NIL...What the NCAA Pays Its Athletes

The NCAA is a money making machine. And the athletes are the little cogs that make it run print money.

College athletes cannot be compensated for use of their name, image and/or likeness (NIL) without losing their eligibility.

The NCAA, uses student-athlete’s NIL to promote events (including the NCAA golf tournaments), and makes piles of cash:

• NCAA basketball tournament annually generate $1 billion+
• College football playoffs generates $500M+ annually (future projections of ~$2B!)
• none of this dough is passed directly to players, even though they are the product

The US Supreme Court recently struck down the NCAAs bid to keep this ruse going:

• July 1st deadline to produce realistic NIL legislation and rules of engagement
• Seven states already have NIL legislation, independent of the NCAA
• Twenty-four states are also close to having their own NIL legislation
• Take Home #1: schools/boosters can’t directly pay student-athletes
• Take home #2: NIL compensation cannot be used as a recruiting incentive

The NCAA tried to keep a gravy train permanently parked at their headquarters right near their chain of Brinks trucks all on the backs of its student-athletes.

College golf doesn’t generate anywhere near the revenues its basketball and football cohorts do, but its athletes can partake in the NIL compensation.

The only no-no’s for an amateur golfer looking to maintain their status:

• accepting more than $750 in prizes in tee-to-hole competitions
• receiving payment for face-to-face golf instruction
• accepting employment as a club pro and/or joining a pro tour

So I guess it’s back to college we go to cash in on those...what? You still need talent? Interesting.