Daniel Stewart

-student at IU Bloomington studying Journalism:News Reporting and Editing



Projects by Daniel Stewart

News Story

Name, Image, Likeness:The Free Agency Effect on College Athletics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Daniel Stewart
Alexa Plon

The arrival of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements has ushered in a transformative era in college athletics as its created an environment reminiscent of professional sports free agency. Since the NCAA allowed student-athletes to monetize their personal brands in July 2021, the landscape of collegiate sports has shifted dramatically, impacting recruitment, athlete management, and financial opportunities.

NIL has opened numerous doors for student-athletes, enabling them to secure lucrative sponsorship deals, partner with brands, and capitalize on their social media influence. This newfound financial freedom has allowed athletes to earn significant income, sometimes reaching six figures annually. A recent survey highlighted that approximately 70% of Division I athletes are engaging in NIL activities, illustrating its widespread growing acceptance.

However, the emergence of NIL has also intensified competition among collegiate programs, turning recruitment into a high-stakes game. Schools are not only competing for the best talent based on athletic performance but also on their ability to offer enticing NIL packages. This shift has prompted athletic directors and coaches to rethink their recruitment strategies, focusing not just on the development of players but also on their earning potential through NIL.

Photo of Dr.Clavio
Dr. Calvio, an expert on NIL, speaks at Indiana University Bloomington to a captivated audience. He discusses the complexities of Name, Image, and Likeness rights as well as offers his own valuable insights.

Indiana University of Bloomington’s Professor Dr. Clavio emphasizes the importance of understanding the evolving market. “Most businesses in the NIL world are trying to reach an elusive generation,” he notes. He argues that education is key to maximizing these opportunities: “We should begin teaching students how to effectively use and maximize the potential of social media at the high school level.” By teaching young athletes the skills to navigate NIL, universities can prepare them for its many complexities.

The transfer portal has further complicated this dynamic. With the ability to switch schools more easily than ever, athletes can seek out programs that not only fit their athletic goals but also offer better NIL opportunities. The portal has effectively created a space where top talent can shop for the best deals, making it crucial for schools to present competitive NIL offers to attract or retain athletes. This competition for talent mirrors the dynamics of professional sports, where teams leverage financial resources to secure top players.

Photo of James Goodis
Prior to the season, Indiana basketball player James Goodis, 21, proudly flexes his jersey, showing off his team spirit with a smile. A strong advocate for NIL, James passionately supports opportunities for college athletes to benefit from endorsements
Photo of Jordan Rayford
At 20 years old, Indiana basketball player Jordan Rayford strikes a pose, dribbling the ball through his legs during a photoshoot. He carries a realistic perspective on NIL and advocates for a balanced approach to athlete compensation

Indiana University, basketball players James Goodis and Jordan Rayford are directly experiencing the effects of NIL on their careers. Goodis firmly believes that “money is the biggest factor right now in college athletics,” emphasizing that athletes should be paid in line with their brand value to reflect their worth. On the other hand, Rayford, a transfer from the Air Force Academy, takes a more cautious stance, stating, “you can’t pay players outrageous amounts of money for doing something basic, so the collectives will be more controlled.” This debate highlights the excitement and challenges among athletes as they navigate the balance between sports and entrepreneurship.

The possibility of establishing imbalances among programs is a serious concern as schools adjust to this new reality. Institutions with greater financial resources may have a distinct advantage in attracting top talent, potentially increasing the distance between smaller programs and larger schools with more resources. The challenge lies in ensuring a level playing field, where all athletes have the opportunity to benefit from NIL.

Photo of Nick Saban
Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban, along with Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne, met with various senators in Washington on Tuesday, March 12. They discussed the key issues that NIL brings and its impact on college athletics.

Prominent coaches are weighing in on the effects of NIL on college sports, and few have been vocal such as former Alabama head coach Nick Saban. He has expressed deep concern about the changing dynamics of college athletics, stating, “All the things that I believed in, for all these years, 50 years of coaching, no longer exist in college athletics.” Saban reflects on the core values that once defined the college experience: “It was always about developing players, it was always about helping people be more successful in life.” His comments highlight the increasing challenges athletes face in their decision-making processes, as financial incentives now overshadow traditional priorities in recruitment and player development. This evolution complicates the fundamental mission of college sports, shifting the focus from personal growth to money-making NIL deals.

Furthermore, NIL’s regulatory environment is still changing. As Congress debates potential legislation to standardize NIL rules, the future remains uncertain. Coaches and administrators are aware that the direction of these discussions could significantly impact how colleges navigate this competitive environment. As Saban stated, “We’ve got to figure out how to make this work. It’s important for our players, our programs, and college athletics as a whole.”

As the NIL era unfolds, it is clear that the relationship between college athletics and business is becoming increasingly blurred. The strategies that universities employ today will determine their success in recruiting and retaining top talent in an environment that resembles professional sports more closely than ever before. For student-athletes, navigating NIL will require not only athletic skill but also a strong understanding of business. The connection between NIL and the transfer portal is opening a new chapter in college sports, one that requires everyone involved to be flexible and think ahead.

Interviews were conducted with ordinary people around the college town of Bloomington, Indiana regarding NIL. Community members share their different perspectives on this important issue.

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Public Relations Story

The Apple Watch Is Here, Apple’s Latest and Most Advanced Product

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Daniel Stewarts
Chloe Epstein
Anjelina Ponce

CUPERTINO, California (Sept. 9, 2014) – An excited Tim Cook speaks on behalf of the unveiling of Apple’s new product, the Apple Watch. With a hopeful audience, Cook confidently and thoroughly shares details about the watch. He professionally explains how customizable this new invention is and allows for such an intimate and personalized experience.

Apple has released many products over the years yet Cook specifically says, “The Apple Watch is the most personal device we’ve ever created.” Cook shares information about how they set out to make sure this product was the best of the best. The Apple Watch has been made to be a precise, customizable timepiece to make sure that it can reflect your very own personal style. The product was invented with new ways to connect and communicate with others right from your wrist. Within the many other features of this new invention, Cook explains the Apple Watch perfectly works along with another one of their products, the iPhone.

Calmly, Cook described that the Apple Watch led Apple to some extraordinary innovations. One of those innovations just so happened to be the user interface. Cook shared how through every product they created there was a needed change in the user interface. The dial that has been on the watch for decades is more profoundly known as a crown or digital crown on the Apple Watch. Cook untangled behind the digital crown are infrared LEDs and photodiodes that transfer rotary movement into digital data. Specifically, Cook shared the concept behind this digital crown, “ When you turn the digital crown it zooms in and out. When you have a list you can scroll through the list, and you can do all of this without blocking the screen. And if you’re in an app like the clock app for example, if you press the digital crown, it returns to the home screen just as you would expect it to.” With so many details behind the whole process of creating the Apple Watch, Cook further explained how they created a video for it, but switched it over to Johnny Ive, the senior VP of design, who narrates it.

Man using Apple Watch to search the web.
As he browses the Ami menu, Jay engages in the use of Safari on his Apple Watch. The Apple Watch acts just like his phone, keeping him actively engaged.

Kevin Lynch Vince, Apple’s Vice President takes over the presentation from Cook and goes further into detail about the watch. Well wearing his very own Apple Watch he wants to give the audience a better understanding and view of it so he displays a bigger version of this product on the screen. Vince dives directly into the layout of the Apple Watch and shows that the first thing you see is the clock. The clock is your main watch face which is basically what you are going to see right when the device is turned on, the watch faces are customizable like everything else through this amazing device and you can easily pick and choose which watch face appearance you want. Going back to the digital crown Vince demonstrates that with a click on the digital crown, it takes you right to all the apps on your device, which are customizable and you can arrange the apps any way you desire. With a swipe of his finger, Lynch shows how easily accessible it is to tap and enter any app on this new product. Another unique feature of the watch that Lynch explained is something called Glances. You get glances by simply swiping up at the bottom of your watch face with the tip of your finger and it takes you to any upcoming events you may have, the weather, music that is currently playing, and the list goes on. Taking in all the notifications that these creators are sharing.

Man using Apple Watch for directions.
David relies on Waze on his Apple Watch to guide him with clear directions. The Apple Watch effortlessly navigates him, knowing exactly where he needs to go.

ng Lynch gives feedback to the audience about you getting information to you by saying, “When you’re notified of things on Apple Watch, we’re using the taptic engine to give you feedback on your wrist. It’s just like somebody tapping you on the wrist very gently.” Lynch even goes further into detail in showing how when you feel the notifications on your wrist someone near you won’t even tell since it is very subtle. Specifically when you get a notification from iMessage, when you click reply the system analyzes the text that was given and gives you options of how you may choose to respond.

The Apple Watch has so many more features that Lynch further talks about which just proves how great this product is. This customizable new product has convinced the audience to purchase one and it is greatly shown throughout these creators’ speech how impressed everyone is with it. The Apple Watch offers an immense amount of benefits to your daily life as it has become the most advanced product in tech.

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Tim Cook explains Apple’s plan for the Apple Watch. Cook elaborates on the idea that the watch will serve consumers in many ways.

The Apple Watch is Apple’s first SmartWatch. It offers features that fit intp all aspects of one’s daily life.