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tigerpark135 OP
Jun 10, 2025 at 07:59 AM ET
Serious Question about NIL(from a snarky and aggravated position)
Is the bulk of NIL $ nothing more than private donations? Why are the athletes not getting merch sales revenue, a percentage of ticket sales/tv contracts revenue?

16 Replies

vthokieq vthokieq
Athletes can get merch sales revenue if they put out merch with their NIL.
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GreenvilleVT
They are going to get revenue share now.
But most athletes outside of football are going to be pretty disappointed especially as the rich donor side deals go away. I’ve see estimates showing football will likely get 80-85 percent of the revenue pay outs at most larger schools with basketball getting around 10-15 percent (men and women combined). That leaves very little else for the non revenue athletes. I expect to see increasing numbers of non football and hoops teams cut under this set up. If you are a soccer player I’d learn how to kick a football real quick.
vthokieq vthokieq
VT Olym. sports are probably going to get around 5% of the revenue sharing.
That's combined for all Olympic sports...so around $1milion...and I'd bet that almost all of that will be used to fund additional scholarships for those sports.
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donjfs3
Not sure about all sports but VT wrestling should be a net positive
We'll add 3-4 scholarships worth of $$ and we don't have as much crazy NIL from rich donors that will get declined by the new governing body. Small programs that opt into rev share will definitely hurt big time.
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Nafeikoh
I was saying this months ago.
Things are going to get worse for Olympic sports before there's any hope of them getting better.
Beerman Beerman
Because calling it NIL is a facade
Those that donate towards NIL aren't, for the most part, actually licensing anyone's Name, Image or Likeness. There's no product to sell. It's a 3rd party actor paying for the school to profit from the player's production and potential marketing if they pan out. Kind of the inverse of private insurance. The player gets his guaranteed bag, and the service provider (university) gets both the upside profit and the downside risk.
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1947Sunbowl
Sorry NOTHING is going back, its monetizing everything
players compenssated for their name and license players get paid for playing games, bowls coaches get high pay to run a competivie program schools generate revenue, huge skyboxes fans get the priveledge to eperience the entertainment JUST lke the NFL, NBA MLB. any fans who dont like the product there is division 3, and high school. "the good ole day's are gone forever, and we need to just quick keep referring to history. For VT there are more graduates/new alumni from VT last 15 years than the previous 30 . THey understand the new ways and live with it.
Beerman Beerman
Did I suggest something was going back?
Hell, I don't think we're finished. Nor will we be until players become employees or revenue-generating athletics breaks off from the university sham-amatuer model completely.
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Hikinghokie
Are any schools actually making money off their wrestling program?
I'm stoked that athletes are getting paid, but fan funded NIL is ridiculous. They should get a share of revenue, specifically in football and basketball where they're making everybody else rich. Your sport doesn't generate any revenue? You can make money off of legitimate NIL endorsements.
Pylons Pylons
Are fan-funded scholarships materially different?
Those have been around a long time for non-revenue sports. Sure fan-funded NIL isn't really in the spirit of "true" NIL, but help for athletes is help. 🤷
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Hikinghokie
I think meeting the basic funding needs of a program you care about
is a bit different than engaging in a never ending arms race to see who can pay the most. Fans already fund all sports be paying for tv services and ticket sales. I certainly get passionate fans helping make up the difference in non revenue sports like wrestling. NIL "donations" is an absolutely awful model for any sport though.
Pylons Pylons
Absolutely a big difference.
I was more thinking about the "fan-funded" element than the "never ending arms race" one. Where things have gone is definitely a mess from that perspective.
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donjfs3
There has always been an earnings cap which is a big difference
Pylons Pylons
True. I guess I was more angling at whether it matters that it's
"fan-funded" when fans have long funded collegiate athletes. The "more" part is there whether it's fan-funded or more legit NIL.
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EDGEMAN
Instead of NIL, it should be called P4P (Pay for Play)
There is a whole lot more P4P going on than actual NIL. Probably something like 95%/5%.
JoesterVT JoesterVT
The recent court ruling moves it from the former to the latter...
...or at least allows it...if I'm not mistaken. ** Edited by JoesterVT at 6/10/2025, 9:24:57 AM