🏅 March Madness is over... but NIL never stops

Teaming up with

Hey there,

March Madness has officially come to a close, but the NIL news keeps coming. In fact, it will all summer. First things first though: Congratulations to South Carolina and UConn, the only two top teams to finish off their season with a win. Two historic seasons to cap off one of my personal favorite college basketball seasons in a while.

You should really check out today’s sponsor, Nike, they are running a sale through April 12th that you don’t want to miss!

Do you follow us on TikTok? Editor Cole went bonkers on some college basketball trivia — check it out here. If you aren’t on TikTok, don’t worry. It’s also on Instagram. When we keep you in the loop about college hoops, just know you’re in good hands 😉.

Want to advertise with NIL Wire? We’d love to partner with you. Get your brand in front of our readers today — just respond to this email.

— Cole, Justin and Collin

KICK-OFF

John Calipari is headed to Arkansas

On the eve of the national championship game, the basketball world was rocked by a stunning announcement: John Calipari, the longtime coach of Kentucky, would be departing for Arkansas, finalizing a five-year deal to take over the Razorbacks' program. This unexpected turn of events was set in motion by a series of coaching changes across the NCAA, culminating in Calipari's decision to leave behind the Wildcats and embrace a new challenge in Fayetteville.

With diminishing control in Lexington, Calipari opted for a fresh start rather than enduring further scrutiny and pressure. Meanwhile, Arkansas presents an enticing opportunity for the veteran coach, offering passionate support from boosters and fans, as well as resources to attract elite talent through NIL initiatives.

While Kentucky faces uncertainty in finding a successor who can maintain its historic success, Arkansas emerges as a contender with elevated expectations under Calipari's leadership. The coaching carousel sets the stage for potential shifts in power dynamics within the conference, signaling an intriguing new chapter in collegiate basketball. (More)

In NIL Era, Shoe Company Influence Wanes

Shoe companies used to dominate college basketball, and even steer certain players toward specific schools. Did the combination of NIL and the transfer portal destroy that power? While the sample size is still small, it seems like the policy has redistributed the power away from shoe companies and toward players themselves. 

As recently as 2017, Adidas was paying out six-figures to top prospects’ families – money meant to steer students towards a school the company already sponsored — like Brian Bowen Jr. committing to Louisville. 

Big Shoe isn’t the middleman anymore, it was the big fish; but collectives are now taking over that role. In addition, the new transfer portal system allows players to transfer schools more frequently, resulting in less importance for the players’ initial commitment. (More)

NC State Rides NIL Money-Wave

NC State had a pretty good year all things considered. With both basketball squads making the Final Four this year, March saw tons of money flowing into every facet of the school’s athletics operation, including their NIL initiatives. 

“It’s exactly what we needed,” said Chris Vurnakes, who runs NC State’s 1PACK collective, “We need that support from people who are buying season tickets and going to all the games. We need them to buy into NIL, even if it’s just $10 a month. All those dollars add up.”

According to Vurnakes, NIL investment and membership is up 50% over the last three weeks. “It’s just brought so many more people into the conversation,” Vurnakes explained, “Now that we’ve had a taste of winning a championship, we’re going to want to continue to do that… People are willing to put their money up to stay competitive in a competitive landscape.” (More)

Teaming up with

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VIDEO OF THE WEEK

South Carolina Makes History

History was going to be made either way on Sunday. Either Caitlin Clark would cement her college basketball legacy with a championship, or Dawn Staley’s South Carolina squad would become the first undefeated champion since 2016 UConn. The latter happened in extraordinary fashion, as the Gamecocks overcame an early deficit to finish off one of the best seasons we’ve ever seen. Watch it all set in as the final moments wind down:

DOWN TO BUSINESS

How PR Firms are Set Up to Navigate NIL Markets

As NIL continues to grow, with some estimates of it exploding into a $1 billion market in the past 2 years, PR firms could be the newest to enter the ring. PRWeek believes that PR firms are well-positioned to lead NIL campaigns across various media channels, helping brands leverage the voices of athletes effectively to reach younger audiences and drive engagement.

Firms such as United Entertainment Group (UEG) and Ketchum are playing a crucial role in brokering endorsement deals between brands and college athletes. These firms are focusing on creating meaningful partnerships that go beyond simple transactions, emphasizing the importance of engaging content and experiences to connect with fans. (More)

• The NIL Store just surpassed a big milestone: 10K athletes have been signed by the apparel entity. Since Fall of this year, the company has doubled their total athlete partnership numbers.

• The impending NCAA v. House case continues to loom over college sports as new payment proposals enter the conversation. If the NCAA and Power conference are unsuccessful, the class-action lawsuit could result in over four billion dollars being paid out.

COLLECTIVE 101

Harvard Collective Coming Soon? Think Again…

Harvard’s star guard Malik Mack entered the transfer portal after just one season, and fans are wondering whether there’s more that could have been done to keep him in Cambridge. Well, if you were waiting for Harvard alumni to ramp up an NIL collective, you may be waiting for a long time.

This shouldn’t come as too much of a shock, but Harvard’s focus has rarely ever been on sports. Harvard treats athletics more like a “high-commitment extracurricular activity,” according to the Harvard Crimson’s editorial board. While openly supportive of unionization efforts in college sports, the publication doesn’t even think Harvard student-athletes should qualify as employees.  

“Rather than turning Harvard into a sports powerhouse,” the editorial board said, “Our donors can put their resources to much better use.” (More)

• Wisconsin basketball’s AJ Storr is reportedly setting his transfer price-tag at $1M, which is exactly what he told Kansas’ collective when they expressed interest. The collective allegedly counter-offered $750K, which he’s refused thus far.

• Stanford endorsed the Lifetime Cardinal collective last week, which marks the first time the school has partnered with an NIL collective in any official capacity. The school is undergoing a transformation in NIL philosophy over the course of the last six months.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Stephon Castle

In a whirlwind journey to the NCAA championship game, UConn men's basketball standout Stephon Castle has emerged as more than just a star player. His prowess on the court has been matched by his business acumen off it, as he's secured NIL deals with industry giants like Keurig, Marriott Bonvoy, and CVS, among others. Castle's influence extends beyond the game, as evidenced by his starring role in a commercial alongside Coach Dan Hurley and teammates.

NIL BLITZ

♦️ Joe Burrow is joining the Kelce brothers’ Cincy NIL podcast

♦️ Michigan’s Jayden Davis signs an NIL deal with Ford

♦️ How ASU’s softball team is embracing NIL

♦️ Stetson collective announces partnership with Verses Apparel

BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Would you support moving forward with the proposed College Football Super League?

• Yes - 42%

• No - 58%