I saw a post on another college sports message board that said some MAC schools are offering basketball players $80,000 per player in NIL money. Is anyone aware if this is happening and what schools are offering this NIL money to players?

(04-24-2024 07:49 AM)Flat Tire 2 Wrote:  I saw a post on another college sports message board that said some MAC schools are offering basketball players $80,000 per player in NIL money. Is anyone aware if this is happening and what schools are offering this NIL money to players?

I know Akron has a collective specifically for men's basketball. I would imagine it's one of the larger ones, if not largest, in the MAC. We just landed Isaiah Gray, who was drawing interest from Minnesota and others. I have no idea how big of a fund Akron has or how much we're committing to any individual player. The ones running the collective seem to have closed lips. I did read UMass, which will be joining the MAC soon, spent ~$175k this past season and was hoping to get that bumped up to $400k for this coming season. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

(04-24-2024 10:00 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 07:49 AM)Flat Tire 2 Wrote:  I saw a post on another college sports message board that said some MAC schools are offering basketball players $80,000 per player in NIL money. Is anyone aware if this is happening and what schools are offering this NIL money to players?

I know Akron has a collective specifically for men's basketball. I would imagine it's one of the larger ones, if not largest, in the MAC. We just landed Isaiah Gray, who was drawing interest from Minnesota and others. I have no idea how big of a fund Akron has or how much we're committing to any individual player. The ones running the collective seem to have closed lips. I did read UMass, which will be joining the MAC soon, spent ~$175k this past season and was hoping to get that bumped up to $400k for this coming season. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

It seems Akron, for sure, has a nice bank. How much, who knows? (Strange for a school on the edge of financial ruin). Toledo seems to have some $$$. I'm guessing OU has a bit, and probably Ball State. But after that, I'd be pretty doubtful about any other MAC program. Except for maybe Miami.

I'm guess CMU may have some change, considering - for a directional program - they annually fill up pretty quick after the Portal opens.

Kent is a puzzle. You'd think with their rep, with Akron-type NIL they could draw Akron-type Portal guys. But Kent's portal recruits IMO, are the kind you can get based on a good rep (which is not to say they are ??? portal recruits), but not the kind real $$$ could get.

Overall, not really sure what kind of bank any MAC team has, except to say whatever bank Akron has is probably at the top of the league.

(04-24-2024 01:17 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 10:00 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 07:49 AM)Flat Tire 2 Wrote:  I saw a post on another college sports message board that said some MAC schools are offering basketball players $80,000 per player in NIL money. Is anyone aware if this is happening and what schools are offering this NIL money to players?

I know Akron has a collective specifically for men's basketball. I would imagine it's one of the larger ones, if not largest, in the MAC. We just landed Isaiah Gray, who was drawing interest from Minnesota and others. I have no idea how big of a fund Akron has or how much we're committing to any individual player. The ones running the collective seem to have closed lips. I did read UMass, which will be joining the MAC soon, spent ~$175k this past season and was hoping to get that bumped up to $400k for this coming season. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

It seems Akron, for sure, has a nice bank. How much, who knows? (Strange for a school on the edge of financial ruin). ...

If it's substantially easier to raise money for the Zips basketball team than for the engineering material science program, that could well be part of the financial problems that Akron is experiencing.

This is from Pat's post on the UMassHoops board.

Quote:Here are some examples of how contracts are structured, and please note these are NOT exact #'s for Contracts or Specific Players JUST EXAMPLES...

Example 1
Note: Has eligibility remaining after 2024-2025 Season
Contract Value: $24,000
Payment Schedule:
$1,000 to sign
$1,000/month April 2024 - April 2025
$5,000 due May 2025
$6,000 due June 2025

100% Clawback IF contract is terminated before 12/1/2024
50% Clawback IF contract is terminated before 6/1/2025
Termination clauses include: player entering portal, not being SA at UMass, not performing deliverables and others at the discretion of the Collective including 7 day written notice.

Example 2
Note: Has NO eligibility remaining after 2024-2025 Season
Contract Value: $40,000
Payment Schedule:
$4,000 to sign
$3,000/month April 2024 - April 2025

100% Clawback IF contract is terminated before 4/10/2025
Termination clauses include: player entering portal, not being SA at UMass, not performing deliverables and others at the discretion of the Collective including 7 day written notice.

This could help other MAC collectives in structuring their awards. We are proud, sans some primary basketball folks, joining the MAC Family. So post it to benefit all. As with the men's soccer post, hoping for a MAC multi bid soccer program coming back! We have lots of programs excited about the MAC!

(04-24-2024 01:17 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 10:00 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 07:49 AM)Flat Tire 2 Wrote:  I saw a post on another college sports message board that said some MAC schools are offering basketball players $80,000 per player in NIL money. Is anyone aware if this is happening and what schools are offering this NIL money to players?

I know Akron has a collective specifically for men's basketball. I would imagine it's one of the larger ones, if not largest, in the MAC. We just landed Isaiah Gray, who was drawing interest from Minnesota and others. I have no idea how big of a fund Akron has or how much we're committing to any individual player. The ones running the collective seem to have closed lips. I did read UMass, which will be joining the MAC soon, spent ~$175k this past season and was hoping to get that bumped up to $400k for this coming season. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

It seems Akron, for sure, has a nice bank. How much, who knows? (Strange for a school on the edge of financial ruin). Toledo seems to have some $$$. I'm guessing OU has a bit, and probably Ball State. But after that, I'd be pretty doubtful about any other MAC program. Except for maybe Miami.

I'm guess CMU may have some change, considering - for a directional program - they annually fill up pretty quick after the Portal opens.

Kent is a puzzle. You'd think with their rep, with Akron-type NIL they could draw Akron-type Portal guys. But Kent's portal recruits IMO, are the kind you can get based on a good rep (which is not to say they are ??? portal recruits), but not the kind real $$$ could get.

Overall, not really sure what kind of bank any MAC team has, except to say whatever bank Akron has is probably at the top of the league.

Akron's financial problems are due to the rapid spending on campus expansion during 2005-2015 when they falsely believed that attendance was just going to keep growing.

Bud Wentz of Wentz Financial is who is running Akron's basketball collective and one of the big benefactors. No school money is being spent on NIL. How he and other Akron businessman choose to spend their money is their choice.