By Ashley Libertoff, Ben Jaffe, Aidan Murphy

Pads crack and the sound of players running can be heard all throughout the football facility. As the sun bakes down onto the practice fields there is a group of athletes that may go unnoticed. This group is known as the preferred walk-on group. While football teams do give out large amounts of scholarships, there are players that may have just missed the cut. This group is given a designation of preferred walk-on. They have a space on the team however, they do not get a scholarship. While all of these players may not have the same scholarship opportunities, they do still fight for one form compensation, NIL.

NIL is a new set of rules within college athletics that allows athletes to get paid for their personal brand. These rules have changed the way athletes are recruited, choose schools, and even play on the field. Often the NIL money that schools and collectives give out goes to the high market sports and within that, the best players often get more money.

With the growth of NIL there has been large amounts of coverage on what this does to the “stars” of the team. However, what goes unnoticed is the effect that these rulings have on this preferred walk-on group. These athletes often are backups and may go unknown but they often make up the majority of the team.

Reece Lozano is one of these preferred walk-ons for the Indiana University football team. When asked about the NIL opportunities he receives he said “I’ve been able to partner with local businesses for social media promotions, which has not only helped me financially but also boosted my personal brand.” Lozano talked about the difference between not only the size of the deals given to him, but also the difficulties that are associated with trying to get NIL deals as a preferred walk-on. We asked Lozano about these difficulties and he responded saying “There is a steep learning curve in understanding contracts and following NCAA and school regulations.” This isn’t an issue that only affects preferred walk-ons at the large schools such as Indiana University, this is an issue for athletes at all levels and in all sports.

In a press conference style discussion with Dr Galen Clavio he said “These athletes can no longer be referred to as simply student athletes, their title now is way more complex.” The discussion of athletes no longer having the title of student athletes is a large statement. For preferred walk-on athletes academics is a large part of being a college athlete. Lozano talked about the balance of not only school and athletics, but also NIL saying “Time management is crucial. I maintain a strict schedule and prioritize my tasks. Utilizing campus resources like tutoring and academic advising helps me stay on track academically, while coordinating closely with my coaches helps me meet my athletic commitments.” These new elements have turned athletes into so much more than just student athletes. In many ways they have become professionals, needing teams around them and assistance with media and NIL opportunities.

While NIL can have large benefits the toll that it can take on these preferred walk-ons is very real. This means that athletes have to prioritize the deals that are best for them. Especially in the position of the preferred walk-on, you need to make sure these deals are rewarding beyond just the financials. Lozano discussed the deals he found most beneficial saying, “Local endorsements and social media promotions have been the most beneficial for me. These deals are more accessible and manageable, and they help build relationships within the community. Hosting camps and training sessions has also been rewarding both financially and personally.”

With NIL being ever changing, there are many possibilities for where it can go in the future. “With new settlements, schools will be given more structure in their NIL payments. Each school will be given a set amount to pay out to their players,” said Dr Clavio. With the state NIL is in right now it is clear that more restrictions will be put into place to make sure that all athletes are paid out fairly by the schools. “I believe NIL opportunities will continue to expand, with more structured support from schools and athletic programs. We might see more guidelines and resources to help athletes work through the complications of NIL deals,” said Lozano when asked about the future of NIL. College athletics is ever changing and at its core the players come first. As NIL continues to progress and grow it can only help players, especially the preferred walk-ons.

Bloomington residents touch on NIL, giving their opinions on the amount these athletes are getting paid

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Media Contacts
Riley Leichliter
Courtney Holland
Ben Jaffe

CUPERTINO, California (Sept 9, 2014), – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple made an announcement in Cupertino, California on Tuesday unveiling the first generation of Apple Watches.

Cook followed a prior unveiling by saying “But we’re not quite finished yet, we have one more thing.” He claims that this new product will change the course of Apple forever. Cook then played a video engaging the audience and showcasing this new revolutionary device – the Apple Watch. When Cook reappeared he took in the standing ovation and began to describe the features of the watch such as the ability to make calls, track health, and even play music.

The Apple Watch is a very large step for Apple. Up until now, Apple has been heavily known for its production of phones and computers, where they have been at the forefront of innovation and at the top of the industry. The Apple Watch provides a new and outstanding leap for the company as this continues its growth in the personal device industry. 

One of the physical elements of the watch is what Cook calls the “digital crown.” “If you have a list you can scroll through it, and all this without blocking the screen,” Cook said, “and if you press it, it returns to the home screen just as expected.” The Apple team has put immense thought into the design of the watch. Every aspect is designed to enhance the experience for the user.

Even the watch bands themselves are fully customizable. “They are meant to be worn every day,” said Cook. They have many options for these from more traditional metal, link bands to athletic-style bands that use magnets to fit to the wrist.

The watch has many digital features as well, but the ones that sit at the forefront of the device are the ability to track health, make calls, and search the internet. Starting with the ability to track health, the watch will be able to track everything from steps to heart rate, to how sedentary you are throughout the day. “It is a comprehensive health and fitness device,” said Cook. This feature can sync to the health app on your phone and provide the user with dynamic reports about their day-to-day lifestyle. 

The ability to make calls and even text is also a large innovation for the watch. Cook called the way the device allows users to contact one another a “New intimate way to connect, directly from your wrist.” This is one of the features that distinguishes the watch from other watches and fitness trackers on the market. “The watch works seamlessly with the iPhone,” Cook said. The watch can sync up to your contacts, messages, and phone app allowing you to make calls and answer texts without ever touching your phone.

The ability to search the internet via Siri is another large step that the Apple Watch makes. “You can use Siri by just pressing the crown,” said Kevin Lynch, Vice President of Apple, “Then simply ask a question like what movies are playing in Cupertino today, and it comes back with a list of movies here in Cupertino.” Lynch demonstrated the ease with which the watch searched the internet and the ability to do so from your wrist is a very large step in the personal device industry. 

The watch is starting at only $349 and will be released early next year. It will be compatible with both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, and iPhone 5c. “This gives more than 200 million people access to Apple Watch,” said Cook.

“It empowers people and enriches their lives,” said Cook “The Apple watch is the most personal device Apple has ever created.” 

The Apple Watches various designs being shown off in a brand new video. Many colors are available making the watch customizable to all.

Cook introduces dial feature of the Apple Watch. This makes it easy to zoom in and out of desired content.

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