 9, 2023 4:09:45 GMT -6
Good to see this. I won’t pretend to know how it stacks up to what other teams are doing, but obviously it’s a necessity these days. Hopefully it will keep us competitive with our conference rivals. |
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