Link

Texas Tech’s recent recruiting success, combined with its headline-grabbing haul from the transfer portal, signals a clear shift in the landscape of college football. Gone are the days when elite recruits were essentially guaranteed to land at blue-blood programs like Alabama, Ohio State, or Texas. In the past, a school like Texas Tech would’ve had little chance of competing for top talent in the country.

Those days are over.

This shift can largely be attributed to the rise of NIL opportunities, which have leveled the playing field in ways previously unimaginable. Fans of historically smaller programs are celebrating this new reality, assuming they have the funds to capitalize (hello, Texas Tech). Meanwhile, many SEC fans are struggling to accept that their programs no longer have an automatic claim on every top prospect.

Take five-star offensive lineman Felix Ojo, for example. When Texas Tech reportedly outbid the likes of Texas and Ohio State for Ojo with a lucrative multi-million dollar NIL deal, the college football world took notice—and SEC fans lost their minds. When the Red Raiders followed that up by landing the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2027 class, it sparked even more disbelief and backlash from SEC loyalists.

To cope with this new reality, many of those fans have convinced themselves that players are just chasing easy money, opting for quick paydays at places like Texas Tech instead of proving themselves in the so-called “best” conference in the country. But here’s the problem: the SEC isn’t what it used to be.

Yes, the SEC once instilled fear across the college football world. It boasted the biggest, fastest athletes, and regularly dominated on the national stage. But that dominance has faded in recent years. The last two national champions have come from the Big Ten. Alabama, once an unstoppable force under Nick Saban, suddenly looks very beatable—just ask teams like Michigan and even Vanderbilt. LSU remains solid under Brian Kelly, but the Tigers are far from the powerhouse they were. Even Georgia, a recent back-to-back national champion, just lost the top prospect from its own state to Texas Tech.

For years, SEC programs enjoyed a recruiting edge through backdoor deals and under-the-table incentives. Now that paying athletes is legal, programs like Texas Tech are able to play the same game—only better. And that’s not sitting well with a fan base used to having it all. The truth? The SEC isn’t entitled to anything anymore.

In this new era, Texas Tech is playing by the rules—and thriving. While SEC fans cling to the belief that losing top recruits is a sign of players lacking the desire to compete at the “highest level,” the reality is far more uncomfortable: the SEC is no longer the premier conference in college football. Programs like Texas Tech are rising, and they’re doing it the right way—out in the open.

Link

New NIL club sets tone for Kentucky’s revenue sharing efforts

The John Calipari era brought “La Familia” to Kentucky basketball’s NIL scene. His departure led to the launch of “Club Blue,” complete with high-profile concerts, team events, and tiered gifts for donors. Now, in the Mark Pope era, Kentucky athletics is making another major shift — introducing BBN United.

According to a release from the University of Kentucky, BBN United will be the official fan membership program for UK Athletics, designed to connect Big Blue Nation with its student-athletes like never before.

“It’s where passion fuels purpose,” the release states. “BBN United isn’t just a membership. It’s a mission to elevate our student-athletes in the next era of NIL and athletics success.”

While official sign-ups aren’t live yet, fans can register their interest at bbnunited.ukathletics.com to become founding members once the program launches. The benefits promise to include premium content, exclusive experiences, community events, and behind-the-scenes access across all sports.

The move comes as NIL programs nationwide evolve from simple collectives into multi-sport, fan-facing engagement hubs. Kentucky’s branding is clear — this is for the entire athletic department, not just basketball or football. That means fans could get up-close access to baseball, volleyball, gymnastics, track and field, and more, in addition to the marquee sports.

BBN United also signals a pivot toward creating a true year-round membership culture — where fan involvement doesn’t end when the season does. From offseason player meet-and-greets to members-only game-day lounges, the possibilities are wide open.

“BBN isn’t a place,” the announcement says. “It’s a movement.” And in the NIL era, movements require funding, organization, and buy-in from the fan base. Kentucky’s hope is that this rebrand will unify supporters under one banner and keep the Wildcats competitive in an arms race that shows no sign of slowing down.

For now, the only thing left for fans to do is sign up for updates — and prepare for another new chapter in Kentucky’s NIL journey.

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers reeled in multiple immediate impact players via the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason with a focus on adding weapons on both sides of the ball.

Once the portal was open for business, Kelly and Co. reached out to Oklahoma Sooners transfers Bauer Sharp and Nic Anderson as the program intensified its push.

Now, after signing the pair of Southeastern Conference transfers, the Oklahoma duo has quickly turned heads in Baton Rouge.

On Friday, LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan raved about his new weapos.

Bauer Sharp: Tight End

The LSU Tigers added Oklahoma Sooners tight end Bauer Sharp in December after the talented SEC transfer made the move to Baton Rouge.

Now, after leading Oklahoma in receptions [42] and receiving yards [324] in 2024, Sharp is carrying his momentum in the purple and gold.

The Alabama native quickly made a name for himself during Spring Camp with the LSU Tigers impressed with the newcomer.

“Having the tight end involved, I think that’s two things. One, the whole tight end room has done great. Alex is doing a great job with those guys. The growth in Trey’Dez, what (Sharp) is doing on a day-to-day basis in terms of his consistency, has been huge, not just in the tight end room but also offensively,” Sloan said on Friday.

“He brings a mindset to our practice. He brings a mindset to our offense. Our guys feed off of that. That’s what I think has been critical. He plays hard every snap; he’s going to give you everything he’s got, and that’s a physicality and violence in the run game. Then also, he’s twitchy at the top of routes. He’s been able to get separation.

“He’s a really good ball carrier with the football once he catches it. He’s been an awesome addition.”

Sharp has been a stellar addition, but the overall talent-level in the tight end room is what has Sloan enticed at what’s to come.

“Couldn’t be more excited about him but couldn’t be more excited about the growth that Trey’Dez has had and what Donovan’s (Green) brought to the room as well. We have a lot more flexibility with more multiple people than maybe what we’ve had in the past.”

Nic Anderson: Wide Receiver

LSU wide receiver Nic Anderson made the move to Baton Rouge this offseason after a stint in Norman (Okla.) with the Oklahoma Sooners.

After a two-year run with the Sooners, Anderson elected to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal last December prior to signing with the LSU Tigers.

Anderson set the Oklahoma freshman record for touchdown receptions with 10 in 2023 where his 798 receiving yards that year rank No. 2 in Oklahoma history for a freshman.

Now, he’s making an instant impact in Baton Rouge.

“You’ve seen him on the outside. I think he’s had a really good camp. Obviously, the first couple days, he was still going through some protocol and all that. I think he’s had an extremely good camp. I couldn’t be more excited about the way he’s prepared and the consistency at which he’s played every day,” Sloan said.

“I think Coach Kelly has made some remarks about him. He’s extremely talented and can help us in a lot of ways. I just want to continue to see him stack those days over and over. He definitely is a lot more comfortable within the offense than he was in the spring.”

There’s rapport being built between Anderson and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier with Sloan highlighting the connection being created.

“That’s been fun to see and watch him work and watch him gel with Nuss. And gel with the other guys. It’s been good,” Sloan said.

LSU will return to the practice fields on Monday for Day 10 of Fall Camp with the Tigers kicking off Week 3 in Baton Rouge.

LSU Football, Texas Longhorns and Michigan Wolverines Trending in Recruiting

LSU Football and Notre Dame Fighting Irish Making Early Impression on Top Cornerback

No. 1 Athlete in America, Five-Star LSU Football Commit Helping Recruit Top Prospect

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU Tigers.

Link

Athletes First, a premier sports representation and marketing agency, and Sinclair, a diversified media company and leader in local news and sports, today announced a landmark events and media partnership.

This new collaboration will unite Athletes First’s best-in-class events and world-renowned talent with the top-tier sports properties and vast national audience of Sinclair and AMP Sports, Sinclair’s growing portfolio of digital content and original podcasts.

“This partnership with Sinclair is a major step forward in how we amplify the impact of our events and our athlete clients,” said Matt Shulman, Head of Properties at Athletes First. “By combining our curated live events and world-class roster with Sinclair’s powerful media reach, we’re creating new ways to engage fans, elevating and enhancing storytelling opportunities, and delivering unparalleled value for our brand partners.”

Athletes First is the premier sports representation and marketing agency, guiding the careers of elite athletes, coaches, executives, and broadcasters. Since 2001, Athletes First has built a reputation for integrity, innovation, and impact across contract negotiations, marketing strategy, endorsement sales, and brand partnerships.

Athletes First clients include Dak Prescott, Ed Reed, Desean Jackson and Jahmyr Gibbs.

As part of the agreement, Sinclair will serve as the exclusive sports media partner for two of Athletes First’s signature live events, including:

“Athletes First is a premier sports agency and has set the bar for athlete-driven activation experiences within college and professional football,” said Eric Welles, SVP, Chief Digital Monetization Officer, Sinclair. “With A1’s elite roster of talent coupled with AMP Sports’ own collection of talent and original shows, as well as our massive media footprint, this partnership is a perfect fit. We are excited to further enhance our strategy to create high-impact, fan-first, 360-degree content with Athletes First across broadcast, digital, social, audio, and live environments, while giving brands new ways to engage with passionate fans and the biggest tentpole moments in sports.”

Sinclair will produce original content and brand activations at the next iteration of The Block—scheduled for San Francisco in February—and host live, original video podcasts from multiple stops on the Tailgate Tour. In addition, event content will be distributed across Sinclair’s sports platforms, maximizing exposure and engagement.

Earlier this year, The Block debuted in New Orleans with a 100,000-square-foot footprint just steps from the Caesars Superdome. Spanning four interconnected mansions and a grand courtyard, the event featured luxury hospitality, brand activations, private content studios, exclusive partner programming, an athlete performance center, and appearances by athletes, celebrities, and influencers.

The media partnership also includes the development of original video podcasts for both national and regional audiences, spotlighting Athletes First’s elite roster of athletes.

The post Athletes First, Sinclair/AMP Sports team up for media partnership appeared first on 2UrbanGirls.