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Here’s how Carolina is doing NIL in the right way.
When the nightmare of Name-Image-Likeness came on the scene, Mack Brown said, “We know Sam (Howell) is going to get his money, we want everyone on the team to get something.”
A number, but not enough, local businesses supported our series Carolina Player Spotlight, in which members of the football team signed up for a radio interview and walked out of the station with a $500 check from a sponsoring company.
Over the last two years, schools around the country have continued taking their interpretation of NIL to new levels. And who can blame them, because there are no written rules or sanctions to control what they do.
That has brought on claims of “Out of Control” and “Wild West” in describing what is going on college athletics with NIL, which was not supposed to be “pay for play.” But simultaneously rolled out with the transfer portal and the free agency it creates, pay for play is in play with many schools.
This past weekend, UNC held its second Fantasy Camp for middle-aged ballers who pay royally to leave their sweat and residue from skinned knees on Roy Williams Court. Since NIL cannot have involvement with any employees of schools, Hubert Davis and his staff were rarely around.
But current Tar Heels participated as coaches of the fantasy teams, and they were all compensated by the organizer Jordan Cornette, an ex-Notre Dame player who does similar events all over the country.
After expenses are paid and Cornette takes a cut, each Tar Heel makes some money, and last year the coaches of the Fantasy Championship team got bonused. Just like what Mack Brown said about everyone getting something.
And it was cleanly done, with Cornette renting the Smith Center and Nike providing whatever gear was needed. Sort of like what NIL was intended to be.
Last fall, before official practice began, an NIL Blue-White scrimmage was held at the Smith Center under the same auspice of paying the players. A crowd of about 10,000 paid at the door and sponsorships were sold to get the total gross as high as possible.
The advertising created some stir when companies who were official (Learfield) category exclusive sponsors found out several competitors got to have their logos and commercials on the video boards. Unintended consequences.
Featured image via Todd Melet
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