It's the first day of July and that means NIL pieces are going back and forth, as the NCAA put into place some changes in their attitude toward NIL payments. This has led to an explosion of programs releasing their NIL programs, players putting up sponsored posts, and a whole number of articles on name, image and likeness rights.'
The biggest one for us to look at here is what all of this means for Cal, as the school launched its own NIL program today, the GOLDEN program (GOLDEN is not an acronym, it is just capitalized)
The GOLDEN program is a result of the Cal Athletic Department starting a working group, consisting of former Bears (among them former Buffalo Bill Lorenzo Alexander), current Bears (safety Elijah Hicks among them), faculty and coaches, and partnering with INFLCR, a brand building software as they look toward getting players properly compensated for their name, image and likeness rights, just like any other student.
Cal has a handful of avenues that they're using in this proces. They'll go through the Haas School of Business to have speakers on topics such as NIL fundamentals, selecting an agent, brand building and entrepreneurship. The Bears also have the Cameron Institute for Student-Athlete Development and the Golden Bear Network, which connects student-athletes with internships, jobs, and post-graduate opportunities already. Some of those opportunities can and will likely pivot to those still in school.
The state of California was the first to put in an NIL bill in 2019 (SB-206 or the Fair Pay for Play act, written by a Cal graduate in Nancy Skinner), and the bill's start date has been moved up from the beginning of 2023 to September 1st, 2021 (as a part of SB-26). The NCAA's interim policy on NIL breaks down to these four points, taken from the NCAA website
- 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.
This overlaps with most of what SB-26 describes, with the California bill having provisions against paying prospective student athletes (read: recruits) for their NIL, for agents having to comply with the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act, and requiring that any compensation for NIL can't be in conflict with a provision of the athlete's teams contract (in Cal's case for example, someone getting a Nike sponsorship while Cal is still an Under Armour school).
Who gets deals remains to be seen, as it's possible that this website could strike a deal with a student-athlete to write exclusive pieces or record podcasts (as others in the Rivals network are doing currently). It will be interesting to keep an eye on, as a school that prides itself on entrepreneurship, progressiveness and ingenuity looks to take the next step in this direction
"The University of California, Berkeley has always been an amazing place for young men and women to build their brand and launch their careers," Athletic Director Jim Knowlton said in the release, "With the new NIL legislation in place, GOLDEN will help provide additional tools for Cal student-athletes to capitalize on their value in the marketplace in a distinct Cal way that builds on their achievements on the playing fields, in the classroom and in the community."
