By Ali Brown, Stella Klaus, Michael McGrew and Jolie Goldstein

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Nov. 5, 2024) – The air was finally beginning to warm up after a rough transition into spring and the campus almost felt deserted, with no students making their way to classes. After the spring semester had wrapped up at Ball State University and students went home for the summer, Alec Cesare suddenly found himself no longer enrolled in his school or his sport. His first collegiate golf season was not what he had hoped it would be, so Cesare decided it was time for a change. He knew he wanted to stay in the state, but still the challenge of finding a new school was daunting. After an abundance of research, visits and practices Cesare finally decided on his next destination: Indiana University.

Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) started at the very beginning of collegiate athletics with a boat race between Harvard and Yale that was sponsored by a railroad executive to promote train travel to lake Winnipesaukee in 1852. At the beginning with no governing body regulating college athletics and not very many rules, payments of many different kinds to college athletes happened. 

The rise in popularity of football created lots of revenue. They would offer compensation to talented athletes which led to athletes jumping around to different colleges depending on which ones would pay them more. The sport of Football became increasingly more popular and dangerous, so Theodore Roosevelt met with colleges to review rules and from that meeting the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was created to make the sport safer. 

Once it was created the NCAA advised against compensating college athletes. However, they found that this was still happening since football was a highly profitable sport. In 1948 the NCAA decided to do more than advise against it; they adopted a code that reiterated their opposition to payment of student athletes. Through the years the NCAA molded and formed new rules about scholarships and how much they can give athletes for being on their team. The rules of NIL are still being challenged to this day.

One of the biggest complaints about the structure of NIL is the vast difference in income between smaller, less-viewed sports and the larger, more popular sports. Alec Cesare, a sophomore golf player, has experienced this firsthand.

“We spend the same amount of hours practicing, competing and representing the university,” Cesare said. “I think we deserve the same opportunities even though we don’t bring in as much revenue as they do.” 

Financially this gap makes sense, the larger sports attract more views and in turn generate more revenue. However, smaller-sport athletes, like Cesare and his teammates, don’t benefit from this, and are expected to spend most of their free time dedicated to their sport without any compensation. 

While smaller sports may never get the same amount of money through NIL as sports like Football, NIL still impacted Cesare’s decision when he was transferring schools. He did not get NIL money at Ball State, but at a bigger school there are more opportunities.

“I knew if I went bigger there would be higher chances to get more money,” Cesare said. “The difference between mid-major D1 schools and Power 4 schools is crazy, especially when it comes to money.” 

Even with the large difference in sums of money, Cesare still voiced his complaints about the large deficit of money from sport to sport.

  “There is a lot of hypocrisy, a lack of clarity and a lack of consistency in a lot of what we’re seeing in these proposed settlements,” Dr. Galen Clavio, Director of the National Sports Journalism Center, said.

The lack of consistency is the same thing that many athletes are frustrated with. This difference in revenue between larger and smaller sports is creating a divide amongst athletes. 

“You’re never going to have a job where your coworker gets paid more and you don’t think you deserve to get paid more than them,” Jeremy Gray, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Communications, said. 

There are many different attitudes between experts on how NIL should work and how much athletes should get paid, that is why it is such an ongoing topic that has changed a lot through the years. However, smaller sports don’t make as much NIL money as more popular sports because they don’t get as much TV time, they get less advertising (billboards, posters, merchandise, etc.), they can’t ask brands for sponsorships because of the lack of TV time and they don’t get as much emotional support compared to other sports.

NIL continues to be a popular topic of discussion in collegiate athletics, and that is not going to stop anytime soon. Smaller sports will continue to make far less revenue than more popular sports, despite efforts from smaller sport athletes. Although there are many different facets of NIL that can be dissected, the deficit of funding between large and small sports is one of the most important to discuss to ensure all athletes are being treated fairly under NIL regulations. 

People on the streets of Bloomington share their opinions on NIL. Due to the recent supreme court case NCAA v. Alston NIL has been a growing topic with new opinions arising.

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By Ava DeSena, Peyton Giesler and Chris Zajac

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Nov. 5, 2024)- As humans, we often try to differentiate between selfless and selfish. This concept daunts people as they always attempt to be their best selves. Being selfless in most situations is morally the correct path, but when does life call for us to be selfish? Is it always okay? Is it never okay? Does being selfish overshadow others?

NIL was passed by the Supreme Court in 2021, allowing college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness. Since then, the public has seen a plethora of college athletes emerge from the field or court and onto our screens; between social media, commercials and brand deals the opportunities for these athletes are endless. Dr. Galen Clavio, a Professor of Sports Media and the Director of the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana University said, “rights to publicity is a right that everyone has.” But does that mean all college athletes gain the same or a fraction of the opportunities? 

College freshman Lucy Mineo from a small town in New Jersey decided to commit to Marquette University, continuing her lacrosse career as Midfielder for a D1 athletic program. “NIL did not play a role in my decision process because I feel lacrosse lacks NIL deals, especially women’s lacrosse,” she said. About 34% of women sports athletes are paid through college NIL deals according to www.bestcolleges.com, splitting that scarce percentage to over 20 official women’s college sports teams makes you realize how little women’s opportunities can become.

For Mineo, her decision was more based on the “school, the facilities, coaching staff and the people who go to the school.” As Mineo comes from a legacy of D1 athletes within her family she has seen and developed her opinions of the difference between college athletes before and after NIL. NIL has definitely taken over the world of college sports. NIL has created ideals and an atmosphere where it’s not that you love the game, it’s more of, okay you’re good at it so we [the brands] are rewarding you with something not you rewarding yourself with self-enjoyment for the game.” Mineo explains how NIL can overshadow the joy and camaraderie once felt by college athletes. This change creates an environment where sport feels more transactional instead of focusing on the essence of sports.

Prior to NIL, athletes in the power four conferences such as the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference already had a platform to gain attention on their name. Clavio provided his input on how NIL has affected the athletics department. “Indiana has an athletic budget of 135-140 million dollars,” said Clavio. “The Big 10 school will be pulling in 100 million dollars from [TV deal] revenue shares.” How the money is divided is up to the school’s discretion and how the athletics department will see it best fit. Indiana has newfound success in a sport they have the most losses among power four schools in, football. Dr. Cavio explained the impact of NIL on Indiana Football’s success. “IU football is going to sell out potentially 4 games this year, that’s not because they have popular players,” said Clavio. “It’s because they are winning and have good players.” NIL is making a direct impact on the success of Indiana University sports.

NIL has provided various opportunities for many different athletes across the country. Ohio State University’s football Safety, Jaylen McClain shared the impact NIL made on his commitment decision and his life thus far as a college freshman. “[NIL] did play a factor into my decision, but it wasn’t the main thing I was worried about in my recruitment,” said McClain. Schools such as Ohio State University can gain and maintain large-scale NIL deals for their athletes, with benefits many other schools don’t have the resources for. “I get the luxury of having certain things that other people wouldn’t as a college student,” said McClain. “I am able to have my own car and apartment so I am able to pay the rent for it, pay for gas on a consistent basis and in the future.” Such amazing opportunities could make people grateful, but also it could be a crack, where selfishness could seep in. “You can just tell between people from different schools and how people would rather go to a school for the money, or would rather just do things for the money rather than for themselves and their development. You can just tell certain people are thinking, “I’m trying to get paid rather than I’m trying to get better,” McClain said.

Mineo and McClain are in different positions in their college careers, but they can agree on one important idea: NIL is beginning to overshadow the revolving world of college sports. “Rights to publicity is a right that everyone has,” said Clavio, but it is essential that college athletes along with grasping well-earned opportunities of gaining profit and exposure do not lose sight of how they got there and who helped them along the way. The desire to be great, to excel in one’s game and to contribute to a team should be the driving cause of an athlete’s college career, not the amount of attention or money. 

https://youtu.be/XKEabqmMIMA

Justin Molander, Magnuson Larslott and Michael Drebes, students at Indiana University were interviewed on the impact of NIL. Their responses show their support of NIL’s impact on the success of Indiana University athletics. 

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By Gillan Cichy, Anthony Bahl, Anjelina Ponce

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana (November 4th, 2024)

In July 2021, the NCAA officially allowed college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) which caused a groundbreaking shift in the way college recruiting now operates. The beloved process that once consisted of campus visits, scholarship opportunities, and the promises of championship glory has now included new steps to this process which include social media branding, partnerships with businesses that are willing to be part of a young athlete’s growing marketability, and endorsement deals. In this new world with NIL, the recruiting process is no longer just recruits having to weigh the prestige of a school’s football or basketball program instead they need to evaluate how a university will help them build their brand, and in some cases, it’s about how much money financially they would be able to make before even stepping onto the field or court. This new reality has athletes capitalizing on their fame,  and it has also raised many questions about the fairness, equity, and integrity of the college sports system. NIL is continuing to reshape the recruiting landscape and the one certain thing is, that the game is being drastically changed for athletes, schools, and just the overall sport itself. 

NIL has been said to be “the most important thing” in college recruiting lately. There are many opinions about NIL and whether it has negatively or positively changed the overall process of college recruiting. When asked when comes to NIL what’s the biggest pros and cons of it, Jacob Moran a 5th-year senior wrestler stated, “The biggest pro would be allowing athletes to monetize their name because it’s not easy being a college athlete but a con would be the fact that there is a lot of gray area within NIL also.”

Cam Russell a freshman wide receiver at Northwestern stated, “It depends on the recruit’s prominence. While only a small percentage of college athletes get big NIL deals, for those who do, guaranteed money is a major factor in choosing a school. For others, recruiting focuses on relationships with coaches, campus visits, lifestyle fit, and balancing academic prestige with athletic opportunities and game-day atmosphere.” According to many surveys that have been conducted on this certain topic more than 70% of student-athletes have agreed to want more education and support from their colleges on things like personal branding and managing their social media presence which goes along with also finding NIL opportunities. A positive trait of financials with NIL is the fact that players can profit from endorsements, and even sell apparel with their face and name on it even if it is with the school donors’ money, and none of this was allowed to do before the rule existed. The fact that student-athletes can receive money from school donors is vital because this is what allows schools to pay money upfront through “donor-backed” deals that give student-athletes money straight into their own pockets. There is some controversy as many believe people were “buying” recruits, or using the promises of NIL money if recruits were to commit to a certain school. In a more negative aspect, NIL interferes with recruiting because it makes college athletics a more complicated area that doesn’t allow the smaller programs to land all-star recruits due to the financial constraints of it all. Even more so Dr. Clavio specifically said “Name image and likeness in college sports has rapidly become one one of the more misunderstood in college sports over the last four years.”

The financial aspect of NIL money in ways has improved college sports, but it has also decreased loyalty to schools and parity in college sports. An article by Harris Pemberton and Miles Sterlitz stated, “Larger Financial powerhouses such as Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M have greatly benefited from NIL. However many smaller colleges have fallen, as recruits would rather go to a powerhouse to earn more money than play for their hometown team. If these smaller teams are lucky enough to land a very good player, they often leave to these massive schools as they look to earn more NIL deals.” So as it was just said NIL has affected even the programs of the college recruiting process and is making it harder for the smaller teams of the whole ordeal. Certain schools have the financials to give a specific amount of money to recruits which can cause the athlete not to fully evaluate the actual fit of the school and it is what has increased the percentages of flips and transfers in the past few years. Russell believes, “Those athletes are high profile enough to have the financial opportunities where those pros outweigh prioritizing their development, they probably don’t have a lot of development to do to play at a high level, or at least in their mind they don’t. I do think in a lot of cases, though, many young athletes may be more focused on the shiny toy that’s put right in front of them as opposed to the long-term opportunities that a program or school can offer them. And that’s honestly just where parents are involved with the recruiting process and hopefully working to guide their child in the right direction.” Dr. Clavio had his own opinion about this and stated, “A lot of those smaller schools have to make a decision on how much is the marketing boost and the alumni relations boost of having a good  Athletics program– how much does that do for you and is it worth it– is it worth the squeeze” In so many words he is saying that the smaller schools need to decide rather they follow the lead of bigger colleges and put more money into the recruiting aspect.  The larger programs in college sports are going to continue to grow stronger yet the smaller schools are going to continue to struggle to compete in this now-advanced recruiting process. 

Introducing NIL has without a doubt transformed the college recruiting process in ways that could never be imagined. NIL has now created a new set of opportunities and challenges. The stakes have been taken to a higher level and recruiting isn’t just about securing the best talent instead it is about the resources and connections needed to manage an athlete’s marketability. Regardless, NIL has leveled the playing field in multiple ways and has advanced the mindset of a student-athlete. It has also raised questions about the direction of college athletics whether or not schools can maintain this competitive aspect but also if it will impact the long-term integrity of the games. NIL is evolving the recruitment process but negatively or positively is up to you to decide.

On Friday, October 18th, interviewers shared their perspectives on how NIL is reshaping college recruitment through the NCAA. They discuss its impact on athlete choices and program structure.

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By Lucci  O’Donnell, McKenzie Vitale and Gianna Pineno

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (November 5th, 2024)

After the 2021 NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA) court ruling that allows for college athletes to profit off of their name, image, and likeness, athletes all across the United States went from regular college athletes, to a walking and talking business. Suddenly, collegiate athlete’s emails begin to flood with contractors asking to be their agent and help them run their newfound brand. Not only now are athletes now benefiting from this new executive decision, but so are businesses, especially local ones here in Bloomington. Sue Aquila, the president executive of Bloomington Bagel Company, Inc here in the heart of Bloomington, partnered with sister swim athletes Noel and Anna Peplowski and finds that it brings in more than potential financial gain. 

“We promote them and rally the community behind them, it just so happened one of them earned a silver in the Olympics,” Aquila said. “She in turn promotes us to her community, I think there is some benefit for everyone.” 

Aquila has been feeding Hoosier athletes since 1996, but when the NCAA approved for athletes to profit off of their name image and likeness, she shifted her focus to supporting female athletes. Aquila has seen many athletes benefit from this court ruling as they become more informed on how they can profit off of their own name, image and likeness. 

“Athletes are getting more knowledgeable about it and a lot of them are hustling on their own but still not enough,” Aquila said. “Athletes could ask [for] more, [for] their favorite restaurants and stuff to do an NIL, I think that’s going to be more common in the future than the businesses asking to do the NIL.” 

Jermey Gray, an IU sports administrator here at IU, thinks that it is important to help these athletes build their own personal brand.

“The most followed student athlete we have here is Sydney Parrish. She’s done a really good job of marketing herself. She sponsors everything from a local bank to Sweetgreen to having a Tiktok series. So, teaching them social media practices and how to accentuate their own brand I think is really really important,” Gray said. 

Dr. Galen Clavio, the current Associate Dean of Undergraduates at the Media School, during a press conference clarifies the difference between being paid by a business, and being paid by a university for a sport. 

“If, I as an athlete, got a sponsorship with Everbowl, I could be paid by Everbowl directly because they felt like I had market value.” Clavio said. “But, If I was getting $100,000 simply for being a scholarship basketball player with no commercial ties, that would be considered pay for play.”

When athletes are paid for play, the relationship between the player and the university that owns them can be difficult to navigate. 

“A lot of how we approach athletes is, we almost infantilize them. We treat them like they’re incapable of making their own decisions and making their own sets of priorities;” Clavio said. “We don’t do that for other college students.”

Not allowing these students to make their own decisions both when signed to a university and business brings concerns to IU community members like Aquila. 

“I’m not sure if everyone is looking out for the best interest of athletes. I receive emails from agents who tell me which professional athletes they represent, and I’m not sure if it’s protecting the kids. And probably these agents, if there is money involved, will take 20 to 30 percent,” Aquila said. 

Gray has worked with many student athletes in the past and knows some of the challenges they can face when making a NIL deal. One of them, beyond balancing being a full time student and an athlete, is knowing when to sign a contract for a partnership. 

“Understanding those terms of the contract are really really important,” Gray said. 

Student athletes and Businesses have a relationship based off of mutualism. Not only do the businesses that partner with these athletes find ways to benefit from this deal, but the athletes are able to have the college experience while being paid. Aquila thinks that this deal has benefited these athletes and should have happened a lot sooner, but recognizes that in the world of sports, not every deal or decision goes the way one expects it to. 

“I think things totally can get messy, and it can get messier,” Aquila said. “The NCAA still has to open [the bill] up further, and it’s America–it’s always going to get messy, especially when there is a lot of money involved.”

https://youtu.be/F5niRNVuR3o

Bloomington residents discuss their thoughts on the 2021 NIL bill and the ethics of the court ruling. Both students and members of the community have differing opinions on the subject.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts
Abbie Dombrowski
Grace Genyk
Payton Bryant

The NCAA’s 2021 NIL decision allowed college athletes to earn from their name, image, and likeness, stirring college towns like Bloomington, Indiana, where IU Hoosier athletes and local businesses embraced the change. The policy offers overdue recognition for student-athletes, but it has sparked debate: Should compensation come directly from universities or remain with outside sponsors, or even both? While some argue that college-led compensation could ensure fairness across sports, others believe that sponsorships are ideal, allowing athletes to earn without straining university resources.  

“Everyone in this room, as an adult, has the right to profit off of your name, what you look like, and how your likeness is utilized within any form of media,” Professor Galen Clavio says, in a student-attended Press Conference. “This is not a case of new rights being granted to college athletes; It is the removal of restrictions that were being imposed by collage athletic departments upon college athletes.” 

We interviewed Liam Walsh and gave him the chance to talk about his feelings on the NIL as a current Indiana University student who feels deeply about college athletics. He stated that it wasn’t just the money that the athletes bring the schools, but doing the athletes justice for the work they put in. Liam states “they are entitled to compensation because they put their body on the line. To make the university money essentially, and although they get a lot of other amenities from their scholarship deals, I don’t think it’s enough.” Liam shows that he believes athletes deserve more than just the basic accommodations that come with being a student athlete because of how much they do for universities.  

Many students have begun to transfer with no hesitation to get better publicity and NIL deals at their new schools. NIL deals at big schools compared to small schools are drastically different and Liam states his concerns about this and says “I think right now it’s in a state where people are just going wherever they want. You’ll see athletes go to like four or five top schools for NIL. We are going to start to see some smaller schools get the recognition their student athletes deserve because of how the students can stand out.” He expresses that many transfers are doing it for compensation, not considering the sport’s tradition. The talent of small schools will begin to become popular because they are there for the community. Liam also talks about how the publicity continues to rise with NIL because of the profit.  

Next, we interviewed Sam Sullivan, current IU student and rugby player. As a collegiate athlete, Sam understands NIL since he has worked closely with it. When we asked him about the compensation that can come with being a student athlete, and if it would cause players to play for money and not passion, he said “I think compensation in any form would drive anyone–not just athletes to work harder. I also think because it’s so widely known now some athletes strive to work harder because they know they’ll receive compensation.” Sams beliefs show that athletes may pursue athletics for the cash prize. Students at big schools with opportunities to make a profit off their name, image, and likeness, will more than likely choose to do so– while students at smaller schools won’t have this option. Sam believes that this will cause a switch in the viewing of the sports because it will be visible that the players may not love the game.  

We asked Sam if he believed that the compensation could cause a drift in the team relationship. He stated that, “In some cases, it can create divides within team moral and player relationships because one can be making more than the other from NIL and one could work harder than the other and it can go unnoticed.” Sams beliefs about the team dynamic changing when money becomes involved shows that the NIL might cause a strain on the team, and strain on the financials. The sense of tradition that comes with college sports could disappear if there is not comradery.  

Professor Galen Clavio, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Director of the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana University, has been well versed in all topics NIL since the 2021 ruling. He explains how the NCAA had never seen marketable value to student-athletes and that it came from the schools they were playing for. However, when popular college athletes like Caitlin Clark and Bryce Young could start benefitting from sponsorships, they almost immediately reached national popularity, causing their schools to, in turn, try to capitalize off their athlete’s publicity instead.  

He expands on the concept of “pay for play”, getting paid for simply being an athlete without any media or marketing ties, which has been debated during this entire process. “The idea originally was that you would earn money on your name, image and likeness but not off of the fact that you were an athlete,” Dr. Clavio explains. “If these settlements go through, the model will be replaced by one where athletes do have market value and compensatory value and can leverage those rights and opportunities as they choose where they are going to school, and especially, where they stay going to school.” 

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By Bradley Harp, Megan Tonnu, Liv Napier

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Nov. 5, 2024) – Since 2021 athletes have been able to use their name, image, and likeness (NIL), to make a name for themselves and benefit off their own NIL. Over time there has been controversy about NIL though, as it becomes huge around the country people have had their own opinions about how NIL is deve

loped, how much each person makes, and how it operates overall as they are paying athletes to play ball.  

Indiana University kicker, Quinn Warren began his journey with NIL going through football. When speaking with him he disclosed that, “there are many different aspects to an NIL deal, but with mine I have Hollister posts and partnerships with caffeine gum.”

Reviewing NIL contracts now versus two years ago makes a huge difference, recruitment is different and when choosing where to go to school many factors of these contracts make a difference. “IU had people helping you with the contracts which was really important.” Warren said. Also being offered by different schools, IU stood out and had a good way of managing an NIL contract through people that offer their assistance in the process. Some contracts are by month, and some are a one-time thing.  

Many concerns with the new NIL agreement have been brought to the public’s attention such as, “Is it fair that student-athletes are getting paid more than other important professions?” When addressing this issue there are many different viewpoints on which is the right way to go about these contracts. Rising in popularity of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), NIL contracts are a huge factor to these athletes of many different sports. From having extreme measures of restrictions to athletes being able to be financially assisted through an NIL contract, it is a luxury to many student athletes to have these opportunities. Concerning the large amounts of money being paid to these athletes though, a frequently asked question is why should they be paid so much money? Some claim that it brings popularity to the schools which leads to funding. On the other hand, others disagree with the new NIL stance and feel that it is not right to have athletes be paid so much more than important occupations.  “It’s kind of insane they are making more money, but obviously it brings money to the school” Warren stated. As a student athlete himself he felt it is unethical to pay athletes more than important occupations such as a doctor but also views it as a gateway to publicity for the school. 

Indiana Universities Dr. Galen Clavio held a press conference with students from C250 on October 15th, 2024, to discuss more in-depth what all goes into NIL and how it has affected the world. “For the longest time the NCAA saw college athletes as just 

another student being involved in athletics while in school and that’s not what it is” Clavio said. During this time the NCAA learned that college athletes had the right to gain publicity off of their NIL. The NCAA decided in this case to allow the state legislators to make decisions on their own about what they will do with the concept of NIL and allowing athletes to use it for publicity and earning other contracts.  

Student athlete Maggie Ledwith believes that NIL agreements are well deserved and that they should not be labeled as controversial. Maggie is IU’s soccer team’s mid field player. She was not offered an NIL deal for any university, but she is very familiar with NIL deals in sports. When asked whether she thinks it is fair how much some of these athletes are making through NIL deals, she said, “

If they’re helping the company, might as well get paid for it.”  Maggie’s soccer season began in July,and she discussed that many times throughout the interview saying, “Athletes work so hard during the off season. We have practice 6 days a week, four hours at a time and we are constantly traveling for games” When asked if it is fair that athletes with NIL deals can make more than jobs such as a doctor, Maggie said, “In my experience, athletes work so hard. I think they deserve the money they make.” When it comes to student athletes the controversy comes from the idea that there are students who are in nursing school, pre-med, pre-law, etc. who leave college in debt, whereas the student athletes with NIL deals can make thousands and leave with little to no debt. “NIL deals are like an influencer getting sponsorship. A company pays the athlete to promote a product, then the company gets money from the people who buy that product,” Magge said.  

Despite the amazing things about being an athlete, there are also a lot of risks that come with it. When Maggie was in high school, she was injured and had a ruptured spleen and internal bleeding. She was in the hospital for several days and unable to play for 3 months. Maggie said, “Being an athlete comes with the risk of injuries. Injuries happen all the time…”. The risk of injury is enough to persuade Maggie that NIL deals are more than fair for athletes. But some people aren’t convinced. There are thousands of differing opinions about this topic on campus. 

NIL has taken over athletics and as it continues to develop and evolve people will too. Athletes all over the world love NIL and hope that it continues to grow.  

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By Peyton Cooperstein, Sienna Phongkhammeung, and Hattie Martin

BLOOMINGTON, IN (NOV. 5, 2024)- NIL regulations have caused major modifications for players in college in recent years. This allows athletes to earn money from their identities through advertising. After much discussion, regulations have become a reality affecting many athletes, colleges, and universities. Numerous opinions have been produced concerning the advances and potential disadvantages of NIL.  NIL affects college athletes, Jayden Easley and Ben Pomerantes, as well as Dr. Galen Clavio, who shared their thoughts on NIL and its effects.

Ben Pomeranets, a tennis player for the IU tennis team, endorses and has favorable opinions toward NIL platforms. He stresses that it provides numerous benefits for both individuals and institutions. He says, “The NIL system benefits many parties. Universities and businesses can benefit from an athlete’s endorsements and attendance, and the athlete is compensated financially in return”. Based on Pomeranet’s answer, NIL creates a win-win scenario because athletes are paid for what they are doing and businesses profit from awareness created by the recommendations of the athletes. Pomeranets highlights that the NIL system is a great idea because he says “receiving some financial support through NIL is very advantageous to my family, especially considering how much money they have invested in me getting to this point. Being able to partake in brand deals can also help me develop my personal brand and gain exposure to the business/marketing world”.

Pomeranets also views NIL as a way to grow outside of sports. While playing a lower-revenue sport than football or basketball. Pomeranets appreciates the opportunity that NIL provides him to build his name up and gain exposure to the marketing world. He makes connections and understands the sports industry by taking part in brand discussions which will benefit him in the long run after his sports career comes to an end. Pomeranets stresses that NIL is not NIL without its challenges such as the risk of marketing in college athletes. He thinks these differences can be handled with the correct rules.

Another athlete, Jayden Easly, offers a more skeptical view of NIL. While athletes spend large amount of their lives dedicated to their sport, they also have goals of their own they want to pursue. To this he says “College athletes dedicate a lot of time and energy to bring success to their school’s sports teams while chasing their dreams. However, some athletes from bigger schools are being paid multiple millions of dollars to go there, which in my opinion is too much money to give to young adults”.  According to Easly, NIL gives college athletes a chance to earn money while also being recognized for their efforts. Easly, however, takes a different view and states his opinions about some contracts that give other college athletes disadvantages. He expresses questions as to whether these huge sums are appropriate for young athletes. Suggesting that they can be unreasonable and could have many adverse effects like a huge increase in stress and mental health along with skewed motivation.

Easly is worried about the major effect that NIL variations will have on the hiring procedure. He emphasizes that larger weather colleges can now attract the top athletes since they offer significantly higher NIL chances than smaller institutions. He argued that this change may put many athletes at a disadvantage if they decide to enviously attend a bigger school which would in the end hurt the smaller schools. Showing hope and personal values can take priority over financial rewards. Easly shared the story of a player who did indeed receive huge NIL offers from the college he attends at. Easly is still worried that these disadvantages may become more common as NIL has a huge impact.

Easly also brings up the topic of financial fairness across multiple sports. He truly believes that all participants should be paid fairly for their long hours even if knows that high-profit sports like football and basketball make up a huge deal of income at the universities. He believes that it is the reason that athletes in high-paying sports make more money with NIL, but he thinks that a system that takes into consideration the work of the men in all different sports. Easly worries that NIL might make or break the difference between a well-known player versus someone not as well-known in sports. This could make athletes feel worse about themselves.

Dr. Clavio is an Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Director of the National Sports Journalism Center at IU, Professor of Sports Media, and Head of IU’s Sports Media program. He came to teach and discuss the topic of NIL with a class of IU students, and shared different pro’s and con’s about NIL. Dr. Clavio started off the presentation by talking about how as adults, we all have the rights to publicity and the right to profit off of your name, what you look like and how your likeness is used in any form of media or advertising. He then went into how college athletes are considered to be exempted from this right. “This is not a case of new rights being granted to college athletes, it is instead the removal of restrictions that were being imposed by college athletic departments upon college athletes, essentially telling those people you do not get the same rights as the other people that are college students.” He later discussed a multitude of subtopics under NIL, like the different ways NIL can and has affected student athletes, as well how it’s affected the universities.

The college lifestyle has been greatly impacted by the introduction of the NIL Policies which resulted in benefits as well as drawbacks. On the other hand, NIL allows athletes to develop their brands prepare well with money payments, and get prepared for their life after college sports. For players like Pomeranets, NIL creates an elite environment in college sports, by opening new opportunities for personal growth. Athletes like Easly worry that NIL could worsen gaps by prioritizing the bigger schools and high-profit organizations while presenting risks for young athletes with high financial risks.

Overall NIL polices are a huge reflection of college sports. While acknowledging the financial and personal values that athletes bring to their universities. There are many opinions on NIL and the overall impact is unquestionable. It will be difficult to address the issues brought up as Easly discussed. The opinions of the athletes are very diverse and will be important in guiding college athletes in the future.

On October 18th, people around Franklin Hall were asked about their opinions on NIL. The students and professor had different views on the topic but all agreed that NIL platforms are important.

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By Nolan Shaw,  Elizabeth Hauser and Eli Mahaffey

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Nov. 5th, 2024)

NIL Deals Are Redefining College Sports and Leaving Loyal Fans Behind. 

For only the fourth time since 1972, avid Indiana Basketball fan Libby Torphy, is missing her favorite team’s game. On any other game day, Libby would be somewhere in the crowd of crimson and cream, shouting with fans alike as the stadium pulses with enthusiasm. Instead, today she sped through quiet streets and waited anxiously at red lights. Receiving the call at 7am on a cold Saturday morning, she rushed to the Bloomington hospital. Her heart pounding as she couldn’t shake the thrill or her nerves -just like a game day- but this time it was for the birth of her first grandchild. And as she walked into the hospital where a new chapter was beginning, she could only imagine that this chapter, too, was filled with a love for basketball. 

The game Torphy had missed would’ve sent waves across Hoosier fans if it had happened today. February 24th, 2001,  Indiana, an unranked team, played 17th ranked Wisconsin. Indiana ultimately blew them out by 30 with a score of 85-55 securing a Hoosier win. Some key players who helped secure the victory were Indiana greats Tom Coverdale and Jared Jeffries. But up until mid 2021 these players had no financial compensation for their role in a game. No matter win or lose, fan favorite or overall powerhouse, no player was eligible to profit off of their name, image, or likeness (NIL).

In a recent press conference given to the students of C250, Dr. Galen Clavio described the NIL case in a digestible way. “The origins of name, image, and likeness and the idea of financially compensating college athletes really goes back about 15-20 years as questions started to be asked about the business model of college athletics, the money that was being made off of television contracts by conferences and member schools, and by questions surrounding video games of all things. Why players’ names and likeness were being included in NCAA branded video games, which are being created by companies like Electronic Arts or EA.” But Clavio is an expert at these things as he is not only a Sports Media Professor, but also the Director of National Sports Center at IU and head of the Sports Media program.

So where do sports fans like Libby Torphy line up in their education of NIL deals? We asked her to explain how she saw NIL deals “…Under the current NIL rules, as I understand them, the NCAA is basically pay for play now. They don’t have any real strategy or thought behind how the money is distributed or where the money comes from…” Later saying “Its each man or woman, each athlete for his or herself to get what you can out of it.” This wide generalization is common across the board with college sports fans. These sports institutions that rake in millions of dollars while still failing to compensate their players leads to this weird limbo space. Torphy argues that college athletes are being rightfully compensated in means of housing, scholarships, and meals while most college graduates are still struggling to pay off their student loan debt.

We interviewed a current IU student, Ethan Uhls, who was born and raised a Hoosier fan. Uhls agrees that collegiate athletes should have a right to their NIL deal but argues that allocating a specific fund into a school to pay its athletes discredits the team. “Its more business oriented, with the transfer portal you don’t have to wait a year anymore, players are less loyal to their schools and more loyal to their own interest, from that perspective I can see why some people would say there’s a loss of integrity.” Uhls, like many others, views NIL deals to push athletes more into a lane of marketability aside from skill. A new type of athlete is being forced out of collegiate programs and we are starting to see the birth of these new walking brands.

Eli Mahaffey and Elizabeth Hauser interview the people of Bloomington for their thought on NIL.

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By Alexandra Drago, Eric Perkins, and Demi Heinz

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Nov. 5, 2024)

NIL – a student-athlete compensation that was passed by the Supreme Court in 2021 and has completely changed the game in high school and college athletics. 

On a Saturday afternoon, in the windy hours of October in Bloomington, IN, people filled the streets of the town with friends and family, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Just outside the campus of Indiana University, in the heart of the college town, we met up with local IU soccer athletes, senior Justin Weiss and freshman Drew Gaydosh, at Inkwell Cafe to discuss the effects that NIL has had on them since it went into full force.

It wasn’t unusual to see these D1 athletes roaming around the streets of Bloomington. As we sat down with Weiss and Gaydosh, many students smiled and waved at them, showing how being an athlete at a D1 university has its perks, like being seen as a “campus celebrity.” They were more than happy and welcomed to talk about their life around athletics that takes place outside of the field. 

“It really is a different and crazy experience here, being an athlete and all. We have training in the gym at 6:00 am, go to class, and then three-hour practice. On top of school and soccer, then we have to answer emails and Zoom meetings with brands and companies through NIL,” Gaydosh said. 

In addition to having very different experiences than the average college student, collegiate athletes also profit financially from what they do outside of school due to their prominence in the media. Their choices and experiences at college or university are directly impacted by these NIL deals. 

 “NIL has changed my college experience in terms of broadening my network. The people I meet and work with due to the deal help increase awareness of other resources,” Weiss said, a forward on Indiana University’s soccer team, expressing his experiences within NIL. 

As a senior, Weiss experienced NIL firsthand during his freshman year when it got passed and went into effect. Weiss spoke on how NIL has positively affected him as a college athlete in terms of reaching the eyes of more companies and brands. With the ability to monetize their NIL, athletes can now engage in endorsement deals, social media promotions, and personal appearances. This has led Weiss to achieve more opportunities given to him through his social media deals, such as how NIL has given athletes the opportunity to develop their own brands.  “The way I have built my brand is continuously posting on social media with team stuff and individual actions throughout the season,” Weiss said. 

However, being a good athlete is one thing, but being able to advertise yourself in the NIL light is another. Dr. Clavio, professor of media at Indiana University, spoke with university students during a press conference on NIL and what it means to be a good athlete in NIL circumstances. “The other part of NIL is the athletes that are good at media, who understand how to utilize social media, who bring in a social media audience…For a lot of businesses who would want to contract with an athlete from an NIL perspective, a lot of it is what market are you bringing to the table,” Dr. Clavio said. Apart from being good athletes, collegiate athletes have to also learn the other side that comes with playing college sports. “As this is my first year, I am starting to navigate my way through NIL and brand deals. I’ve learned that the more I post online through apps like Instagram and Twitter, the more brands reach out to me. It helps get my exposure out into the world,” Gaydosh said. Gaydosh went on to talk about how impactful social media has been for him.

Athletes used to be frequently viewed as nothing more than spokespersons for their schools, with little control over their public identities. They may now develop their own identities, interact with fans, and provide content that appeals to their target market. In addition to increasing their visibility, this change gets them ready for future employment in sports or other industries. Athletes can acquire useful abilities that will help them long after their college careers are over by learning how to handle the challenges of branding and marketing. 

As we wrapped up our discussion, the voices of the collegiate athletes were full of passion and determination. In addition to their happiness at the opportunities NIL has provided, they talked about the burden of responsibility that goes along with them. Their stories are filled with goals to achieve financial independence and build a brand that truly embodies their identities. However, there were concerns about how to cope with this new environment, the pressure to perform well on the field and in the marketplace, and the fear of losing the essence of what it means to be a student-athlete. It was clear how strong and how well aware they are of the difficulties they can possibly face. Their encounters with NIL present a turning point in collegiate athletics that can ultimately change the basis of their goals and aspirations. As 2024 becomes the third official year since the NIL was implemented, we can only hope that more positive efforts will be implemented for these collegiate athletes in the future.

An interview was conducted throughout Indiana University discussing the ongoing debate on the ruling of NIL. Many perspectives were highlighted on the topic of student-athletes being compensated.

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Story by Alex Spielman, Emma Pearce and Lily Hagedorn

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Nov. 5, 2024) – The crowd screams. Beer cans are airborne, sprinkling the student section with alcohol. Everyone is on their feet. The Indiana Hoosiers just beat Nebraska with a score of 56 to 7. The win against the Cornhuskers was the Hoosiers’ seventh of the season. They have not lost a game. 

The 2024 game against Nebraska was the first IU football game to sell out since the Ohio State game in 2021. Indiana would go on to sell out the rest of their home games. The Hoosiers’ winning season was drawing national attention, bringing the FOX “Big Noon Kickoff” show one weekend and ESPN’s “College Gameday” the next. Indiana became a nationally ranked football team. 

“At the end of the day college athletic departments and their teams and the coaches that control those teams, they want to win, and they have a limited amount of resources,” Director of the National Sports Journalism Center Galen Clavio said. “Whatever small positive effect you might have from a really popular high school athlete coming in is going to be a drop in the bucket compared to the effects of having a winning team. I mean, look at IU football. Look at the attention on IU football. They’re going to sell out maybe four games this year. They’re not doing it because they have popular NIL players on their team, they’re doing it because they’ve got good players that are winning games.”   

In 2021 the Supreme Court ruled that college athletes could hold NIL (name, image and likeness) deals, which would allow them to profit off the use of their name or photo. After the ruling went into effect, the amount of money a university could offer an athlete started to affect the recruiting process, changing collegiate athletic departments.  

“What recruitment revolves around now is NIL. If you go to a big school like Indiana, there are going to be a lot of NIL deals, and it doesn’t really matter if you’re the most talented on the team or not…Most players don’t even look at the system that best fits them, they look at the amount of money that they’re going to get. It’s kind of a sad change, but it’s a change that we have to make,” Indiana University Athletics Intern Logan Krzykowski said. 

The transfer portal is being used more often for athletes who are not satisfied with their current deal or team. To convince athletes to transfer, schools can offer NIL deals. Eight players on the 2024-25 Indiana University men’s basketball team roster transferred from other schools.  

“I think NIL has impacted mid to major transfers more than anywhere else. It also kind of shortens the patience of the backup. A lot of people were willing to stick it out to wait for their chance to break into the starting lineup before. Now it’s like ‘it’s been a year. You haven’t started me. I’m transferring, and I can get paid to do it. I might transfer to a school that’s not as good at this sport as yours, but they’re going to let me play right away, so, I’m going to go do that,’” Indiana University Senior Associate Athletic Director and Cuban Center Director Jeremy Gray said. 

Sometimes, the transfer portal does not work out for athletes. In 2024, the University of Nevada Las Vegas verbally offered quarterback Matthew Sluka $100,000 to transfer from Holy Cross. The agreement was not in writing, however, and UNLV did not have the promised NIL money for Sluka. 

“Right now colleges and universities have been steadfast above all else in arguing that athletes aren’t employees, that they can’t be considered employees, and there’s a longstanding set of legislative approaches that the NCAA has taken that have tried to make that commonplace. I would have told the quarterback who ended up transferring this is why you don’t take a verbal promise about anything involving money,” Clavio said.  

The rise in NIL deals is causing large financial effects for athletic departments. In recruiting players this past year, IU men’s basketball reportedly spent around $4 million Indiana University Men’s Basketball allegedly spent around $4 million in NIL money to recruit players this past year. Other schools are struggling to keep up, and their programs are starting to show it.  

“I think one of the problems with the NCAA circumstance that we have right now is that there are too many teams in the mix who don’t have the financial resources to compete… I do think that college athletics has had a gradual separation financially between the universities that are fully invested in their athletics programs and the ones that, for whatever reason, just can’t hit that level. I think we’re seeing that in higher education in general,” Clavio said. 

Athletes are drawn to better programs, especially with the influx of money that programs can now offer players. The ruling has made it possible for athletes to be rewarded for their contributions to their schools. 

“This is not a case of new rights being granted to college athletes, it is instead the removal of restrictions that were being imposed by college athletic departments upon college athletes, essentially telling those people ‘You do not get the same rights as the other people that are college students,’” Clavio said.   

https://youtu.be/JKraVa6PAyw

Bloomington residents speak on how the 2021 NIL ruling has affected college athletic departments. The ruling made it legal for college athletes to profit off of the use of their name, image, and likeness.

Featured image by Emma Pearce

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