“I am not watching these No. 2 jerseys fly off the shelf and not go ‘where is my cut?’” Johnny Manziel famously said on the Shannon Sharpe podcast when talking about how he illegally made money using his name pre-NIL when he played quarterback at Texas A&M nearly fifteen years ago.
NIL stands for name, image, and likeness. The biggest question being asked is, “Should college athletes be paid?” based on their NIL. Well, in 2021, the dream became a reality as the NCAA set the rules for how NIL will work moving forward. Since then, there have been changes or improvements to how it can work. Also, NIL has impacted all sports throughout the different divisions differently.
There is no doubt that NIL has impacted collegiate sports for many different reasons. I can’t help but feel bad for the underdog or the programs that are not appreciated out there. A program like Alabama can offer hundreds of thousands to a player within the transfer portal just to catch some touchdowns throughout the year. A low division one program like Holy Cross doesn’t have the money to do that, so it leaves them at an unfair advantage.
Another thing that NIL impacted was how someone in their early twenties can make millions and be yet a professional! Are you serious??? Many would kill to be Arch Manning, making around $6.5 million at 19. However, you can argue that he deserved that and put in the hard work to be of that value. Do I think a 19-year-old is worth that, or better yet, a backup QB? No, of course not, then again his last name is Manning and, hey, I am sure he will be great in the future, but for right now, he’s being paid on potential.
The NIL effect has been at fault for creating these super teams throughout all of sports. If you are a highly sought-after player and you are getting this money thrown at you. You are going to take it, and so would I. Hitting the transfer portal and these coaches making NIL offers or promises is an innovative system. You can hate on it all you want, and this is coming from someone who hates that NIL did this. However, these programs are using the cards that the NCAA dealt them.
Why not use it to your advantage to get that top transfer or top recruit?
Coming from an athlete perspective at a Division II school, the possibility of making NIL money like Manning is unreachable. However, to get a few bucks here and there from people getting my merchandise on a website. I’ll take it! That is something I really do appreciate about NIL, it is rewarding players on their athletic ability. The pros get rewarded all the time, why not us?
Time will tell if NIL is truly something great or bad for the NCAA. As of now, I would say the NIL has had a positive outreach throughout collegiate sports. It rewards student athletes like myself a chance to profit off their name, image and likeness. It lets young men and women build a platform for themselves.
It showcases their personality to the world, which at the end of the day, is my favorite thing.
