NIL: Where do the gophers stand???

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I keep reading about all the players being recruited by the Gophers. Can Ben do it etc. But I don't read anything about what kind of NIL money it will take to get these player to sign.

I expect that Ben will get very few highly rated recruits (read 4 star+) without some financial support through NIL endorsement purchases.

Thoughts?
 

I keep reading about all the players being recruited by the Gophers. Can Ben do it etc. But I don't read anything about what kind of NIL money it will take to get these player to sign.

I expect that Ben will get very few highly rated recruits (read 4 star+) without some financial support through NIL endorsement purchases.

Thoughts?
Not Gopher related, but Dawson Garcia is conducting a pricey camp at Prior Lake High School in August. Will players take into consideration being likely able to make more money on such ventures staying home vs. going elsewhere?

I would bet that Dawson will make a lot more money conducting his camp at PL High School than he would've if he held it at a high school in North Carolina. Staying in your home state year round you could potentially have enough demand for 2-4 camps a year.

Dawson's camp is $299 for three days, 2 hours per day. Two sessions (younger/older kids). No mention on attendance limits.

He gets 100 kids for each session = $59,800.
 

No way would I spend $75/hour for a kid to be coached up by some college kid going out of state. If I am spending that kind of money it would be a gopher coach or NBA player/coach. If I were to spend that money on a college player to coach my kids they would have to be a gopher.
 

No way would I spend $75/hour for a kid to be coached up by some college kid going out of state. If I am spending that kind of money it would be a gopher coach or NBA player/coach. If I were to spend that money on a college player to coach my kids they would have to be a gopher.
I went to the Mychal Thompson b-ball camp way back when. Dr. J, Trent Tucker, Flip Saunders, and a few others showed up. I can't imagine caring even a little about Dawson Garcia.
 

I went to the Mychal Thompson b-ball camp way back when. Dr. J, Trent Tucker, Flip Saunders, and a few others showed up. I can't imagine caring even a little about Dawson Garcia.
Did they teach you to dunk?🤔
 


I keep reading about all the players being recruited by the Gophers. Can Ben do it etc. But I don't read anything about what kind of NIL money it will take to get these player to sign.

I expect that Ben will get very few highly rated recruits (read 4 star+) without some financial support through NIL endorsement purchases.

Thoughts?
Ben said when asked about NIL…”I can’t do anything related to that with recruits.” Or something close.
So, I don’t think Gopher coaches are involved in NIL other than education to the players on their teams.
I think it’s individual saavy players making their own deals with dad’s help or bag men
with a sleeve full of Rolexes.
 

I went to the Mychal Thompson b-ball camp way back when. Dr. J, Trent Tucker, Flip Saunders, and a few others showed up. I can't imagine caring even a little about Dawson Garcia.
As a basketball junkie I’d say you got tremendous value! And memories for a lifetime.
Comparing your experience to what Dawson is offering makes his seem very anemic in comparison.
Is he really a $299 cult hero even in just Prior Lake?
 


Ben said when asked about NIL…”I can’t do anything related to that with recruits.” Or something close.
So, I don’t think Gopher coaches are involved in NIL other than education to the players on their teams.
I think it’s individual saavy players making their own deals with dad’s help or bag men
with a sleeve full of Rolexes.
I thought schools were going to put kids in contact with people who can help them with NIL? This wouldn't be through the athletics department but maybe some other department within the university?

If that is the case I'll answer the OP's question by saying that Ben and Co. are for sure selling the ideas mentioned. "We can't help you land NIL deals, but I can say you're going to likely have an easier time in your home state where people know you. Let's talk to who can help you in department X."

Nothing wrong with that conversation.
 



As a basketball junkie I’d say you got tremendous value! And memories for a lifetime.
Comparing your experience to what Dawson is offering makes his seem very anemic in comparison.
Is he really a $299 cult hero even in just Prior Lake?
Enough of one to get a lot of kids to go to his camp. If he did this anywhere else, including Milwaukee or Chapel Hill? I don't think so. First D1/NBA player to come from Prior Lake since.....? Also, PL residents aren't hurting for money.
 


I thought schools were going to put kids in contact with people who can help them with NIL?
As far as I recall, schools just have to make sure they're in compliance with the rule, like every other rule.

I'm sure the compliance officer will be aware of whatever deals every player signs, and perhaps has to show some kind of effort to make sure they're legitimate deals in some sense.

I doubt coaches will have anything to do with it.


Not really any different than if a player decided to sell a scooter their parents gave them, on FB marketplace in their spare time, for some money. Really has nothing to do with the coach, or the team for that matter. It's a private, side deal, that neither the coach nor the school offered or facilitated. It's the player's deal, they keep their money, and that is what it is.
 

Ok. Boosters and marketing gurus. It's time to put your money where your mouth is. Oh, the Gophers offered Holloman? The next day, General Mills offers 250K to sign a few boxes of cereal with Tre on the cover of a limited print Wheaties box, if he commits. Look at the Bryant kid at Bama. He might be making more than Saban by the end of the year and he hasn't played a down.
 



Ok. Boosters and marketing gurus. It's time to put your money where your mouth is. Oh, the Gophers offered Holloman? The next day, General Mills offers 250K to sign a few boxes of cereal with Tre on the cover of a limited print Wheaties box, if he commits. Look at the Bryant kid at Bama. He might be making more than Saban by the end of the year and he hasn't played a down.
Is it allowed to "offer" such deals to a recruit, who hasn't committed or enrolled?

Might be a stupid question, with all the things flying out about deals these days. But just wondering about that.


I still think it makes more sense for GM, if they're going to spend $250k on Gopher bball, to just spend that on the team/school itself. Put up GM logos/banners in the stadium, run some of their ads on the over-court screens/display, etc, than to sign a NIL deal with a particular player.

Even Oturu and Jordan Murphy .... how many average TC residents would be able to recognize those guys outside of their Gopher uniform/off the court?

That is one open question perhaps ... are the NIL deals allowed to include Gopher uniforms being worn?
 

Ok. Boosters and marketing gurus. It's time to put your money where your mouth is. Oh, the Gophers offered Holloman? The next day, General Mills offers 250K to sign a few boxes of cereal with Tre on the cover of a limited print Wheaties box, if he commits. Look at the Bryant kid at Bama. He might be making more than Saban by the end of the year and he hasn't played a down.
One of the few things that the NCAA is trying to control about this is that it not be used as an inducement in recruiting. They have little real hope of enforcing this any better than the rest of their rules, but they would object to a deal like you propose.

The real issues with what you suggest are that publicly traded companies like the General are unlikely to become involved very heavily in NIL because they need to be able to support what they do (i.e. be able to demonstrate some semblance of a ROI) and they desire to avoid negative press--imagine the reaction of the Cheerio-eating fans in Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, etc. if they hear that their hard-earned breakfast food dollars are being used to poach recruits from their favorite schools.
 
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Tanner Morgan scalp balm!
 


Most NIL deals are going to be tied to a certain school. I don't see companies making offers to some HS kid who hasn't committed yet. That kid has more value as a committed player to State U than he does as an uncommitted player who might go anywhere.

So, in the Tre Holloman example - a MN company could theoretically offer him an NIL deal before he commits, but if Holloman chooses Michigan State, why would a MN company want that deal?

As others have said, it works like this:
Recruit A chooses School X. School X helps set the recruit up with an 'advisor' who helps the Recruit screen and consider NIL offers.
But School X cannot be the one directly pitching NIL deals to a recruit. That would be a violation, as I understand it.
 

As others have said, it works like this:
Recruit A chooses School X. School X helps set the recruit up with an 'advisor' who helps the Recruit screen and consider NIL offers.
But School X cannot be the one directly pitching NIL deals to a recruit. That would be a violation, as I understand it.
I think this is mostly right, although I don't believe the schools are supposed to "set the recruit up" with an advisor. It may happen, but it is just as likely that their teammates will let them know who to talk to and it isn't that hard for the advisors to find most of these kids on social media and make the first contact.
 

No, they can't use the University's logos, uniforms, etc.
Then I guess people buying NIL deals - if they actually care about advertising, that is - better hope that the name recognition does the trick.

Especially in football.
 

I think this is mostly right, although I don't believe the schools are supposed to "set the recruit up" with an advisor. It may happen, but it is just as likely that their teammates will let them know who to talk to and it isn't that hard for the advisors to find most of these kids on social media and make the first contact.
The school and coaching staff should have zero to do with anything about setting these deals up.

Perspective deal makers should be coming to the student-athletes privately, on their own time, to discuss their proposals. Or the S-A’s agents, if they have them (likely family members).
 

Most NIL deals are going to be tied to a certain school. I don't see companies making offers to some HS kid who hasn't committed yet. That kid has more value as a committed player to State U than he does as an uncommitted player who might go anywhere.

So, in the Tre Holloman example - a MN company could theoretically offer him an NIL deal before he commits, but if Holloman chooses Michigan State, why would a MN company want that deal?

As others have said, it works like this:
Recruit A chooses School X. School X helps set the recruit up with an 'advisor' who helps the Recruit screen and consider NIL offers.
But School X cannot be the one directly pitching NIL deals to a recruit. That would be a violation, as I understand it.
Don’t even think the school can - or should - be setting them up with advisers/agents. Most likely it’s going to be these guys’ dads or siblings handling the deal screening, etc.
 

Not Gopher related, but Dawson Garcia is conducting a pricey camp at Prior Lake High School in August. Will players take into consideration being likely able to make more money on such ventures staying home vs. going elsewhere?

I would bet that Dawson will make a lot more money conducting his camp at PL High School than he would've if he held it at a high school in North Carolina. Staying in your home state year round you could potentially have enough demand for 2-4 camps a year.

Dawson's camp is $299 for three days, 2 hours per day. Two sessions (younger/older kids). No mention on attendance limits.

He gets 100 kids for each session = $59,800.

The Gophers players should hold camps each year.
 

Apparently demand wasn't quite there for Dawson, even in Prior Lake. He dropped the price from $299 to $99 (after two days) tonight and promised to refund all who have registered the difference. Oops. Maybe next time don't hold your camp in the state you spurned, twice?

I was dead wrong. I thought he'd have strong demand from the PL community.
 

The Gophers players should hold camps each year.
One camp should be for overweight slow old guys with deep negativity issues and prone to posting FUD online. Each of these guys could learn how to shoot a free throw and do a layup for the very first time.

Then each attendee could have the opportunity to slander the players and coaches in person instead of from behind an anonymous keyboard. They could point out the weaknesses of each player and the coaches and give them expert tips on how to do their job on and off the court.

An important part would be to review the list of lost local talent with BJ and then sit down with each player to compare their stats with another player from Kentucky or Michigan State. As a special take away they would then recieve a game jersey from their favorite non-gopher team.

Still trying to come up with a name for this camp....
 


One camp should be for overweight slow old guys with deep negativity issues and prone to posting FUD online. Each of these guys could learn how to shoot a free throw and do a layup for the very first time.
Once enrollees have mastered these skills, they should be offered a scrimmage against the Lil Chippers.
 

One camp should be for overweight slow old guys with deep negativity issues and prone to posting FUD online. Each of these guys could learn how to shoot a free throw and do a layup for the very first time.

Then each attendee could have the opportunity to slander the players and coaches in person instead of from behind an anonymous keyboard. They could point out the weaknesses of each player and the coaches and give them expert tips on how to do their job on and off the court.

An important part would be to review the list of lost local talent with BJ and then sit down with each player to compare their stats with another player from Kentucky or Michigan State. As a special take away they would then recieve a game jersey from their favorite non-gopher team.

Still trying to come up with a name for this camp....
What you described is a majority of mainstream sports. They wouldn't be successful if people didn't care enough to criticize what they do.
 

One camp should be for overweight slow old guys with deep negativity issues and prone to posting FUD online. Each of these guys could learn how to shoot a free throw and do a layup for the very first time.

Then each attendee could have the opportunity to slander the players and coaches in person instead of from behind an anonymous keyboard. They could point out the weaknesses of each player and the coaches and give them expert tips on how to do their job on and off the court.

An important part would be to review the list of lost local talent with BJ and then sit down with each player to compare their stats with another player from Kentucky or Michigan State. As a special take away they would then recieve a game jersey from their favorite non-gopher team.

Still trying to come up with a name for this camp....
Gopher Droppings? (Turds)
 

Guys, this is all very comical. Do you really think that major corporations are going to to pay some local college athletes to represent them? They don’t even hire the Vikings/Wolves players to do that. How much local advertising did Randy Moss do? Culpepper? Garnett?

The only legitimate money is going to come from social media or a very few small businesses. There could be agreements from major apparel or gaming companies to use the ”likeness“ of players on their products.

The main sources of money to the players will be coming from the boosters that want to “help” the program to get the athletes they need. It will just become a way to funnel booster money to the players. Bubba Chevrolet will be paying for the NIL for the 5-star QB and RB. It used to be cars or fake jobs, now it will just be “NIL”.
 




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