ESPN: Duke hires former Nike, NBA staffer Rachel Baker as GM to aid players with NIL

BleedGopher

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per ESPN:

New Duke men's basketball coach Jon Scheyer has hired a former Nike and NBA staffer for a newly created role with duties that include overseeing name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities for Blue Devils players.

The school announced the hiring of Rachel Baker as the program's first general manager Tuesday. Duke described Baker's role as helping players "enhance their personal and professional skillsets," including NIL partnerships through her experience in sports marketing.

In a statement, Scheyer pointed to Baker's "expertise in the business of basketball" as a resource for players and their families. It comes ahead of the first anniversary of college athletes being allowed to profit from their fame through NIL endorsements.

Baker spent eight years at Nike working with grassroots partnerships and event strategy for the Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), which features top prep prospects. She also managed strategic initiatives between Nike and NBA star Kevin Durant, one of the apparel maker's signature athletes with his own shoe line.

Baker's year with the NBA included work on a task force for rebranding the WNBA.


Go Gophers!!
 

per ESPN:

New Duke men's basketball coach Jon Scheyer has hired a former Nike and NBA staffer for a newly created role with duties that include overseeing name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities for Blue Devils players.

The school announced the hiring of Rachel Baker as the program's first general manager Tuesday. Duke described Baker's role as helping players "enhance their personal and professional skillsets," including NIL partnerships through her experience in sports marketing.

In a statement, Scheyer pointed to Baker's "expertise in the business of basketball" as a resource for players and their families. It comes ahead of the first anniversary of college athletes being allowed to profit from their fame through NIL endorsements.

Baker spent eight years at Nike working with grassroots partnerships and event strategy for the Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), which features top prep prospects. She also managed strategic initiatives between Nike and NBA star Kevin Durant, one of the apparel maker's signature athletes with his own shoe line.

Baker's year with the NBA included work on a task force for rebranding the WNBA.


Go Gophers!!
hmmm- I thought that the schools could not be directly involved with helping the players with NIL. I guess they can...or at least this is a legal work around?

Coyle's move?
 

hmmm- I thought that the schools could not be directly involved with helping the players with NIL. I guess they can...or at least this is a legal work around?

Coyle's move?
Why yes, yes that is the position of the genius crew here on GH!!!! COYLE cant do anything of the like, right gh genius'?

MN cant do anything. Duke hires a GM that has focus on NIL!!!!

GH bb genius's where art thou?
 

hmmm- I thought that the schools could not be directly involved with helping the players with NIL. I guess they can...or at least this is a legal work around?

Coyle's move?
I had thought so too!

But on a quick Google search, I can't really find something specific to that effect. The wording here is very vague on what specifically a school can and cannot do:

https://www.ncaa.org/news/2021/6/30/ncaa-adopts-interim-name-image-and-likeness-policy.aspx

"This is an important day for college athletes since they all are now able to take advantage of name, image and likeness opportunities," NCAA President Mark Emmert said. "With the variety of state laws adopted across the country, we will continue to work with Congress to develop a solution that will provide clarity on a national level. The current environment — both legal and legislative — prevents us from providing a more permanent solution and the level of detail student-athletes deserve."

The policy provides the following guidance to college athletes, recruits, their families and member schools:
  • Individuals can engage in NIL activities that are consistent with the law of the state where the school is located. Colleges and universities may be a resource for state law questions.
  • College athletes who attend a school in a state without an NIL law can engage in this type of activity without violating NCAA rules related to name, image and likeness.
  • Individuals can use a professional services provider for NIL activities.
  • Student-athletes should report NIL activities consistent with state law or school and conference requirements to their school.
"Today, NCAA members voted to allow college athletes to benefit from name, image and likeness opportunities, no matter where their school is located," said Division I Board of Directors chair Denise Trauth, president at Texas State. "With this interim solution in place, we will continue to work with Congress to adopt federal legislation to support student-athletes."
 

hmmm- I thought that the schools could not be directly involved with helping the players with NIL. I guess they can...or at least this is a legal work around?

Coyle's move?
Not really clear what "overseeing" NIL deals means for the new position at Duke, but the U's interpretation of the rules is that they are not allowed to be involved in negotiating any NIL deals. If that is what the new hire at Duke is doing, it would be a violation under the U's reading of the rules. But overseeing could also mean directing students to resources for things like tax compliance, how to find competent representation, etc. Those are things the U is already doing. It could also involve monitoring NIL deals to make sure that they are compliant with applicable rules, regulations, laws, etc. Just as an example, the initial NIL rules at the U prohibited student athletes from promoting alcohol. Presumably, there is someone in the athletic department responsible for "overseeing" complaince with that rule.
 


Not really clear what "overseeing" NIL deals means for the new position at Duke, but the U's interpretation of the rules is that they are not allowed to be involved in negotiating any NIL deals. If that is what the new hire at Duke is doing, it would be a violation under the U's reading of the rules. But overseeing could also mean directing students to resources for things like tax compliance, how to find competent representation, etc. Those are things the U is already doing. It could also involve monitoring NIL deals to make sure that they are compliant with applicable rules, regulations, laws, etc. Just as an example, the initial NIL rules at the U prohibited student athletes from promoting alcohol. Presumably, there is someone in the athletic department responsible for "overseeing" complaince with that rule.
And that is exactly how they want it.
 




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