🏅College Hoops is back

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Hey there,

In all its glory, college basketball has finally returned. I call this part of the calendar year the “golden era” – college football’s in full swing, college basketball is ramping up, and the holiday season is fast approaching. Soak it all in – March Madness will be here before you know it.

Speaking of college basketball, Rick Pitino just proposed a college hoops “super league” to solve the sport’s reliance on college football; Harvard’s AD speaks out on how NIL could affect their recruiting heavily; and two SEC athletes made Forbes’ best creators list. It’s all coming up right now – let’s get into it!

— Cole, Justin and Collin

The Big 3

Pitino Wants a College Basketball “Super-League”

Rick Pitino wants to combat football’s supremacy over the college sports landscape. His solution? Am eighteen-to-twenty-team college basketball “super league.” Yes, really. 

Here’s his reasoning: conference realignment, media rights, and just about every other facet of college sports is determined by the massive college football cashflow every year. If college basketball wants to survive, they’d need to bring in enough money to gain some level of financial independence.

Enter a college basketball “super league” with the biggest brands and best teams playing every night. Stay tuned for our next All-Access edition, where we’re looking at what a super league like this could even look like. (More)

LSU Continues NIL Dominance

Forbes just released their list for the top creators of 2024, and a pair of NIL-savvy LSU athletes made the list. Livvy Dunne – Gymnast-extraordinaire turned social media sensation – came in at #31, while basketball players and part-time rapper Flau’jae Johnson ranked #37 on the list.

Flau’jae Johnson’s got nearly four million followers across TikTok and Instagram, not to mention she’s posting collaborations with industry legends like Lil Wayne. Dunne, on the other hand, casts an even wider net with over 13 million followers across those very same channels.  

Dunne’s ranking is seventeen spots higher than it was in 2023, when she was 48^th, whereas and this is Johnson’s first time on the list. They are the only two student-athletes to make it in 2024. (More)

Harvard Can’t Land Low-Income Athletes Anymore…?

Harvard isn’t handing out NIL deals anytime soon – in fact the entire Ivy League has, more or less, decided to steer clear of investing into the NIL landscape. But even Harvard’s AD knows that decision has consequences. 

In an interview, Athletic Director Erin McDermott admitted that “Harvard’s inability to compete on name, image, and likeness deals ‘could have an effect’ on the recruitment of low-income students in certain sports.”

Despite being some of the wealthiest educational institutions in the world, no Ivy League schools have invested into building a serious NIL collective presence. Less NIL money means less reason for an athlete – especially low-income recruits – to pick Harvard. (More)

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ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Arch Manning

• School: University of Texas

• Position: Quarterback 

• Sport: Football 

• Class: Sophomore

• Accolades: 

• Appeared in the season opener against Colorado State, completing five-of-six passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.

• Scored his first career passing touchdown on a five-yard pass to WR Silas Bolden and his first career rushing touchdown on a one-yard quarterback keeper.

•  Entered the game vs. UTSA for an injured Quinn Ewers, completing 9-of-12 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns.

• Accounted for five total touchdowns vs. UTSA, including a 67-yard rushing touchdown and a 75-yard touchdown pass to Wingo.

• Became the fifth SEC freshman QB in the last 15 years to record a 65+ yard rushing touchdown and the first in UT history to have a 65+ yard pass and run in the same game.

• Named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week, and added to the Davey O'Brien Award Great 8 list for his performance against UTSA.

• NIL: Arch Manning currently sits #4 on ON3’s Top NIL Ranking List. 

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NIL BLITZ

♦️ Memphis reportedly has “six times” the NIL money as UTSA

♦️ New youth sports report says that girls are participating more, while boys are playing less 

♦️ Thanks to NIL, there’s a rising need for salary cap experts on college campuses

♦️ Duke’s Cooper Flagg becomes the first CBB player to sign an NIL deal with Gatorade

♦️ Ashton Jeanty could have had more NIL money than he’s making at Boise State

♦️ Sacramento State just announced they’ve secured $57 million in NIL commitments

♦️ State laws will guide unionization efforts until after the 2024 Election

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Will we see a Service Academy in the College Football Playoff this season?

• Yes, they’re the real deal - 49.6%

• Not this year - 50.4%