The NIL reality

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J C Higgins

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#1
Probably can't access article but link below


From Bloomberg Businessweek

“Knight’s willingness to open his wallet has set Oregon apart: He’s reshaping not just a school but a sport. “It is what the rules are now,” Knight said on the Navigating Sports Business podcast in January. “You either got to recognize that or drop out. So we’ve recognized it.”

“In total, Knight, who’s worth roughly $35 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, has given about $2 billion to the University of Oregon since the 1980s.”

“But rival coaches, agents and executives privately complain that Oregon’s Nike connection is a recruiting advantage they can’t match.”


apple.news

Phil Knight Is Using His Nike Fortune to Make Oregon a Football Powerhouse — Bloomberg Businessweek

The billionaire booster’s cash has helped give the school a shot at a title—and reshaped the sport.
apple.news apple.news
 
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#2
#2
Spare me the sob story of innocence from Phil Knight. "So we've recognized it" is a joke of a statement. Knight is one of the poster children for what football has become. He is in no way the sole cause of its current state, but make no mistake, he has positively drooled over the day the schools would free up wealthy alumni to drown the whole thing in their money. He's old, very old, and before he departs this Earth he wants to see Oregon win a championship - and one would have to be a fool to think for a second he gives a damn about the repercussions of any of these changes. He just wants to win, at any cost. Which is how college football got here in the first place. Winning at any cost.

I won't pretend I don't understand his motivation, either. When you've waited your whole life for something, spent decades being on the outside looking in, all you want is to be on top, and you don't care what's left in your wake. And when that mortal hunger drives billionaires like Knight, well, guess what? If money is all the sport is about, then there isn't any program, NIL fund, or cooperative in existence who can compete with him - or the few others like him.
 
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#3
#3
Voltopia said:
Spare me the sob story of innocence from Phil Knight. Knight is one of the poster children for what football has become. He is in no way the sole cause of its current state, but make no mistake, he has positively drooled over the day the schools would free up wealthy alumni to drown the whole thing in their money. He's old, very old, and before he departs this Earth he wants to see Oregon win a championship - and one would have to be a fool to think for a second he gives a damn about the repercussions of any of these changes. He just wants to win, at any cost. Which is how college football got here in the first place. Winning at any cost.

But when you've got billionaires like Knight, who really mean "at any cost," well, guess what? There isn't any program, NIL fund, or cooperative in existence who can compete with him - or the few others like him.
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Wish we had a billionaire like Knight who is willing to give whatever. Guess we can’t get that lucky.
 
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#4
#4
Voltopia said:
Spare me the sob story of innocence from Phil Knight. "So we've recognized it" is a joke of a statement. Knight is one of the poster children for what football has become. He is in no way the sole cause of its current state, but make no mistake, he has positively drooled over the day the schools would free up wealthy alumni to drown the whole thing in their money. He's old, very old, and before he departs this Earth he wants to see Oregon win a championship - and one would have to be a fool to think for a second he gives a damn about the repercussions of any of these changes. He just wants to win, at any cost. Which is how college football got here in the first place. Winning at any cost.

I won't pretend I don't understand his motivation, either. When you've waited your whole life for something, spent decades being on the outside looking in, all you want is to be on top, and you don't care what's left in your wake. And when that mortal hunger drives billionaires like Knight, well, guess what? If money is all the sport is about, then there isn't any program, NIL fund, or cooperative in existence who can compete with him - or the few others like him.
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And yet Oregon hasn't won a title
 
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#7
#7
Golfprovol said:
And yet Oregon hasn't won a title
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That's the wrong measurement. It isn't about titles - it's about spending money to put them at the top of the mountain so they can win titles. There's always some element of luck and circumstance to the teams that win. But before Knight and Nike began really pushing money into Oregon, they had never finished with a ten win season. Never. Not once in their history. They also rarely, and I mean like less than ten times, ever made a bowl game. Then Knight and Nike stepped in and elevated them. Now it's 10-12 wins every year and they've moved into the Big 10 to further strengthen their hand. If you compare their profile with the other major programs of the last decade, they're an outlier in viewership, in revenue, and in footprint. I just checked, to refresh my memory; they're ranked somewhere between 18th-20th for average audience in college football. They aren't a big draw, they aren't a big name, but they recruit and advertise and market themselves like they are. Because Phil Knight spends a fortune to put them there.

The point is that Knight's money and his company have transformed Oregon into a title contender, and that was with guardrails. Without guardrails? Knight, and people like Knight, will push their programs to the top of the mountain and spend to keep them there. And anyone who wants to fight them had better hope they have some 10-20 billion dollar friends too. We're only a few years into NIL and free money and transfers without any sort of rules or requirements. The change will not be immediately transforming, but the change is happening, and if nothing else changes its impact will be inescapable.
 
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#8
#8
Voltopia said:
That's the wrong measurement. It isn't about titles - it's about spending money to put them at the top of the mountain so they can win titles. There's always some element of luck and circumstance to the teams that win. But before Knight and Nike began really pushing money into Oregon, they had never finished with a ten win season. Never. Not once in their history. They also rarely, and I mean like less than ten times, ever made a bowl game. Then Knight and Nike stepped in and elevated them. Now it's 10-12 wins every year and they've moved into the Big 10 to further strengthen their hand. If you compare their profile with the other major programs of the last decade, they're an outlier in viewership, in revenue, and in footprint. I just checked, to refresh my memory; they're ranked somewhere between 18th-20th for average audience in college football. They aren't a big draw, they aren't a big name, but they recruit and advertise and market themselves like they are. Because Phil Knight spends a fortune to put them there.

The point is that Knight's money and his company have transformed Oregon into a title contender, and that was with guardrails. Without guardrails? Knight, and people like Knight, will push their programs to the top of the mountain and spend to keep them there. And anyone who wants to fight them had better hope they have some 10-20 billion dollar friends too. We're only a few years into NIL and free money and transfers without any sort of rules or requirements. The change will not be immediately transforming, but the change is happening, and if nothing else changes its impact will be inescapable.
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Look at Michigan with Bryce Underwood.
 
#13
#13
J C Higgins said:
Yes but it’s relative. Not aware that we have a booster with a net worth anywhere close to Knight.
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We have boosters with loads of worth but they aren't casual with their money. They will give money for their last name on buildings and rooms on campus. To get in the make a difference arena of NIL you have to be willing to cough up the absurd amounts for people signing with your program. That's not as appealing to some of the elitist who only care about their own recognition.
 
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#21
#21
DeepSpringsVol said:
We have boosters with loads of worth but they aren't casual with their money. They will give money for their last name on buildings and rooms on campus. To get in the make a difference arena of NIL you have to be willing to cough up the absurd amounts for people signing with your program. That's not as appealing to some of the elitist who only care about their own recognition.
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NIL is necessary but I don’t know if I blame someone with elite money wanting a lasting legacy on campus vs ROI for a guy who may or may not play more than a year at your school.
 
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#23
#23
Brave Volunteer said:
Maybe if White was more focused on putting money into NIL instead of building hotels and mini malls around Neyland, the disparity between us and other top programs wouldn't be so extreme.
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We basically crafted the NIL collectives for the NCAA to follow. Spyre and The Volunteer Club is where your disparity issues is. That ticket fee increase next year will boost up the number, but have fans complaining because Danny is pricing out the family of four.
 
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