This picture shows a player with a lot of money next to him which represents the Nil deals (photo from Eccker Sports)
As high school seniors graduate, some choose to pursue college sports they started during high school.
Some athletes might need money after high school, so they find ways to get it. Students can earn money through NIL deals, which are usually reserved for top athletes.
For example, a 4 year senior who is not that good is not going to get a NIL deal. But if a player is breaking records at their school and helps their school win every game then they’re going to get a NIL deal.
Even though NIL deals are ways to reward players, they greatly affect student-athletes.
Mr. McGann, an 8th-grade history teacher who also coaches football, gives some insight into his view of NIL deals.
“I always ping-ponged back and forth about paying players in college. “Players like Johnny Manziel and Reggie Bush generated millions for their universities and billions for the NCAA, but they saw little of that money. When they tried to profit from their names and images—by signing autographs and selling merchandise—they faced penalties for breaking the rules,” McGann said.
Other people who follow NIL sports may support or disagree with Mr. McGann’s opinion.
Some view NIL deals as easy income for college athletes, but the transfer portal complicates matters, especially for junior college players. As they progress, they go to D1 college and still have their eligibility.
He also stated how the NIL works.
“If you had the option to choose between an 18-year-old fresh out of high school and a 21-year-old man who has played three years of football, is in great shape, follows a meal plan, and has six-pack abs, who would you pick?” McGann asked.
NIL benefits those with sports experience more than newcomers aspiring to join professional leagues.
Besides the transfer portal for college, in college sports now there is not a lot of loyalty. The student-athletes mostly care about the money that schools are offering and not about the programs that they have.
A talented athlete may choose a D1 school for its larger scholarship and better resources over a D2 school.
“I believe larger schools have more alumni and financial resources, but this also allows smaller schools to compete for better players. Still, it generally favors larger schools in recruiting talent,” McGann said.
Finally, McGann said, “Putting millions of dollars into an 18-year-old’s hands is dangerous for the years to come.”
For example, Rashee Rice had gotten many NIL deals and ruined his life by speeding
There are many pros and cons to NIL deals. Also, people have mixed feelings about NIL deals because of the things that can come with them.
Overall even though NIL can be good, they also can be bad at the same time.