Take Control of Your NIL Strategy to Focus on What Matters Most in College Athletics
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Teammates, not rings
I was cleaning out the storage space in my basement last weekend. Sitting between one box marked “old work stuff” and another called “kitchen” was this certificate (above) from the NCAA DIII Men’s Lacrosse Championships in 1989.
When I stumbled upon this little piece of my athletic history, it reminded me of one of my favorite stories from my college coach Hank Janczyk (for you non-lacrosse fans, Coach Janczyk is #2 on the all-time wins list of college lacrosse for all divisions.)
Right before playing in the NCAA tournament that year - the first in the program’s history - Coach Janczyk must have sensed our nervousness.
In a huddle after our last practice before the tournament started, he asked to focus on what had mattered during our successful season - and talked about his own experience playing in two National Championship games at Hobart.
He said something at the end of his speech that has stuck with me for almost 35 year: “I don’t even know where my National Championship rings are - or if I even have them anymore.”
As a 19 year old, I am sure I thought that was bullshit. How could something so important that had happened less than a decade earlier, be “lost.” In time, I eventually understood his point. The rings (or in my case, the paper, because I never got a ring) was never the most important thing.
What mattered was our effort, selflessness, sacrifice, accountability - and above all, teammates.
What’s that got to do with NIL?
In the age of NIL, with people like me endlessly droning on about all things Name, Image, and Likeness, it’s easy to lose track of what matters most to student-athletes.
But thankfully, most student-athletes are not confused about where NIL is prioritized. It’s not the most important thing in their lives.
NIL has a major impact on recruiting at some levels and in some sports. But my surveys show that most student-athletes are using the same selection criteria they have used for two decades:
Team culture
Coaching staff
Facilities
Academic reputation
And when it comes to the student-athlete experience, they are thinking a lot less about NIL and a lot more about:
Playing time
Academic success
Securing an internship
And landing a job post-graduation (in time to start paying off student loans!)
Take control of NIL
As we pass the two year anniversary of NIL, we as coaches, administrators, and other sports industry professionals remain divided on NIL’s role in college athletics.
My monthly surveys reveal:
About 30% of you (privately) say that NIL is the end of everything we love about college sports.
About 10% of you very loudly and publicly support NIL no matter what!
And about 60% of you are on the fence, generally supportive of student-athletes’ rights, but unsure if NIL is relevant to all student-athletes.
I’d like to say this to the 60% group: Stop debating NIL’s relevancy.
Right now, you still have a clean slate and can determine the direction you think is best for your programs. But before you know it, your hand may be forced by an alumnus who launches a Collective or a current student-athlete who starts an NIL Club.
Once NIL is at your doorstep, you will be putting out fires instead of establishing an NIL plan on your terms.
Developing an NIL plan today keeps NIL where it should be and allows student-athletes to focus where they always have - on effort, selflessness, sacrifice, accountability and teammates.
Interested in NIL? There are 3 ways I can help you:
1. If you're looking for a deep dive into NIL, consider applying to the next session of the NIL/mba program. Read more here.
2. If you’re looking to get educated on NIL quickly, contact me to schedule an NIL Workshop. These 1 hour live Zooms are intended for small groups and are customized for your audience. Read more here.
3. If you are interested in NIL consulting, please email me at bill@studentathleteinsights.com.
Bill Carter is an NIL Consultant, Educator, and Speaker. He is a NIL Columnist for Sports Business Journal and teaches NIL in College Sports at the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business. Click here to read about Bill’s NIL Consulting and NIL Education for sports organizations, universities, and brands.