AROUND NIL THIS WEEK | JAN 20, 2025
- Golf NIL
- Jan 20
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 28
Jan 20, 2025—Big Ten schools plan to share up to $20.5M annually with athletes, but athletes must sign away major rights. Agreements require NIL rights, performance-based pay adjustments, and no claims to employee status. Athletes also face restrictions if transferring, including the potential to reimburse the school for NIL funds. The deal avoids classifying athletes as employees, while permitting schools to sublicense their NIL to third parties. With legal and moral clauses in place, the agreements aim to secure financial and intellectual property benefits for schools, but at a cost to athletes’ control. MORE
Jan 20, 2025—The Department of Education now requires NIL-related financial aid to align with Title IX, ensuring funds are proportionate to male and female athlete participation. Football and men’s basketball dominate NIL earnings, with 90% of deals favoring men, per Opendorse. Schools must balance total assistance, factoring in disparities like publicity and resources. A lawsuit at the University of Oregon highlights alleged inequities, including state-of-the-art facilities and publicity for men versus minimal support for women. This new guidance could reshape NIL compensation, pressing colleges to bridge glaring gender gaps in athletic funding. MORE
Jan 22, 2025—Ohio State claimed its ninth national title with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame, capping a playoff run where the Buckeyes outscored opponents by 70 points. Backed by $20 million in NIL deals and a $274.9M athletic budget—the highest among public schools—Ohio State showcased the power of financial might in a season defined by growing parity. As college sports embrace NIL, free transfers, and skyrocketing media deals, Ohio State remains a symbol of dominance in a chaotic new era. Will the gap ever close? For now, the richest school still wins. MORE
