Connect with us

NIL

Chattanooga Mocs Extend Championship Coach

Story Links CHATTANOOGA—The Chattanooga Mocs and Dan Earl agree in a lot of ways. The biggest is the desire for him to be a long-term solution for the historically proud program. The Mocs announce the 6-year extension of Earl’s contract after a regular season Southern Conference title and run to the team’s first NIT Championship. […]

Published

1 month ago

on

Chattanooga Mocs Extend Championship Coach

CHATTANOOGA—The Chattanooga Mocs and Dan Earl agree in a lot of ways. The biggest is the desire for him to be a long-term solution for the historically proud program. The Mocs announce the 6-year extension of Earl’s contract after a regular season Southern Conference title and run to the team’s first NIT Championship.

“Dan is a proven commodity,” Vice Chancellor for Athletics Mark Wharton began. “We had great faith in who he was as a leader around this time three years ago when we hired him. That faith has been rewarded well beyond wins and championships. We are excited to get this new agreement completed to reward him and his staff for jobs well done.”
 
Earl’s 2024-25 edition tied the school record in wins with 29 matching another SoCon Championship team from 2015-16. They marched through their NIT bracket winning at Middle Tennessee, at home over Dayton and on the road again at Bradley. That led to Indianapolis where Loyola Chicago and UC Irvine were dispatched in just the second national tournament title in school history (1977 NCAA DII).
 
He is 68-38 (.642) over his three seasons with a 34-20 (.630) mark in SoCon play.
 
“Very appreciative of (interim) Chancellor (Robert) Dooley and Mark Wharton,” Earl added. “Chattanooga has quickly become home. My family loves it here, and the city has truly embraced us in a very special way.
 
“This extension is as much about the players and staff as it is me. From the guys who came with us from VMI to all the additions, be it from high school, junior college or out of the portal, they’ve embraced our culture, developed as people and players, and gone on to great success here and are prepared for bright futures.
 
‘I am also thankful to have such a good working relationship with Mark (Wharton) and for his friendship. His support and leadership have been instrumental in our program’s success, and I deeply value our partnership.”
 
At a fluid time in college athletics, Earl and his staff excelled in roster construction. Between returning starters in guards Trey Bonham and Honor Huff to go with reserves and redshirts in Sean Cusano, Noah Melson, Ryan Lopez and Collin Mulholland, the program added 4-year transfers Bash Wieland (Bellarmine), Frank Champion (DII-North Georgia), Jack Kostel (DII-Alabama-Huntsville), Makai Richards (Pacific) and game-winning shot maker Garrison Keeslar (DII-Walsh) along with freshmen Latif Diouf, Parker Robison, Liam Vitters, Houston Holland and Isaiah Otyaluk.
 
That group not only won 29 games, but they did it when it mattered most. Twenty-one of the triumphs came after the calendar flipped to 2025 including a 12-game win streak that fell just two shy of tying another school record. Huff (578), Bonham (554) and Wieland (502) became the first trio in school history to tally 500 points in the same season.
 
Earl’s extension is not the only news for the program’s staff. Ander Galfsky and Scott Greenman are elevated to associate head coach with Logan Dahms moving from special assistant to assistant coach alongside Ricardo Rush, Jr. Director of basketball operations Alan Treakle is adding assistant coach duties as well.
 
“Ander, Scott, Logan and Alan have been with me from the start,” Earl shared about his staff. “I am super appreciative of their efforts as well as Ricardo who was a great addition in year two. We don’t get a regular season conference championship or win the NIT without their tremendous work as the team behind our team.”
 
NOTABLE

  • Earl’s 68 wins are the most by any Mocs coach in their first three seasons with the program ahead of Mack McCarthy (62), Murray Arnold (61) and Ron Shumate (59).
  • The squad is currently tied with national runner-up Houston for the longest current road win streak in the country at 10.
  • The 2024-25 squad won 17 of its final 18 contests.
  • Earl’s five postseason wins ranks second in school history behind Shumate (11).
  • Another amazing streak, Earl’s Mocs have won 10 straight games when trailing at the half.

 
ACTION ITEMS

  • To check out the 2025-26 roster construction, go here.
  • For $25 deposits on 2025-26 season tickets, go here.
  • To give to the Mocs Club, go here. To contribute to the Flock NIL collective, go here.
  • To get involved in sponsorships with Mocs Sports Properties, go here.

 
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Buy officially licensed gear in our online store. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or Twitter. Find out how to join the UTC Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here. Check out the Mocs on the Mic podcast here.

Print Friendly Version
1
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NIL

South Carolina Moves to Ban NIL Deals for High School Athletes Amid Growing Legal Debate

In response to legislative pressure, the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) amended its bylaws this week to explicitly prohibit student-athletes from earning compensation for their athletic participation. The change, documented in a report by the South Carolina Daily Gazette, aims to comply with a newly passed state budget clause that bans public school districts […]

Published

14 minutes ago

on

June 22, 2025

By


In response to legislative pressure, the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) amended its bylaws this week to explicitly prohibit student-athletes from earning compensation for their athletic participation. The change, documented in a report by the South Carolina Daily Gazette, aims to comply with a newly passed state budget clause that bans public school districts from affiliating with any athletic association that “permits, allows or authorizes” NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) compensation.

Previously, the wording of SCHSL’s rules could have been interpreted as permitting athletes to earn compensation as long as it wasn’t tied to athletic performance or use of school property. League Commissioner Jerome Singleton clarified that the amendment doesn’t reflect a new policy but rather reinforces long-standing rules about maintaining amateur status.

“You can change the wording, but you can’t change the intent,” Singleton told the South Carolina Daily Gazette.

South Carolina State Senator Sean Bennett (R-Summerville), who authored the budget clause, said the policy was meant to protect the amateur nature of high school sports.

“These are extracurricular activities. They are no place for the ugliness or business activities ruining college athletics,” Bennett said.

The move comes as nearly 40 states and the District of Columbia have adopted NIL policies for high school athletes. South Carolina remains among the few actively pushing back.

Under the new bylaw language, the following penalties are in place:

Since the NCAA allowed NIL in 2021, the floodgates of compensation for athletes have opened — with minimal federal regulation. The SCHSL and its supporters fear those trends are now seeping into high school sports.

In March, the SCHSL also relaxed its transfer rule, allowing one penalty-free school transfer for athletes — mirroring the NCAA’s now-normalized transfer environment.

Bill Carter, a consultant who advises schools and athletic associations on NIL policy, called the South Carolina budget clause “pretty extreme” and warned it could prompt a lawsuit.

“The courts are never going to accept that there’s an impediment to a young person’s ability to earn income by way of their name, image and likeness,” Carter said to the South Carolina Daily Gazette.

Carter referenced court rulings in North Carolina and the landmark Supreme Court decision against the NCAA as strong indicators that legal challenges to South Carolina’s stance may be successful.

While many lawmakers support the crackdown, others—like Rep. Jackie “Coach” Hayes—emphasize concern over team cohesion.

“We got enough ‘me’ in this world,” Hayes said to the Gazette. “We need to get everybody working together for a common cause.”

Still, as of now, South Carolina stands firm — making it one of the few states not only to oppose NIL deals for high schoolers but to codify that opposition into law.



Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

Wisconsin, NIL collective file joint lawsuit on Miami for tampering | News, Sports, Jobs

Camp Randall Stadium is seen during a football game between Wisconsin and Miami of Ohio on Sept. 12, 2015, in Madison, Wis. Associated Press file photo The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective VC Connect filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ […]

Published

53 minutes ago

on

June 22, 2025

By


Camp Randall Stadium is seen during a football game between Wisconsin and Miami of Ohio on Sept. 12, 2015, in Madison, Wis.

Associated Press file photo

The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective VC Connect filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness contract to play for the Florida team this upcoming season.

Allegations of tampering rarely get to this level and the 23-page lawsuit, which was filed in state court in Wisconsin and obtained by The Associated Press, is unusual. Depending on its resolution, it could have a wider impact on future NIL deals across college athletics.

The player in question in the filing is referred to only as “Student-Athlete A.” But the case summary describes facts that line up with the situation involving cornerback Xavier Lucas, who last December announced his plans to enter the transfer portal.

Shortly afterward, Darren Heitner, who has been representing Lucas, indicated that Wisconsin was refusing to put Lucas’ name in the portal and that it was hindering his ability to talk with other schools. In January, Heitner announced that Lucas would be playing for Miami this fall.

The situation is fallout from the rapid changes engulfing college athletics, specifically a combination of two things: Athletes went to court and won the ability to transfer with much more freedom and the 2021 NCAA decision clearing the way for them to strike NIL endorsement deals now worth millions of dollars. That has changed the recruiting landscape and forced the issue of contracts and signed commitments to the fore.



Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

Miami coach J.D. Arteaga discusses NIL, House settlement impact

When Miami Hurricanes fans hear about NIL or the House settlement, they most likely think about its impact on the football team. But there are other sports at UM that need plenty of money, including basketball and baseball plus Olympic sports. With the baseball season recently concluded with an oh-so-close run at Omaha, CaneSport caught […]

Published

55 minutes ago

on

June 22, 2025

By


When Miami Hurricanes fans hear about NIL or the House settlement, they most likely think about its impact on the football team. But there are other sports at UM that need plenty of money, including basketball and baseball plus Olympic sports.

With the baseball season recently concluded with an oh-so-close run at Omaha, CaneSport caught up with J.D. Arteaga to discuss where things stand in this oh-so-important area.

From Rock Bottom to Oh-So-Close To Omaha: Miami Hurricane Baseball’s 2025 Resilience Story … What’s Next for Miami Hurricanes Baseball? Coach J.D. Arteaga Breaks Down 2026 Returners, Needs

It wasn’t in the too distant past that Arteaga bemoaned how the Miami baseball program was at a disadvantage financially because the pre-NIL system had scholarships divvied up among teams with a 50 percent baseball scholarship considered a lot. But when you take a 50 percent scholarship at a school vs. Miami vs. a state school like Florida, an in-state baseball player was paying tens of thousands of dollars less a year in UF vs. UM tuition for that same half scholarship.

NIL has, to some extent, balanced that out, although Miami still has to overpay to make up the difference between tuitions and living expenses at the different schools.

That’s because while the NCAA is allowing up to 34 scholarships for baseball programs, many programs are in the 20s because it’s cost prohibitive for departments to give that many scholarships. Miami, per Arteaga, has landed at 21 baseball scholarships for now. Again, any differences money-wise can be addressed through NIL.

“It definitely helps Miami for sure (with NIL available vs. the old system),” Arteaga said. “They [Miami administration] are raising us to 21 (scholarships), a lot better than the old 11.7. I’m not complaining. But it’s still going to be more expensive to come to Miami than anywhere else. Kids that live off campus, real estate getting a two-bedroom apartment in the Gables area is going to be a lot more expensive than getting that same apartment in Gainesville or Tallahassee or anywhere else. So it’s a factor, but I’m a big believer in you get what you pay for, and this place is special.”

With the ability to pay more via NIL if necessary to land a prospect, Arteaga sums up that finances at UM are “less of a problem now.”

“The administration has helped out quite a bit, and if we can’t make up the difference in scholarship that’s where NIL comes in,” Arteaga said. “At other schools that NIL is going directly to a player’s pockets because they don’t have to pay (as much) for the school. That’s where the disadvantage always comes.”

The scholarship percentages aren’t always so obvious, either. For instance, former star Yohandy Morales had need-based aid at Miami and never was on a baseball scholarship. And current star Daniel Cuvet’s father works at UM, so that covers most of his tuition cost.

With that said, “If you have an absolute need for somebody, you have to overpay,” Arteaga says.

As it pertains to the House settlement, Arteaga said there’s no camping out in front of Athletic Director Dan Radakovich’s office asking for a decent piece of the pie for his players.

It’s a case of Arteaga trusting that the Miami administration will take care of baseball as it needs to.

“They decide, and I know football is king,” Arteaga said. “We’re able to charter and do a lot of things that we do because of football (money coming in), and I know that and it’s as it should be. Whatever they give us I have to go out and make up the difference (with fundraising for NIL, etc.), and whatever we have to do, we have to do it.”



Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

Xavier Lucas’ attorney denies Miami meeting alleged in Wisconsin lawsuit

The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective filed a lawsuit Friday against the University of Miami, alleging tortious interference. While not mentioned in the suit, instead cited as “Student Athlete A,” the complaint centers around defensive back Xavier Lucas, who left Wisconsin for Miami this winter. Lucas never actually entered the transfer portal. A […]

Published

1 hour ago

on

June 22, 2025

By


The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective filed a lawsuit Friday against the University of Miami, alleging tortious interference. While not mentioned in the suit, instead cited as “Student Athlete A,” the complaint centers around defensive back Xavier Lucas, who left Wisconsin for Miami this winter.

Lucas never actually entered the transfer portal. A standout freshman cornerback in 2024 for the Badgers, Lucas posted 18 tackles and an interception in seven games. Lucas withdrew from classes at Wisconsin and enrolled at Miami in January, circumventing the NCAA’s transfer portal.

Wisconsin is seeking financial damages and a judgment that Miami’s actions “wrongfully interfere with contractual commitments.” Lucas’ attorney, Darren Heitner, said in the winter that Wisconsin violated NCAA rules by refusing to place Lucas in the transfer portal.

In the complaint filed Friday, Wisconsin alleges that a Miami staff member and alumnus met Lucas and his family at a relative’s home in Florida in December 2024 after the defensive back signed a two-year, revenue-sharing deal with Wisconsin. That included a “compensation commitment” from Miami that was “more lucrative” than Wisconsin’s deal.

“Miami representatives communicated with Student-Athlete A and his family members, including an in-person December 2024 visit from a Miami coach and a prominent Miami alumnus to the Florida home of a relative of Student-Athlete A,” Wisconsin’s complaint states. “The information related to the in-home visit was communicated to UW-Madison by a relative of Student-Athlete A on December 18, 2024.”

Heitner denied the allegations, telling On3 on Saturday that Lucas never met with a Miami coach and prominent alumnus in December 2024. Heitner previously threatened to file an antitrust lawsuit against Wisconsin if Lucas was not able to play at Miami.

“Wisconsin’s allegations that my client, Xavier Lucas, met with a Miami coach and prominent alumnus in December 2024 are false,” Lucas’ attorney Darren Heitner told On3.

Heitner is an adjunct professor of NIL at the University of Miami School of Law.

In the lawsuit, Wisconsin alleges that Miami communicated with Lucas, “knowingly inducing” him to do so despite being under contract with the Badgers. Wisconsin wrote in the filing that it hopes the lawsuit “will advance the overall integrity of the game by holding programs legally accountable when they wrongfully interfere with contractual commitments.”

The University of Miami has yet to respond to a request for comment. The Big Ten is supporting Wisconsin, telling On3 in a statement that “The University of Miami’s actions are irreconcilable with a sustainable college sports framework and is supportive of UW-Madison’s efforts to preserve.”

It’s an unprecedented moment in college football, with one university accusing another of tampering and it will put the NCAA transfer portal rules to the test.

“These are the type of tampering allegations that are typically fought behind closed doors at the professional sports level based on the leagues’ collective bargaining agreement,” sports lawyer and professor Dan Lust told On3 on Friday. “Here, in the absence of any type of similar mechanism at the collegiate level, this dispute is going to be fought in open court for the world to see the complex interplay of forces in and around the transfer portal. This is truly an unprecedented case and one that commands the attention of the college sports world.”



Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

College football: Wisconsin NIL collective sues Miami, allege tampering | Ap

State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Country United States of […]

Published

1 hour ago

on

June 22, 2025

By







Link

0
Continue Reading

NIL

Opinion: 10 Problems With Wisconsin’s Lawsuit Against Miami

Just shy of two months ago, Cameron Anthony Ward stood on a Green Bay, Wisconsin stage, about 140 miles northeast of the University of Wisconsin, celebrating his selection as the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Wisconsin Badgers, who finished their season in November after only mustering five wins, did not have […]

Published

2 hours ago

on

June 22, 2025

By


Just shy of two months ago, Cameron Anthony Ward stood on a Green Bay, Wisconsin stage, about 140 miles northeast of the University of Wisconsin, celebrating his selection as the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Wisconsin Badgers, who finished their season in November after only mustering five wins, did not have a player drafted until the seventh round of the draft. These are two football programs on two different trajectories.

College football is about two months away from resuming the gridiron battles. But on Friday, the University of Wisconsin picked a different kind of battle: Bucky Badger filed a lawsuit against the University of Miami in Wisconsin state court alleging that Miami tampered with contracts between Wisconsin and its NIL collective (VC Connect, LLC). A copy of Wisconsin’s Complaint is available here (thanks to Margaret Fleming and Front Office Sports). In civil litigation, a Complaint is a document that launches the lawsuit by stating the alleged facts occurred and how those alleged facts were illegal. The full Complaint is worth a read, but snippets are discussed below.

Wisconsin’s lawsuit, the first of its kind brought by one university against another in the NIL era, has a host of problems.

1. Gee Whiz, Who Could be “Student-Athlete A”

At the center of the lawsuit is “Student-Athlete A.” This mystery student is described as a “DI college football player” who “arrived in Madison, Wisconsin for his freshman year” in June 2024, and played in “most games” during his freshman season. But then, this anonymous athlete requested to be placed in the transfer portal, Wisconsin refused, and “Student-Athlete-A” enrolled at the University of Miami anyways.

There is a real need to sometimes keep witnesses anonymous, but this is dumb. Obviously Xavier Lucas is “Student-Athlete A.”

2. Wisconsin is Elevating Its NIL Contracts Above NCAA By-Laws

One of the most startling facts in the Complaint is that Wisconsin admitted that it refused to enter Lucas into the Transfer Portal for no reason other than it believed Lucas was breaching his NIL contract(s):

As Lucas’ attorney previously explained, that’s not how that works:

Wisconsin is obligated under NCAA Bylaws to timely enter into the Transfer Portal any athlete wishing to enter. Wisconsin admitting in court that the only reason it ignored an NCAA Bylaw was because of an NIL contract dispute is astonishing. It’s no secret that the NCAA is losing its influence/respect, but could the Badgers at least be subtle about it?

3. Wisconsin Sued Miami, Not Lucas, But Will Still Drag Lucas (and His Mother) Into Litigation

So if Lucas breached some contracts, why not sue the young man for breaching some contracts? He’s an adult, he signed those agreements, and he’s probably being paid a healthy enough sum that he can hire a lawyer and/or pay some sort of breach penalty.

The answer is obvious…it would be a really, really bad look for Wisconsin to start suing its players. So Lucas is not named as a defendant.

Instead, the Complaint bends over backwards to paint the University of Miami as the villain. While the majority of the Complaint is about Lucas, Wisconsin’s main claims are that Miami tortiously interfered with two contracts – one contract between Wisconsin and Lucas (the “University Contract”), and another contract between the NIL collective and Lucas (the “Collective Contract”). According to the Complaint, the Collective Contract would compensate Lucas before July 1, 2025 when the University Contract would kick-in (after the House v. NCAA settlement was expected to have been resolved).

Even if Wisconsin didn’t sue Lucas, he’s not going to escape being entangled in this litigation. To prove its case, Wisconsin must show that Lucas in-fact breached those contracts. Wisconsin also has to show that Miami’s interference caused the breaches. That second step would be unnecessary if Wisconsin had just sued Lucas! But by crafting the Complaint the way Wisconsin did, Wisconsin is telegraphing that Lucas and his mother will be necessary witnesses who should expect to be subpoenaed in this lawsuit.

The clear message from Wisconsin is this: if any student athlete dare to leave your NIL deal early, if we don’t sue you we will at least sue the school you transfer to, and we will not hesitate to drag you and your mother into the litigation. Wisconsin’s crazy if they think this won’t affect their recruiting.

4. Wisconsin’s Lawsuit is on the Heels of Getting Hit With Recruiting Violations

Speaking of Badgers recruiting, the timing of the lawsuit couldn’t be richer. Just last week, the NCAA announced that Coach Fickell’s staff committed recruiting violations in 2023 for impermissible contact with recruits. Wisconsin football staff members made 139 (!) calls to 48 (!!) recruits in violation of NCAA rules.

The aftermath is that Wisconsin is on a one-year probation, and a former assistant coach and a former director of player personnel were each slapped with a one-year show cause penalty. Boy, it sure would be hypocritical if the lynchpin of Wisconsin’s lawsuit is that Miami had “impermissible contacts” with a student athlete…

5. Fellow Big Ten Member Nebraska Did the Same Thing

While on the subject of hypocrisy, it’s a little known fact that last year the University of Nebraska pulled a similar stunt with a highly coveted prospect. Mac Markway was a four-star, top 250 overall prospect for LSU. Markway played for the Tigers his freshman season, but then abruptly unenrolled five practices into fall camp. A few days later, the story is that Markway worked with a sports agent to secretly transfer without ever entering the Transfer Portal. When interviewed, Markway’s dad said that his son wanted to transfer closer to home. Nebraska Coach Matt Rhule swore that he knew nothing about Markway until he showed up at practice one day asking to join the team.

There’s no reason not to believe the Husker’s story. It’s a nice story, and frankly LSU should be commended for not (publicly) putting up a fuss about Markway’s departure. It has to be disruptive when a highly rated prospect leaves in the middle of Fall camp. Although not reported on, it would be surprising if Markway hadn’t signed some sort of NIL deal with LSU.

But when Xavier Lucas says he wants to transfer near his Fort Lauderdale home because his father was “suffering from a serious, life-threatening illness,” apparently that’s a gross breach of contract. It’s fine when Nebraska “facilitated” Markway’s enrollment outside the transfer portal, but when Miami “facilitates” Lucas’ enrollment that’s “impermissible contact.”

6. If Wisconsin Wins, How Are Athletes Not Employees?

Whether student athletes should be considered “employees” is a subject of hot debate. Classifying student athletes as employees would have a host of implications including entitling them to minimum wage, overtime pay, and a right to form a labor union. The NCAA and its members have consistently taken the position that athletes are not employees. But if Wisconsin has its way and a court agrees that Wisconsin was justified in denying Lucas the right to transfer schools because of a contract with Wisconsin, how is Lucas not considered an employee who can be restricted from talking with other Universities (ahem, employers)? Bucky better be careful what he wishes for.

7. Workout Chats Now Mean You Are Program Committed

One thing the Complaint attempts to demonstrate is that Lucas was 1,000% committed to Wisconsin until big, bad Sebastian the Ibis swooped in and soiled Lucas with impure thoughts:

This only further demonstrates how strained it is for Wisconsin to sue Miami instead of just suing Lucas. Apparently, talking about weightlifting and shooting some social media videos means you’re in a committed relationship. Ask any college student if that’s true. It’s not.

8. Miami Allegedly Outbid One of Wisconsin’s Richest NIL Contracts in History

In one breath, the Complaint alleges that Lucas “was offered one of the largest NIL financial commitments of any [Wisconsin] athlete.” In another breath, Wisconsin alleges that Miami offered “financial terms more lucrative than those included in the [Wisconsin] Contracts.”

So if that’s true, is one of Wisconsin’s “largest NIL financial commitments” in history laughably small, or is Miami just that flush with cash?

By the way, a plausible reading of the Complaint allegations is that Lucas was railroaded into signing a new NIL agreement just days after Wisconsin’s end-of-season throttling by Minnesota, and he quickly realized how badly he got hosed and looked to transfer. If that’s the story, does Wisconsin really emerge as the good guy for low balling teenagers?

9. How Awkward Will It Be When Miami Joins the Big Ten?

The Big Ten issued a statement that it’s “supportive” of Wisconsin in its lawsuit. From the Big Ten’s perspective, it “believes that the University of Miami’s actions are irreconcilable with a sustainable college sports framework and is supportive of [Wisconsin]’s efforts to preserve it.”

The problem is that the next round of realignment is rapidly approaching, and Miami’s brand and strong TV ratings will be one of the most alluring additions. Miami has always been the villain – a role Hurricanes fans accept with glee – so perhaps this lawsuit is just priming the storylines for when Miami joins the Big Ten, not unlike a wrestling heel switching between WCW and WWE. The University of Miami has always been Razor Ramon, right?

WWE Archive

Photo by WWE via Getty Images.

10. But Seriously, What Damages?

Ultimately, the lawsuit seeks damages to compensate Wisconsin for the “loss of financial and promotional benefits [Wisconsin and its Collective] anticipated receiving” from Xavier Lucas’ NIL and participation on the football team. How you could calculate the loss of a freshman DB from a 5-7 football team is incomprehensible. How Wisconsin, not Lucas, would lose value because they could not promote his NIL is also incomprehensible. How many tickets will Wisconsin fail to sell to Lucas’ fans? How much will Lucas’ departure hinder the Big Ten from negotiating a new media rights deal? The world may never know…

…because this lawsuit will almost certainly settle. Wisconsin talked tough when Lucas forced his way to Miami, and evidently Wisconsin felt compelled to follow through with this lawsuit. In some ways it’s an important lawsuit because it could shape the future of NIL disputes in college athletics. In other ways, the lawsuit is extremely problematic. Most likely the later will carry the day, the schools will settle, and the Badgers and Hurricanes will be conference rivals a decade from now.





Link

0
Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending