Gophers' AD Mark Coyle says he deals with name, image and likeness 'every hour'

[BleedGopher]

per RandBall:

"It's every hour. It is a conversation that I have almost every hour with every coach," Coyle said. "I am so grateful that the coaches we have in place now have been awesome. The NIL, there's so much uncertainty around it."


"People are going 75 right now and the speed limit is 55. We want to make sure we stay within the guardrails and that we do things the right way so that when we get more guidance nationally with what NIL is going to look like, we're in a good position," Coyle said. "We have 22 sports and we have student-athletes in every sport who have agreements right now."

Navigating that shifting landscape sounds like one of Coyle's top priorities over the next five years. Doing so as we cautiously emerge from the two-plus-year shadow cast by COVID is a challenge for anyone in Coyle's position and perhaps a familiar one to anyone trying to keep up with the pace of change during uncertain times.

"If you look at the record number of ADs who are stepping down in athletics and everywhere, it's bonkers everything we've gone through in the last 27 months," Coyle said. "I've heard people use the word we're all 'tired,' but we're also all depleted. And what can we do to recharge ourselves and get ourselves more energized. Because we have a great opportunity."

Gophers' AD Mark Coyle says he deals with name, image and likeness 'every hour'

The U's top athletic administrator has been on the job for six years, but the last 27 months have brought about challenges few could have predicted.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[BarnBurner]

per RandBall:

"It's every hour. It is a conversation that I have almost every hour with every coach," Coyle said. "I am so grateful that the coaches we have in place now have been awesome. The NIL, there's so much uncertainty around it."


"People are going 75 right now and the speed limit is 55. We want to make sure we stay within the guardrails and that we do things the right way so that when we get more guidance nationally with what NIL is going to look like, we're in a good position," Coyle said. "We have 22 sports and we have student-athletes in every sport who have agreements right now."

Navigating that shifting landscape sounds like one of Coyle's top priorities over the next five years. Doing so as we cautiously emerge from the two-plus-year shadow cast by COVID is a challenge for anyone in Coyle's position and perhaps a familiar one to anyone trying to keep up with the pace of change during uncertain times.

"If you look at the record number of ADs who are stepping down in athletics and everywhere, it's bonkers everything we've gone through in the last 27 months," Coyle said. "I've heard people use the word we're all 'tired,' but we're also all depleted. And what can we do to recharge ourselves and get ourselves more energized. Because we have a great opportunity."

Gophers' AD Mark Coyle says he deals with name, image and likeness 'every hour'

The U's top athletic administrator has been on the job for six years, but the last 27 months have brought about challenges few could have predicted.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

Yup, Duke see the uncertainty and is sooooooo darn concerned!

This is a perfect example of why MN hasn't won big.

 

[Gophers_4life]

As I posted in the other thread:

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."

 

[short ornery norwegian]

as I understand it, a school cannot directly set up an NIL deal for an athlete.

So, the U of MN cannot arrange a deal for Tanner Morgan with 3-M.

But, the U of MN can advise student-athletes on the rules and regulations for NIL, and review NIL agreements to make sure they meet all the requirements.

then, when Tanner Morgan makes a deal with 3-M, the U of MN can tell him if it's OK.

but, the School cannot be the deal-maker.

and an NIL deal cannot be offered as a recruiting incentive. (yeah, I know...........)

 

[bga1]

as I understand it, a school cannot directly set up an NIL deal for an athlete.

So, the U of MN cannot arrange a deal for Tanner Morgan with 3-M.

But, the U of MN can advise student-athletes on the rules and regulations for NIL, and review NIL agreements to make sure they meet all the requirements.

then, when Tanner Morgan makes a deal with 3-M, the U of MN can tell him if it's OK.

but, the School cannot be the deal-maker.

and an NIL deal cannot be offered as a recruiting incentive. (yeah, I know...........)

It is so obvious that anyone that plays by the rules is going to get burned here because the rules are so vague and so easy to interpret any way one wants to. If a guy is an incoming recruit with an NIL promise from a company- that company has WITHOUT QUESTION consulted with the coach who is recruiting that kid (how else could they decided he is worth the NIL?). The whole thing is a joke and it sure appears that the schools that blow right past the rule book are going to be the early winners.

What happens when a kid gets a big NIL deal and a company goes all in with him...then the coach decides not to play the kid because he won't play defense?

 

[EG#9]

"People are going 75 right now and the speed limit is 55"

This EXACT same analogy was given by Coach Thorson to a group of Gopher season ticket holders/boosters earlier this week.

Coyle's comments here are so incredibly disappointing. Instead of being an innovator, he's "waiting for guidance". If he believes schools are going to be retroactively punished for what are determined to be NIL violations in the future...he's incredibly naive. BTW are the most recent National Champions still waiting for their punishment? Sean Miller sure got a new job fast...Either Coyle is not very bright or he's unable/unwilling to do the work in providing a competitive NIL program. At the very least, model EXACTLY what a DUKE/UNC is doing (at scale of course, they're getting the top 20 recruits/transfers in the country) and insulate yourself from the dreaded "sanctions" that way.

 

[BarnBurner]

Coyle is making excuses for his inaction on this issue.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I see at least one issue with the idea that "if everyone else is cheating, then we need to cheat, too."

call my cynical, but if a MN-level program gets caught cheating, they're going to have the book thrown at them.

it's like the classic line from Jerry Tarkanian: "The NCAA was so mad at Kentucky that they gave Cleveland State two more years of probation."

the schools that cheat all of the time are good at it. If MN tried to cheat, we'd probably screw it up.

 

[howeda7]

"People are going 75 right now and the speed limit is 55"

This EXACT same analogy was given by Coach Thorson to a group of Gopher season ticket holders/boosters earlier this week.

Coyle's comments here are so incredibly disappointing. Instead of being an innovator, he's "waiting for guidance". If he believes schools are going to be retroactively punished for what are determined to be NIL violations in the future...he's incredibly naive. BTW are the most recent National Champions still waiting for their punishment? Sean Miller sure got a new job fast...Either Coyle is not very bright or he's unable/unwilling to do the work in providing a competitive NIL program. At the very least, model EXACTLY what a DUKE/UNC is doing (at scale of course, they're getting the top 20 recruits/transfers in the country) and insulate yourself from the dreaded "sanctions" that way.

Is it fair to take his comments as he's doing nothing? He did say they have athletes in every sport that have NIL's didn't he?

 

[Gophers_4life]

Didn't feel like starting a new thread.


https://www.espn.com/college-sports...onal-hearing-targets-nil-chaos-college-sports

Congressional hearing targets 'NIL chaos' in college sports​

A congressional hearing Wednesday targeting "NIL chaos" in college sports drifted into the ramifications of athletes being deemed employees of their schools and mostly highlighted those who support congressional intervention to protect the collegiate model.

A subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held the first hearing related to college sports on Capitol Hill in more than two years.

The intended focus was name, image and likeness compensation for athletes. College sports leaders have been calling for help in the form of a federal law to bring uniform regulation to the way athletes can earn money off their fame with sponsorship or endorsement deals.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (Fla.-R), the chairman of the subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce, said passing a federal NIL law that would pre-empt existing state laws would provide clarity and transparency for athletes.

"The lack of uniformity across different states and institutions has created confusion and uncertainty and a federal standard is needed, so all athletes are playing by the same rules," Bilirakis said. "In short, we must strike a delicate balance between the rights of college athletes to profit from their own NIL while keeping the amateur status for all college athletes."

Seven previous hearings have been held in the House and Senate, but lawmakers have made no significant progress toward passing a college sports bill since the topic first started gaining attention.

The latest hearing was held days before the Final Four in the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments were set to be played in Texas.

Lawmakers questioned six witnesses for nearly three hours. They heard from two college sports administrators, the president of a Division II university, a former NFL player, a current Florida State softball player and one of the leaders of an athletes' advocacy group.

Most of the witnesses encouraged Congress to act on NIL.

"We need transparency in the marketplace," Washington State athletic director Pat Chun said.

Jason Stahl, executive director of the College Football Players Association, pushed back. He said any NIL regulations would only serve the interests of schools, conferences and the NCAA.

"The federal government should stay out of the NIL free market," he said.

The NCAA lifted its ban on college athletes earning money off their fame almost two years ago, but fear of lawsuits and a patchwork of state-level NIL laws steered the association away from putting in detailed and uniform rules.

"The current NIL chaos means student-athletes are left to fend for themselves," said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.-R). "And those at the top of their game must figure out how to maneuver through a multiple of agents, collectives and high dollar contract offers all while maintaining their academic and athletic commitments."

The concern among many in college sports is NIL is being used as a recruiting inducement or as de facto pay-for-play, which are still against NCAA rules but have become difficult to enforce.

New NCAA president Charlie Baker, who was not among the witnesses at the hearing, has said the athletes are the consumers in this burgeoning market and a federal law would be a form of consumer protection.

"NIL is a powerful vehicle that rightfully allows student-athletes the ability to earn compensation from their unique market value," Baker said in a statement. "At the same time, the lack of transparency in today's NIL marketplace puts student-athletes in jeopardy of exploitation by bad actors."

The hearing also veered into the topic of college athletes being deemed employees and the possibility that colleges could be required to share with athletes the revenue generated by their sports.

At most Division I schools, revenue generated by football and basketball help fund all the other sports.

"The creation of an employee-employer model would significantly threaten this current dynamic and alter everything we know about how sports outside football and men's basketball are supported," Florida State softball player Kaley Mudge said.

A bill introduced by a California state lawmaker in January would -- if passed -- require some Division I schools to share a percentage of revenue with mostly football and basketball players.

A federal lawsuit being heard in Pennsylvania seeks to make colleges treat Division I athletes like employees and start paying them an hourly wage. A complaint to the National Labor Relations Board could also lead to employee status being granted to some college athletes, which could open the door to unions.

"How does a football player unionize and a softball player doesn't?" Chun said.

Patriot League commissioner Jen Heppel, who testified before lawmakers, said in written testimony that Division I college athletes being deemed employees "would likely represent a breaking point for the sponsorship of athletic programs at Patriot League institutions."

 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

The difference between what the Gophers are doing and other programs is mind-boggling. Miami is an obvious example, but I just saw where DJ Wagner pulled up to the McDonald's All-American game driving a Roll-Royce. He got out of the car and did a commercial for the luxury car company that he is repping, inviting all the Kentucky fans to join him at a fan party. He hasn't even stepped foot on Kentucky's campus yet. SMH

 

[BarnBurner]

The difference between what the Gophers are doing and other programs is mind-boggling. Miami is an obvious example, but I just saw where DJ Wagner pulled up to the McDonald's All-American game driving a Roll-Royce. He got out of the car and did a commercial for the luxury car company that he is repping, inviting all the Kentucky fans to join him at a fan party. He hasn't even stepped foot on Kentucky's campus yet. SMH

Step up or step aside.

 

[CPTMidnight]

"People are going 75 right now and the speed limit is 55"

This EXACT same analogy was given by Coach Thorson to a group of Gopher season ticket holders/boosters earlier this week.

Coyle's comments here are so incredibly disappointing. Instead of being an innovator, he's "waiting for guidance". If he believes schools are going to be retroactively punished for what are determined to be NIL violations in the future...he's incredibly naive. BTW are the most recent National Champions still waiting for their punishment? Sean Miller sure got a new job fast...Either Coyle is not very bright or he's unable/unwilling to do the work in providing a competitive NIL program. At the very least, model EXACTLY what a DUKE/UNC is doing (at scale of course, they're getting the top 20 recruits/transfers in the country) and insulate yourself from the dreaded "sanctions" that way.

The alternative is that the UofM catches themselves going 60 in a 55, self-penalizes for 4 years, and then asks the NCAA to make an example out of us so the NCAA can quietly settle Kentucky's 100 in a school zone ticket without negative publicity.

 

[MaxyJR1]

"People are going 75 right now and the speed limit is 55"

This EXACT same analogy was given by Coach Thorson to a group of Gopher season ticket holders/boosters earlier this week.

Coyle's comments here are so incredibly disappointing. Instead of being an innovator, he's "waiting for guidance". If he believes schools are going to be retroactively punished for what are determined to be NIL violations in the future...he's incredibly naive. BTW are the most recent National Champions still waiting for their punishment? Sean Miller sure got a new job fast...Either Coyle is not very bright or he's unable/unwilling to do the work in providing a competitive NIL program. At the very least, model EXACTLY what a DUKE/UNC is doing (at scale of course, they're getting the top 20 recruits/transfers in the country) and insulate yourself from the dreaded "sanctions" that way.

I get the frustration, but again people have to be realistic with many factors. Are they really "innovators"? When you have a bag man at the door, it's easy to be an innovator. Does the U have that?

Individual deals are hard to come by when companies brand through professional teams and those naming rights. There is only so much local advertising to go around and on the female side it's likely to go down the social media and sex appeal side.

Even at the professional level, deals tend to be more at the national level for superstars and the rest goes to the teams. IMO giving to the program/team is more likely, for those with $$, than an individual.

Coyle can be slow and deliberate, it's his way of saying there is no bag man at the door.

 

[bga1]

per RandBall:

"It's every hour. It is a conversation that I have almost every hour with every coach," Coyle said. "I am so grateful that the coaches we have in place now have been awesome. The NIL, there's so much uncertainty around it."


"People are going 75 right now and the speed limit is 55. We want to make sure we stay within the guardrails and that we do things the right way so that when we get more guidance nationally with what NIL is going to look like, we're in a good position," Coyle said. "We have 22 sports and we have student-athletes in every sport who have agreements right now."

Navigating that shifting landscape sounds like one of Coyle's top priorities over the next five years. Doing so as we cautiously emerge from the two-plus-year shadow cast by COVID is a challenge for anyone in Coyle's position and perhaps a familiar one to anyone trying to keep up with the pace of change during uncertain times.

"If you look at the record number of ADs who are stepping down in athletics and everywhere, it's bonkers everything we've gone through in the last 27 months," Coyle said. "I've heard people use the word we're all 'tired,' but we're also all depleted. And what can we do to recharge ourselves and get ourselves more energized. Because we have a great opportunity."

Gophers' AD Mark Coyle says he deals with name, image and likeness 'every hour'

The U's top athletic administrator has been on the job for six years, but the last 27 months have brought about challenges few could have predicted.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

This is the problem- other schools are going 75 because there are no posted limits. We are going 55 as a self imposed limit.

By the time limits are set (which I question whether they will be) we will be far behind.

 

[bga1]

Is it fair to take his comments as he's doing nothing? He did say they have athletes in every sport that have NIL's didn't he?

He's a hall monitor. No you can't do it that way. No, not that way either. No we have to make sure it is equitable for the women too.....

 

[Gophers_4life]

This is the problem- other schools are going 75 because there are no posted limits. We are going 55 as a self imposed limit.

By the time limits are set (which I question whether they will be) we will be far behind.

We’re driving a Pinto.

55 is the vehicle’s maximum speed.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Do you really think that if some booster wanted to give a $1M NIL contract to some start recruit that Coyle would be like “NOOOOOOO!!!! WHYYYYY???? This is not how I wanted it to work!!!”

We don’t have any such people. It’s not something he had to worry about.

 

[bga1]

I get the frustration, but again people have to be realistic with many factors. Are they really "innovators"? When you have a bag man at the door, it's easy to be an innovator. Does the U have that?

Individual deals are hard to come by when companies brand through professional teams and those naming rights. There is only so much local advertising to go around and on the female side it's likely to go down the social media and sex appeal side.

Even at the professional level, deals tend to be more at the national level for superstars and the rest goes to the teams. IMO giving to the program/team is more likely, for those with $$, than an individual.

Coyle can be slow and deliberate, it's his way of saying there is no bag man at the door.

The only difference between a big bag man and little donors is size. There is no moral difference anymore that I can see. Either way it is pay to play. Professional basketball.

 

[bga1]

Do you really think that if some booster wanted to give a $1M NIL contract to some start recruit that Coyle would be like “NOOOOOOO!!!! WHYYYYY???? This is not how I wanted it to work!!!”

We don’t have any such people. It’s not something he had to worry about.

I have heard that they have concerns about the money not being spread among the players in an egalitarian way. They want to put their thumb on the management of it to a degree. If someone said- I want to pay the million to one guy- I think they would have a problem with that.

 

[Gophers_4life]

That sounds crazy. I hope not.

That would be like shooting a gift horse in the mouth.

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

With our luck we would finally get some booster to put up a bunch of money for a star recruit, and they would get hurt or drastically underperform. Thus killing any opportunity for someone to want to donate again.

 

[bga1]

That sounds crazy. I hope not.

That would be like shooting a gift horse in the mouth.

Just what I heard- can't verify.

 

[howeda7]

This is the problem- other schools are going 75 because there are no posted limits. We are going 55 as a self imposed limit.

By the time limits are set (which I question whether they will be) we will be far behind.

Some of these posts are a year old. Are we still limiting ourselves and in what way? I think if we had someone with a million bucks, the issue would solve itself. I'm not Mark Coyle's biggest fan, and you can blame him for failing to properly network schmooze the million bucks out of an alum to date, but I don't think him being cautious is the issue now.

 

[BarnBurner]

I get the frustration, but again people have to be realistic with many factors. Are they really "innovators"? When you have a bag man at the door, it's easy to be an innovator. Does the U have that?

Individual deals are hard to come by when companies brand through professional teams and those naming rights. There is only so much local advertising to go around and on the female side it's likely to go down the social media and sex appeal side.

Even at the professional level, deals tend to be more at the national level for superstars and the rest goes to the teams. IMO giving to the program/team is more likely, for those with $$, than an individual.

Coyle can be slow and deliberate, it's his way of saying there is no bag man at the door.

For sure.

There are, however, consequences to that strategy, especially when your competition is moving fast.

 

[howeda7]

I have heard that they have concerns about the money not being spread among the players in an egalitarian way. They want to put their thumb on the management of it to a degree. If someone said- I want to pay the million to one guy- I think they would have a problem with that.

If they're not supposed to be involved on the details, don't be involved. I don't think they can stop someone giving Pharrel Payen a million bucks even if they wanted to.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I have heard that they have concerns about the money not being spread among the players in an egalitarian way. They want to put their thumb on the management of it to a degree. If someone said- I want to pay the million to one guy- I think they would have a problem with that.

This is 100% what is happening at the U sponsored collectives.

 

[bga1]

If they're not supposed to be involved on the details, don't be involved. I don't think they can stop someone giving Pharrel Payen a million bucks even if they wanted to.

Let's put it this way- I certainly do not think that the school is in any way facilitating or encouraging big deals for any single player. Can they stop it, no. Is it likely to happen without cooperation from the school? Also, no.

 

[bga1]

Some of these posts are a year old. Are we still limiting ourselves and in what way? I think if we had someone with a million bucks, the issue would solve itself. I'm not Mark Coyle's biggest fan, and you can blame him for failing to properly network schmooze the million bucks out of an alum to date, but I don't think him being cautious is the issue now.

Whether they are still seeing things the same way or not- I don't know. As of last summer, I heard some of this same stuff at a meeting of boosters with Coyle, the coach and others. They really wanted to manage it and go cautious. I am not saying that is wrong or right, I am saying it puts us at a competitive disadvantage in a game that has few rules. We are fighting under Marques of Queensberry rules while some others are street fighting.

 

[howeda7]

Whether they are still seeing things the same way or not- I don't know. As of last summer, I heard some of this same stuff at a meeting of boosters with Coyle, the coach and others. They really wanted to manage it and go cautious. I am not saying that is wrong or right, I am saying it puts us at a competitive disadvantage in a game that has few rules. We are fighting under Marques of Queensberry rules while some others are street fighting.

Well I'm hopeful that the recent appointment of staff dedicated to this means they've moved out of cautious mode and are trying to catch up.

Anecdotally, Reusse said Jim Dutcher told him he recently got a call asking him to donate to the Gopher NIL and he told them if he gives any NIL $ it will be to SDSU (assuming that wasn't sarcasm.)