Greetings! My name is Kyle Rowland, and I’m thrilled to be the lead writer for NIL Wire.

My entire 16-year career has been spent covering college athletics, which isn’t surprising because college sports have played a central role in my life, despite the fact that I didn’t play sports in college. Growing up in a devout Ohio State household, Saturdays were sacred. I traveled the country with my dad to watch Old State U., sparking a love affair with the traditions, passion and sense of community that exist in college sports. 

The atmosphere and pageantry separate college sports from all others. The sounds of marching bands, the sight of a beautiful campus and the smells of tailgating against the backdrop of fall remain undefeated. 

My interest in reporting was inspired by the 29th president of the United States, Warren G. Harding, with whom I share a hometown (Marion, Ohio). He was also the owner and publisher of the Marion Star. When I reached college, a merging of sports and journalism felt like the appropriate career path. Voila! Here we are. 

My past includes stops at perhaps the two best newspaper names in the country: the Cecil Whig and the Toledo Blade. I also worked at the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Eleven Warriors and Rivals. Each step was invaluable and informative, and the theme was college sports, allowing me to dig into the industry’s ever-evolving landscape and understand the characters and institutions that shape the games.

Now, the college sports ecosystem is in the midst of its most dramatic transformation. Money is no longer a quiet undercurrent. The current model is unrecognizable to almost anyone of a certain age. Consider this amusing contrast: Robert Q. Baker, a former Ohio State booster, was disassociated after giving Troy Smith $500 in 2004. Today, Ohio State (and nearly every other school) directly pays its players. Baker would be celebrated by fans and urged to donate more money to the quarterback. 

This unimaginable shift has led to full-throated criticism. But here’s the reality: College sports have never been more popular or filled with such engrossing plot lines. Name, image and likeness has created new opportunities, new challenges and countless new stories. 

And I’m here to tell them. 

My mission is to deliver engaging, in-depth reporting and analysis about the evolving world of NIL and the impact of money in college sports. I want to keep readers informed, entertained and engaged, with NIL Wire as the go-to destination for anyone interested in how college sports are being reshaped in a chaotic environment. 

And I want to hear from you. Don’t be shy. I cherish the writer-reader relationship. Provide feedback. Ask questions. Don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Let’s dive in and have fun.