Canady inks seven-figure NIL deal to return for senior year | Sports
Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady inked another seven-figure NIL contract with the Matador Club, Tech’s NIL collective, Friday morning to return as the Red Raiders’ ace in 2026. Canady’s manager, Derrick Shelby of Prestige Management, told ESPN that the junior pitcher, who became the first $1 million softball player in July, has full intention of […]
Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady inked another seven-figure NIL contract with the Matador Club, Tech’s NIL collective, Friday morning to return as the Red Raiders’ ace in 2026.
Canady’s manager, Derrick Shelby of Prestige Management, told ESPN that the junior pitcher, who became the first $1 million softball player in July, has full intention of remaining with Tech head coach Gerry Glasco.
“The decision to stay at Tech was not difficult,” Shelby told ESPN in an article published on Friday. “This program has taken care of her. They have showed how much she is appreciated. The entire staff, her teammates, the school in general have been great.”
Her commitment to the Red Raiders comes on the day of the Women’s College World Series championship-deciding game, which Canady will pitch in against the University of Texas at 7 p.m.
At Tech, Canady has tied the Red Raider record for most wins in a season as a pitcher and led Tech to its first Big 12 Championship and World Series appearance, according to Tech Athletics.
“Everything she wants from this game she can get here at Texas Tech,” Shelby told ESPN in the article.
SCORE Act, a bill alter that would the landscape of college sports, has been formally introduced in U.S. House
As expected, members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced an amended college sports bill on Thursday. The bill, which is known as the SCORE Act (Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements), will likely have a significant impact on NCAA athletics if it is passed into law. The bill’s intent is to “protect […]
As expected, members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced an amended college sports bill on Thursday. The bill, which is known as the SCORE Act (Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements), will likely have a significant impact on NCAA athletics if it is passed into law.
The bill’s intent is to “protect the name, image, and likeness rights of students athletes to promote fair compensation with respect to intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes.”
Among the possible impacts if the bill passes includes the establishment of federal standards for NIL, regulations for agents representing college athletes, preventing universities from revoking scholarships due to injury or performance, mandating schools to provide specific levels of academic support and out-of-pocket healthcare coverage for ex-athletes up to three years after leaving school, maintaining that schools have a minimum of 16 varsity teams, and restrictions on using student fees for athletics.
Democrats Janelle Bynum (Ore.) and Shomari Figures (Ala.) introduced the legislation with Republicans on Thursday. While the bill could pass the House of Representatives rather easily, it’ll need seven Democratic votes to pass through the Senate given that this bill will require 60 votes to move through that chamber. Despite being introduced by two Democrats, the bill has largely been opposed by the Democratic party.
While significant, the SCORE Act being introduced is just the first of many steps that need to happen in order for it to become a law. It can be signed into law by President Donald Trump if it is ultimately sent to the executive branch. There is a good chance that the bill will be amended at some point during the process.
How NCAA settlement affects Arizona State, athletes earnings
Ben Wiley | Cronkite News How historic NCAA pay settlement will affect college sports A federal judge approved the terms of a $2.8 billion settlement that will see schools be permitted to pay college athletes through licensing deals. unbranded – Sport The NCAA will distribute $2.8 billion to athletes impacted by NIL restrictions, with revenue […]
How historic NCAA pay settlement will affect college sports
A federal judge approved the terms of a $2.8 billion settlement that will see schools be permitted to pay college athletes through licensing deals.
unbranded – Sport
The NCAA will distribute $2.8 billion to athletes impacted by NIL restrictions, with revenue sharing capped at $20.5 million per school annually.
Concerns arise regarding Title IX compliance as revenue-generating sports like football and men’s basketball are expected to receive a larger share of funds.
Arizona State began distributing revenue-sharing funds to athletes on July 10, in response to the recent House v. NCAA settlement, a shift in the college sports landscape that raises urgent questions about how colleges will uphold Title IX gender equity laws in the process.
The deal, which allows schools to directly pay athletes for the first time, was approved by Federal Judge Claudia Wilken on June 6. It resolved three antitrust lawsuits alleging the NCAA illegally limited athlete compensation.
Under the settlement, the NCAA will pay $2.8 billion in back damages to athletes who competed from 2016-2024 and were fully or partially denied name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities. Moving forward, each university can also compensate its athletes with the initial annual revenue-sharing cap set for $20.5 million, a mark set to increase yearly.
Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini did not reveal what percentage of the money will go toward each team, but he emphasized that football, despite its economic importance to the athletic department, will not be the sole beneficiary.
“We’re maxing out revenue share, we are a full participant,” Rossini said. “There are female sports that will be receiving some of those funds. We’ve got 26 sports, the most in the Big 12 and 14 of them are female sports. We’re very committed to females having opportunities in athletics.”
Although ASU would not reveal percentage distribution, others have, and most are expected to reflect the back-payment formula defined in the $2.8 billion settlement: 75% to football players, 15% to men’s basketball, 5% to women’s basketball and 5% to all remaining sports.
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement that four sports will share the $20.5 million allocation, with football and men’s basketball receiving the majority, and baseball and women’s basketball securing a smaller amount. LSU has said football will receive 75%, and men’s basketball 15%, with the remainder going to other sports.
A 2025 Opendorse report suggests 65.6% of the money at Power 4 schools will go to football, 20.3% to men’s basketball and 6.6% to women’s basketball, leaving only 7.5% for every other sport.
Title IX legal challenges
With ASU one of many Power 4 schools expected to continue prioritizing revenue-generating sports, equity concerns are mounting. Eight athletes from multiple schools already filed an appeal arguing that the settlement, specifically the back damages portion, violates Title IX as female athletes would get less money than players at high-earning men’s programs.
Arthur Bryant, a preeminent lawyer who has won more Title IX cases involving athletes than anyone in the country and recently published a critical Sportico analysis of the settlement, has serious doubts about the House settlement’s Title IX viability in the current landscape of college athletics.
“The House settlement creates Title IX violations and is a Title IX violation in a bunch of ways,” Bryant said. “Title IX requires that the money be distributed proportionally to the men and women athletes. So that’s how schools comply with the House settlement going forward and not create a Title IX problem.
“There are schools who said they’re going to do that, but there are other schools who said that they are going to give 90% of the money to the football and men’s basketball players. Those schools are violating Title IX and they’re walking themselves into a lawsuit against any woman who wants to sue.”
Since its 1972 passage, Title IX has impacted college sports, ultimately leading to the current space where NIL is benefiting female college athletes nearly as much as their male counterparts. For instance, women’s basketball superstars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have earned more from college NIL deals than their rookie WNBA contracts, a reason why many female basketball and volleyball players stay in college rather than turn professional.
Victoria Jackson, a history professor and co-director of the Great Game Lab at ASU, believes this expansion of opportunities is transformative.
“The benefits NIL has afforded female athletes are better than a salary in any league in any sport in the world,” Jackson said.
Unlike Bryant, Jackson is not overly concerned that the House settlement will weaken Title IX protections. Instead of fighting against the money flowing into and from football, she encourages advocates for women’s and Olympic sports to focus on expanding their own revenue streams.
“And now that more football money is going to be staying with football athletes, advocates for women’s sports shouldn’t be fighting against that,” Jackson said. “They should be in support of that and also, you know, making a case that schools should be investing in women’s sports and Olympic sports, but pulling from other pots of money. And so what I’ve been working on is trying to identify new revenue streams to support women’s sports and Olympic sports because they do have value.”
Jackson went a step further, mentioning that colleges should separate football from all other sports given how professional the college game has become. If that were to happen, it would reduce Title IX concerns because most of the revenue-sharing money schools get and give to other sports comes from their football programs.
Jackson’s argument gains support when viewed through the latest Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act data from ASU. The university’s football team brought in $40,162,578, according to the EADA’s 2024 report, while its total revenue from all male and female sports except football and basketball came to $40,649,397, according to the EADA.
Title IX’s role in the NIL era reached the national stage earlier this year. On Jan. 16, President Joe Biden’s Office for Civil Rights issued a memo warning that NIL agreements could violate Title IX if not distributed proportionally. After taking office, President Donald Trump’s administration quickly rescinded the guidance, giving colleges more leeway to avoid pursuing gender equity revenue-sharing models.
More Sun Devils: ASU’s Kenny Dillingham doesn’t want to be No. 1 in recruiting rankings
Future of non-revenue sports
The combination of the settlement’s approval and Trump’s act sparked concern that non-revenue generating Olympic and co-ed sports such as swimming and diving, track and field and gymnastics could be cut or insufficiently funded, increasing the risk of Title IX violations in this new era of college athletics.
At the end of April, Grand Canyon University announced that this past spring would be the last season for its Division I boys volleyball team, with the school set to only offer the sport at club level next year. On June 16, Washington State University revealed that its track and field program is eliminating its field portion (throws and jumps) to mainly focus on distance events.
Aaron Hernandez, assistant dean and executive director of the Allan “Bud” Selig Sports Law and Business Program at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, expressed concern that what has happened at other schools could take place at ASU.
However, Rossini said ASU not only plans to keep all 26 of its sports, but is investing more resources into them. For instance, the school is adding 200 new athletic scholarships to comply with roster limits that replace scholarship limits.
“I get that it’s time for these guys to share in the revenue, but the cost of all these other really special people in the community at schools like ASU is something that really worries me,” Hernandez said. “I hope that there’s a future where we keep our Olympic movement and our women’s sports propped up in a good way.”
What to know: Arizona State introduces plans for a new track and field stadium
ASU athletes’ perspective
One of those “really special people,” as Hernandez put it, is Kate Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald has made it her mission to educate and inspire fellow female college athletes in the NIL space. The co-founder of the Student Athlete Venture Studio, an initiative launched to support female athlete entrepreneurs, Fitzgerald spent four years playing beach volleyball at ASU and a fifth year as a graduate assistant coach while pursuing a master’s degree. In her senior year (2023-2024), Fitzgerald was ASU’s top NIL-earning Olympic sport female athlete, profiting from her volleyball lifestyle clothing brand VBAmerica.
Given her experience with Sun Devil athletics and NIL, Fitzgerald has full trust in Rossini to lead ASU in the right direction.
“He’s definitely helping ASU prevent cuts of programs … ASU always says No. 1 in innovation, so they’re being innovative about NIL and that’s ultimately in my opinion, the best way to go about it,” Fitzgerald said. “These are changing times, so instead of fighting and cutting, let’s try new ways to make money and find a new way to adapt to this newfound lifestyle of college athletics.”
As the House settlement era begins, the athletes most affected may be those outside the spotlight — athletes who, like Fitzgerald, must navigate a shifting landscape with both uncertainty and opportunity.
“If you’re not in a revenue generating sport or have a large social media following, that doesn’t mean you can’t leverage NIL,” Fitzgerald said. “You just have to go after it, and think long term — use NIL to find internships, build your career, and bring in some kind of revenue, even if it’s just food coverage…Realistically, NIL will not fall into your lap.”
In an era where millions of dollars are on the table, the future of college sports may indeed depend on creativity as well as compliance to ensure that progress for some doesn’t come at the expense of equity.
The new college sports agency is rejecting some athlete NIL deals with donor-backed collectives
Associated Press The new agency in charge of regulating name, image, likeness deals in college sports sent a letter to schools Thursday saying it had rejected deals between players and donor-backed collectives formed over the past several years to funnel money to athletes or their schools. Those arrangements hold no “valid business purpose,” the memo […]
The new agency in charge of regulating name, image, likeness deals in college sports sent a letter to schools Thursday saying it had rejected deals between players and donor-backed collectives formed over the past several years to funnel money to athletes or their schools.
Those arrangements hold no “valid business purpose,” the memo said, and don’t adhere to rules that call for outside NIL deals to be between players and companies that provide goods or services to the general public for profit.
The letter to Division I athletic directors could be the next step in shuttering today’s version of the collective, groups that are closely affiliated with schools and that, in the early days of NIL after July 2021, proved the most efficient way for schools to indirectly cut deals with players.
Since then, the landscape has changed yet again with the $2.8 billion House settlement that allows schools to pay the players directly as of July 1.
Already, collectives affiliated with Colorado, Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia and others have announced they’re shutting down. Georgia, Ohio State and Illinois are among those that have announced plans with Learfield, a media and technology company with decades of licensing and other experience across college athletics, to help arrange NIL deals.
Outside deals between athlete and sponsor are still permitted, but any worth $600 or more have to be vetted by a clearinghouse called NIL Go that was established by the new College Sports Commission and is being run by the auditing group Deloitte.
In its letter to the ADs, the CSC said more than 1,500 deals have been cleared since NIL Go launched on June 11, “ranging in value from three figures to seven figures.” More than 12,000 athletes and 1,100 institutional users have registered to use the system.
But the bulk of the letter explained that many deals could not be cleared because they did not conform to an NCAA rule that sets a “valid business purpose” standard for deals to be approved.
The letter explained that if a collective reaches a deal with an athlete to appear on behalf of the collective, which charges an admission fee, the standard is not met because the purpose of the event is to raise money to pay athletes, not to provide goods or services available to the general public for profit.
The same would apply to a deal an athlete makes to sell merchandise to raise money to pay that player because the purpose of “selling merchandise is to raise money to pay that student-athlete and potentially other student-athletes at a particular school or schools, which is not a valid business purpose” according to the NCAA rule.
Sports attorney Darren Heitner, who deals in NIL, said the guidance “could disproportionately burden collectives that are already committed to spending money on players for multiple years to come.”
“If a pattern of rejections results from collective deals submitted to Deloitte, it may invite legal scrutiny under antitrust principles,” he said.
On a separate track, some college sports leaders, including the NCAA, are seeking a limited form of antitrust protection from Congress.
The letter said a NIL deal could be approved if, for instance, the businesses paying the players had a broader purpose than simply acting as a collective. The letter uses a golf course or apparel company as examples.
“In other words, NIL collectives may act as marketing agencies that match student-athletes with businesses that have a valid business purpose and seek to use the student’s NIL to promote their businesses,” the letter said.
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
More On Hoops Star Saniyah Hall’s NIL Deal with Jordan Brand As She Joins The USA U19 National Team
Saniyah Hall, the No. 1 overall girls basketball prospect in the Class of 2026, has officially signed a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with Jordan Brand making her one of the youngest athletes ever to join the iconic basketball label’s growing NIL roster. The announcement was made via a joint Instagram collaboration post between […]
Saniyah Hall, the No. 1 overall girls basketball prospect in the Class of 2026, has officially signed a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with Jordan Brand making her one of the youngest athletes ever to join the iconic basketball label’s growing NIL roster.
The announcement was made via a joint Instagram collaboration post between Hall and the brand, featuring a simple but powerful quote from the rising star:
“I don’t have anything to prove. I just go out, play basketball,” said Hall. “I let my game do the talking. Actions speak for themselves.”
Jordan Brand praised Hall for it described as fearless play, an elite skill set, and a growing cultural influence.
“Saniyah Hall’s fearless play and undeniable presence on and off the court reflect the greatness Jordan Brand stands for,” the brand shared in a statement. “Her signing signals the arrival of a new era, led by athletes who don’t just play the game — they elevate it.”
Hall stars for Montverde Academy (Fla.), the storied powerhouse that has produced NBA top picks like Cooper Flagg, Cade Cunningham, Ben Simmons, and D’Angelo Russell. As a junior, Hall averaged 20.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, drawing offers from college juggernauts including USC, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio State, and Michigan State.
She’s known for her scoring versatility, physical toughness, and a game that continues to mature with every season.
Before she makes her college decision, Hall will don the red, white and blue as part of USA Basketball’s roster for the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup in the Czech Republic. She’ll team up with fellow elite recruits like Sienna Betts, Jasmine Davidson, Kate Harpring, and Jerzy Robinson.
Her selection is a testament not only to her talent but to her growing leadership on the international stage.
Jordan Brand’s decision to sign Hall reflects a growing investment in women’s basketball at all levels. Hall follows in the footsteps of UCLA’s Kiki Rice, the brand’s first NIL signee, and joins a new wave of high school and college players backed by the Jumpman.
Nike and Jordan Brand have increasingly tailored performance models for women, such as the Jordan Heir, their first basketball shoe designed with female athletes in mind. Meanwhile, Nike has made waves with signature lines for Sabrina Ionescu and A’ja Wilson, and speculation continues around future signature models for Caitlin Clark and Juju Watkins.
While Hall’s college decision remains open, one thing is clear: her future is bright. With elite production at Montverde, a global stage awaiting at the FIBA World Cup, and the backing of Jordan Brand, she’s poised to become one of the most influential young stars in the sport.
The new college sports agency is rejecting some athlete NIL deals with donor-backed collectives
The new agency in charge of regulating name, image, likeness deals in college sports sent a letter to schools Thursday saying it had rejected deals between players and donor-backed collectives formed over the past several years to funnel money to athletes or their schools. Those arrangements hold no “valid business purpose,” the memo said, and […]
The new agency in charge of regulating name, image, likeness deals in college sports sent a letter to schools Thursday saying it had rejected deals between players and donor-backed collectives formed over the past several years to funnel money to athletes or their schools.
Those arrangements hold no “valid business purpose,” the memo said, and don’t adhere to rules that call for outside NIL deals to be between players and companies that provide goods or services to the general public for profit.
The letter to Division I athletic directors could be the next step in shuttering today’s version of the collective, groups that are closely affiliated with schools and that, in the early days of NIL after July 2021, proved the most efficient way for schools to indirectly cut deals with players.
Since then, the landscape has changed yet again with the $2.8 billion House settlement that allows schools to pay the players directly as of July 1.
Already, collectives affiliated with Colorado, Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia and others have announced they’re shutting down. Georgia, Ohio State and Illinois are among those that have announced plans with Learfield, a media and technology company with decades of licensing and other experience across college athletics, to help arrange NIL deals.
Outside deals between athlete and sponsor are still permitted, but any worth $600 or more have to be vetted by a clearinghouse called NIL Go that was established by the new College Sports Commission.
In its letter to the ADs, the CSC said more than 1,500 deals have been cleared since NIL Go launched on June 11, “ranging in value from three figures to seven figures.” More than 12,000 athletes and 1,100 institutional users have registered to use the system.
But the bulk of the letter explained that many deals could not be cleared because they did not conform to an NCAA rule that sets a “valid business purpose” standard for deals to be approved.
The letter explained that if a collective reaches a deal with an athlete to appear on behalf of the collective, which charges an admission fee, the standard is not met because the purpose of the event is to raise money to pay athletes, not to provide goods or services available to the general public for profit.
The same would apply to a deal an athlete makes to sell merchandise to raise money to pay that player because the purpose of “selling merchandise is to raise money to pay that student-athlete and potentially other student-athletes at a particular school or schools, which is not a valid business purpose” according to the NCAA rule.
A deal, however, could be approved if, for instance, the businesses paying the players had a broader purpose than simply acting as a collective. The letter uses a golf course or apparel company as examples.
“In other words, NIL collectives may act as marketing agencies that match student-athletes with businesses that have a valid business purpose and seek to use the student’s NIL to promote their businesses,” the letter said.
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
The new college sports agency is rejecting some athlete NIL deals with donor-backed collectives
The new agency in charge of regulating name, image, likeness deals in college sports sent a letter to schools Thursday saying it had rejected deals between players and donor-backed collectives formed over the past several years to funnel money to athletes or their schools. Those arrangements hold no “valid business purpose,” the memo said, and […]
The new agency in charge of regulating name, image, likeness deals in college sports sent a letter to schools Thursday saying it had rejected deals between players and donor-backed collectives formed over the past several years to funnel money to athletes or their schools.
Those arrangements hold no “valid business purpose,” the memo said, and don’t adhere to rules that call for outside NIL deals to be between players and companies that provide goods or services to the general public for profit.
The letter to Division I athletic directors could be the next step in shuttering today’s version of the collective, groups that are closely affiliated with schools and that, in the early days of NIL after July 2021, proved the most efficient way for schools to indirectly cut deals with players.
Since then, the landscape has changed yet again with the $2.8 billion House settlement that allows schools to pay the players directly as of July 1.
Already, collectives affiliated with Colorado, Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia and others have announced they’re shutting down. Georgia, Ohio State and Illinois are among those that have announced plans with Learfield, a media and technology company with decades of licensing and other experience across college athletics, to help arrange NIL deals.
Outside deals between athlete and sponsor are still permitted, but any worth $600 or more have to be vetted by a clearinghouse called NIL Go that was established by the new College Sports Commission.
In its letter to the ADs, the CSC said more than 1,500 deals have been cleared since NIL Go launched on June 11, “ranging in value from three figures to seven figures.” More than 12,000 athletes and 1,100 institutional users have registered to use the system.
But the bulk of the letter explained that many deals could not be cleared because they did not conform to an NCAA rule that sets a “valid business purpose” standard for deals to be approved.
The letter explained that if a collective reaches a deal with an athlete to appear on behalf of the collective, which charges an admission fee, the standard is not met because the purpose of the event is to raise money to pay athletes, not to provide goods or services available to the general public for profit.
The same would apply to a deal an athlete makes to sell merchandise to raise money to pay that player because the purpose of “selling merchandise is to raise money to pay that student-athlete and potentially other student-athletes at a particular school or schools, which is not a valid business purpose” according to the NCAA rule.
A deal, however, could be approved if, for instance, the businesses paying the players had a broader purpose than simply acting as a collective. The letter uses a golf course or apparel company as examples.
“In other words, NIL collectives may act as marketing agencies that match student-athletes with businesses that have a valid business purpose and seek to use the student’s NIL to promote their businesses,” the letter said.
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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