So has NIL officially moved into the AD?

cousin oliver · May 6

I got this article in my inbox, basically stating that Cal now has a new position called NIL Director. Is this now allowed and is it something we should be doing as well?

Quote

And now finally, there will be someone on staff who will be taking over the role officially of managing NIL internally. The person for the job is Justin DiTolla, whose official title will be Associate Athletics Director for Name, Image and Likeness:

    DiTolla has spent the past 2½ years as Cal's Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Student Services, where he has worked closely with Cal student-athletes in their NIL endeavors. In his new role, DiTolla will manage all aspects of NIL at Cal, including advising and consulting with student-athletes, meeting with recruits, working with campus partners and other constituents, and providing additional resources to student-athletes to stimulate and execute NIL activities.

    DiTolla will work with campus partners and others in the Cal community to provide NIL resources for Cal student-athletes - including Berkeley Haas, Berkeley Law and Learfield Cal Bears Sports Properties, among others. He will be influential in ensuring that Cal student-athletes thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of NIL.

    "I could not be more excited to start my new role solely devoted to Name, Image and Likeness," DiTolla said. "This new position will provide tremendous value to our student-athletes in providing additional educational resources, brand building and stimulating NIL activities. The future of NIL at Cal is bright as we have some very exciting projects that will lead to more NIL activities for our student-athletes that will be launched in the near future. I look forward to the opportunity to engage with student-athletes in NIL as I believe it is crucial to our success at Cal."

There will be few more critical roles in this athletic department than NIL director. DiTolla will be in charge of bringing the entire program up to speed with how to best make NIL work for them. He will almost certainly be deeply embedded with the football and men’s basketball programs in critical seasons in ensuring that players are getting the most out of their opportunities.

In any case, we’re finally making the right moves. Hopefully it’s not too late.

https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/california-golden-bears-nil-name-image-likeness

Mean Green 93-98 · May 7

I would think someone in the AD who could advise student-athletes, businesses, and collectives, to make sure they are NCAA-compliant would be fine. I do not understand how this can be legal.

wardly · May 7

13 hours ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

I would think someone in the AD who could advise student-athletes, businesses, and collectives, to make sure they are NCAA-compliant would be fine. I do not understand how this can be legal.

Just asking but I am wondering why it would not be legal if they just choose the players and not directly handle the NIL money. Basically picking a player and then getting a buyer and a seller together.

Mean Green 93-98 · May 7

5 hours ago, wardly said:

Just asking but I am wondering why it would not be legal if they just choose the players and not directly handle the NIL money. Basically picking a player and then getting a buyer and a seller together.

Well, apparently it is legal, because that appears to be exactly what this job is handling.

But my understanding was that the university/A.D./sports program could have no direct involvement with NIL.

Also, my understanding was that NIL could not be used to entice recruits, and this job involves "manag[ing] all aspects of NIL at Cal, including advising and consulting with student-athletes, meeting with recruits..."

I'm fairly certain that my understanding was correct when NIL was first allowed, but it seems any enforceable rules pertaining to NIL have gone out the window.

Edited May 7 by Mean Green 93-98

NT93 · May 7

I’d have a hard time paying an athletic fee as part of my tuition while some of my classmates were making 6 figures.

wardly · May 8

6 hours ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

Well, apparently it is legal, because that appears to be exactly what this job is handling.

But my understanding was that the university/A.D./sports program could have no direct involvement with NIL.

Also, my understanding was that NIL could not be used to entice recruits, and this job involves "manag[ing] all aspects of NIL at Cal, including advising and consulting with student-athletes, meeting with recruits..."

I'm fairly certain that my understanding was correct when NIL was first allowed, but it seems any enforceable rules pertaining to NIL have gone out the window.

There has to be some coordination between who a player the coach wants and how much the player is offered from NIL. Looks like the AD is the middle man. Also I am guessing that state laws can come into play as well.

Mean Green 93-98 · May 8

1 hour ago, wardly said:

There has to be some coordination between who a player the coach wants and how much the player is offered from NIL.

Again, that was absolutely not how NIL was supposed to work. What you are saying is supposed to be illegal, illegal, illegal.

wardly · May 8

1 hour ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

Again, that was absolutely not how NIL was supposed to work. What you are saying is supposed to be illegal, illegal, illegal.

Well that is apparently is how it works and appears to be legal,legal,legal.

Mean Green 93-98 · May 8

9 hours ago, wardly said:

Well that is apparently is how it works and appears to be legal,legal,legal.

Only in the sense that driving 84 in a 75 is legal as long as you don't get pulled over.

UNTLifer · May 8

13 hours ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

Again, that was absolutely not how NIL was supposed to work. What you are saying is supposed to be illegal, illegal, illegal.

Key word is supposed.

The NCAA is the enforcement organization but they are lacking

Ball Nuts GIF by DrSquatchSoapCo

MeanGreenZen · May 8

The NCAA doesn’t have balls, but it was the court system that cut them off.
If the NCAA had its way, there would be no NIL and players could transfer once if they were willing to sit out a year. Pretty good system.

Cr1028 · May 9

I figure if the AD is actually going to be running NIL then they should have NFL type contracts and if the P4 wants to buy our player, they have to pay him AND us to get him out of the current contract.

Edited May 10 by Cr1028