Yup....big money boosters and alums fund collectives or a large portion of it.

Backing this discussion up at the top the best NIL deals go to 5 star skill players signing with top schools already with 1 million social media followers. Role players that are signing with top schools often don't have any social media presence and NIL money to go with it.

What it says to me is NIL valuation has to be developed. Top programs in basketball are now not only subject to 1 and done concerns but also transferring in upper classmen which leaves more quality underclassmen to find their way to a mid major. The pitch at a job like Ohio need to be the staff will develop NIL value then as an upperclassmen the can go to Alabama like Sears did. The offer of playing time looms more imporant since the driver is big NIL money. Players can get 20k here, 20k there on an endorsement but the lotto ticket is becoming all conference in a power conference.

NIL expectations are tied to conferences. I don't anticipate Akron or EMU if you can call themselves an urban school having an edge. Sponsorships are regional rather than local. A player can also walk into the MAC with their own NIL deals. Rules around direct university support are changing and those with better finances are going to be able to stay in the game. Its worth noting Akron and EMU do not have large enrollments or endowments given their location in population centers.

If the players are walking into OU with their sponsorships the university community may not even be relevant.

NIL is more complex than fundraising for facilities which is helped tremendously when you have a local Fortune 500 employer that can step in. Its not a benefactor giving 50 million its often marketing deal for a player. Donor collectives are going to take a backseat to university compensation at mid majors it this is where it ends up.

Recruits at our level are not getting the big money anyways. 1804 could try to pay 2 million to a player but he will still play at a blueblood basketball school. Further its not an approach the university should be encouraging when that donation could go to something more valuable than athletics. The answer for the mid major is having the university pick up the tab since there is no realism to be able to get 10 millon a year off of donors at the mid major level.

At least you tried.

Is Labatt Blue allowed to pony up for NIL?

I was paying $8 per can of their product at the Hardwood whatever it's called over there before games. It's good beer imho but out of that 8 bucks, some of it could benefit the reason people are actually in the building.