NIL, transfers, and 2024-25.

[mu_hilltopper]

I love MU Hoops, but if I'm donating to the University, I want it to go towards paying for smart but financially disadvantaged kids to go to college, not for paying athletes who will make way more than I ever will for being good at throwing a ball through a ring.

Frankly, I think most people including myself think that way. 

Sports boosters are a unique breed.  I imagine some just have money sloshing around and they think why not .. and others invest their personal identity in to a program, a sport, and spend big to buy presitge they want.

[MDMU04]

That leaves Kam. Other than Kolek, he appears to be the most bought in to what Shaka is selling so I'm hopeful that he will stay home. But if Memphis backs up 4 or 5 brinks trucks for him to come home....that's hard to say no to. To be clear, I'm not predicting this will happen but just a situation I could see playing out.

That's the exact situation I've been thinking about.  If Kam does get a bag and leaves to go home, it would be great for him and I won't have any hard feelings.

"Kam-ping World" does have a nice ring to it though.........

Anyways, if that were to happen, his production could be replaced.  Guys will improve and step up.  People everywhere thought losing Lewis and Morsel would doom us to be bottom feeders this year, look how that turned out.

There's a time to think about this stuff though, and there's still a lot of ball left to play.

[wadesworld]

Then you don't understand how the collective works. Your donation goes to support organizations like All In Milwaukee, Boys and Girls Club, Sharps Literacy, etc. Some does go to players for their work with these initiatives. The collective couldn't be a 501(C)(3) if it's main purpose was paying players.

Hey @ElonMusk/Ners.  Since your charity of choice for our bet was Boys and Girls Club (if I remember correctly), and since some of the funds that go to the collective go towards Boys and Girls Club but also support the team/players, what do you think about me donating the bet to the collective?  Happy to send it all to Boys and Girls Club if that's what you'd like, but thought this would be a way to also support the men's basketball program.

Glad Kolek has proved me wrong.  He has improved his scoring ability, both from inside the arc and outside, far more than I thought he was capable of.  And he should be recognized as the BEPOY as a result.  Hope he rakes in a ton of cash off of his tshirts.

[Shooter McGavin]

Frankly, I think most people including myself think that way. 

Sports boosters are a unique breed.  I imagine some just have money sloshing around and they think why not .. and others invest their personal identity in to a program, a sport, and spend big to buy presitge they want.

Do you ever go to Vegas and besides spending money on a show or great food go to the casino with $1000 to lose knowing it's great entertainment?   For some people a $1,000 a year would be worth the entertainment value. 

Hopefully a couple big boosters get the fund to a fairly high level.  And then through several hundred people donating some of their entertainment dollars every year the fund will grow considerably and the interest pays for these players In the future.

[The Sultan]

I thought this too for international guys but they both posted on social media that they had joined the Be the Difference Collective before the season so I'm not sure.

There are some questions whether or not "passive" actions, like licensing, is actually considered "employment."  Also international students can conduct NIL activities in places other than the United States.  For instance, if OMax did some work in Montreal for the Be the Difference collective in the off-season.

[Galway Eagle]

I love MU Hoops, but if I'm donating to the University, I want it to go towards paying for smart but financially disadvantaged kids to go to college, not for paying athletes who will make way more than I ever will for being good at throwing a ball through a ring.

I certainly agree with this sentiment but it's hard to argue that a school like Marquette greatly improves when its primary marketing source is doing well. During the Wojo years we fell to the 90s in US WNR. When we had the 3 amigos we were up to 74. While that's only a small increase the optics of top 75 vs top 100 are pretty big IMO. A final four drastically increases the application pool and thus could improve our numbers as well giving us another boost.

I don't donate to the NIL fund but could see an argument for how it'd help the school as a whole.

[MU82]

I have never worried about MU having money to compete in the NIL game and more confident about that today. Thinking our players may not be tempted is naive in thinking, but given they are having a blast at MU it already gives MU a fighting chance.

Only negative I see, which is also a positive, I do not think we will see MU getting in bidding wars over players. A year ago I thought that was the best path to take, today I think that will ultimately prove to be the wrong model to take.

If the core of the team is back next year, it will be Shaka's greatest recruiting season. I believe that every guy needs to recruited every year to retain them in this new era of NIL.

I have my feelings on who may or may not be back, but zero interest in discussing until this team is done cutting down nets.

Excellent post, Goose. Agree entirely.

I look forward to you, me and our fellow Scoopers talking about who might or might not return -- after our heroes are lifting the national championship trophy!

[#UnleashSean]

I guess I'm just waiting for evidence NIL poaching is major deal in basketball. Anyone that thinks so is free to provide 5 examples of it... 🦗 🦗 🦗

We're in the infancy of NIL. The next 3 years will reveal how it works.

[The Sultan]

I have never worried about MU having money to compete in the NIL game and more confident about that today. Thinking our players may not be tempted is naive in thinking, but given they are having a blast at MU it already gives MU a fighting chance.

Only negative I see, which is also a positive, I do not think we will see MU getting in bidding wars over players. A year ago I thought that was the best path to take, today I think that will ultimately prove to be the wrong model to take.

If the core of the team is back next year, it will be Shaka's greatest recruiting season. I believe that every guy needs to recruited every year to retain them in this new era of NIL.

I have my feelings on who may or may not be back, but zero interest in discussing until this team is done cutting down nets.

Yep. Not only do I agree with this but I agree with "duanewade" of all posters that Marquette fans need to stop crying poor about the basketball program.  Believe me, if NIL is going to be an issue, there will be people who step up.  For goodness sakes the campus has raised $650 million toward its $750 million campaign goal. You don't think there are resources to fund NIL?

Will we be able to match the likes of Louisville? No...but I don't think we have to.  Provide them with enough, and they'll stick around to play with a coach and with teammates they enjoy.

[GoldenEagles03]

If someone leaves this current group (which I doubt) then that would open up a spot for someone else.

Shaka has already gotten Kolek, Morsell, Kuath, Wrightsil, OMax to transfer in.  Don't think there isnt some 20 ppg scorer out there going "man I wish I could play in Marquette's offense with Shaka."

If one door closes, another would open.  Marquette will be fine.

[mu_eyeballs]

Frankly, I think most people including myself think that way. 

Sports boosters are a unique breed.  I imagine some just have money sloshing around and they think why not .. and others invest their personal identity in to a program, a sport, and spend big to buy presitge they want.

I get this perspective...but honestly if you are a reader of this board on a regular basis, the men's basketball team more likely or not gives you some amount of joy.  I am not saying you need to give 10k...but if everyone on this board chips in $25-$50 dollars to the collective that has to add up to mean something.

[Dr. Blackheart]

What is the current intent of NIL?  Is it to pay players for their name, image and likeness (brand marketing)? Or to pay them to attend your school and play basketball? 

One is allegedly not allowed under NCAA rules. Yet this appears to be the predominate method, with other members schools or their handlers recruiting current players. I am not seeing a lot of businesses hiring NCAA players to sell their products and services as of today. I mean "One Call" OMax would be a natural fit for how often he falls.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

What is the current intent of NIL?  Is it to pay players for their name, image and likeness (brand marketing)? Or to pay them to attend your school and play basketball? 

This seems like the theoretical argument that the NCAA and academia love.  Not unlike eligibility based on theoretical ability to graduate.

I prefer how it applies in practice. So facilitating an 'out of the shadows' way to pay your basketball team.

[cheebs09]

What is the current intent of NIL?  Is it to pay players for their name, image and likeness (brand marketing)? Or to pay them to attend your school and play basketball? 

One is allegedly not allowed under NCAA rules. Yet this appears to be the predominate method, with other members schools or their handlers recruiting current players. I am not seeing a lot of businesses hiring NCAA players to sell their products and services as of today. I mean "One Call" OMax would be a natural fit for how often he falls.

I view it similar to how Dwight Schrute views loyalty. He's a loyal person, but if someone values his loyalty more, he'd go wherever his loyalty is valued the most.

[panda]

Yep. Not only do I agree with this but I agree with "duanewade" of all posters that Marquette fans need to stop crying poor about the basketball program.  Believe me, if NIL is going to be an issue, there will be people who step up.  For goodness sakes the campus has raised $650 million toward its $750 million campaign goal. You don't think there are resources to fund NIL?

Will we be able to match the likes of Louisville? No...but I don't think we have to.  Provide them with enough, and they'll stick around to play with a coach and with teammates they enjoy.

Marquette heavily invests in their basketball. If a player leaves because of NIL, it means they don't want to be here. We will be able to match/beat 95% of offers other schools will come along with.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Marquette heavily invests in their basketball. If a player leaves because of NIL, it means they don't want to be here. We will be able to match/beat 95% of offers other schools will come along with.

Can and will are different things. I have no doubt that we could match any offer if we wanted to. I don't know how much Shaka will get into bidding wars

[Goose]

panda

Maybe the 5% is what concerned some fans.

[The Equalizer]

I get this perspective...but honestly if you are a reader of this board on a regular basis, the men's basketball team more likely or not gives you some amount of joy.  I am not saying you need to give 10k...but if everyone on this board chips in $25-$50 dollars to the collective that has to add up to mean something.

The problem here is that most P5 schools have similar collectives, so the question comes down to whether MU's can ever be equally funded as compared to state schools with 4x the attendance and alumni base.  This is exacerbated by the fact that MU is a private school as compared to Tennessee or Kentucky or Wisconsin. 

And collectives are only one component of an overall NIL strategy.  We cant point to the collective and say "see, we're competitive!" 

While our private stauts and relatively small student- and alumni bases are downsides, the area where we can play on a level playing field is by building a world-class program that helps our athletes take advantage of the NIL opportunities that are independent of the size of the school--things like:
- Personal brand development
- Personal sponsorships
- The importance of building and monetizing an audience on social media
- Maximizing platforms like Locals, Patreon, Substack, etc

I had hopes that we were taking that approach with the announcement of the consulting firm that MU brought on board at the outset of the NIL era.  However, from the looks of the abomination that is TylerKolke.com, we didn't even get that right. 

[MU82]

If someone leaves this current group (which I doubt) then that would open up a spot for someone else.

Shaka has already gotten Kolek, Morsell, Kuath, Wrightsil, OMax to transfer in.  Don't think there isnt some 20 ppg scorer out there going "man I wish I could play in Marquette's offense with Shaka."

If one door closes, another would open.  Marquette will be fine.

On this we agree. This works both ways.

It's also why I have zero concern about MU being one over next season's scholarship limit. It will work itself out.

[Dr. Blackheart]

This seems like the theoretical argument that the NCAA and academia love.  Not unlike eligibility based on theoretical ability to graduate.

I prefer how it applies in practice. So facilitating an 'out of the shadows' way to pay your basketball team.

So then, what is the value of the NCAA? 

[The Sultan]

So then, what is the value of the NCAA? 

Staging championships.

[The Equalizer]

I understand that they cannot because they are not US citizens, but for the life of me, I do not understand why that matters. Is it their visa status that prevents it?

They can earn NIL--they just are limited in how they can do it within the US.  But apparently, athletes can fly to their home country and get paid there.

https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/sports/2022/05/30/foreign-athletes-nil

[Scoop Snoop]

So then, what is the value of the NCAA?

Posturing.

[panda]

panda

Maybe the 5% is what concerned some fans.

My point in the 5% is that we're not going to compete with the Miami's of the NIL world offering a player of Nyjel Pack's caliber crazy amounts of money. Otherwise we'll be more than competitive.

[panda]

Can and will are different things. I have no doubt that we could match any offer if we wanted to. I don't know how much Shaka will get into bidding wars

"Can" is a significantly important place to be in the NIL world.