NIL
Texas A&M Pitcher Becomes First Aggie To Enter Transfer Portal in 2025
The offseason is now officially upon the Texas A&M Aggies, and it seems they already have their first departure following an upsetting 2025 season. Kyrin LeBlanc, a junior right-handed pitcher out of St. Martinville, LA, who committed to the Aggies over the Texas Longhorns amongst other schools, announced on X Friday morning that he would […]

The offseason is now officially upon the Texas A&M Aggies, and it seems they already have their first departure following an upsetting 2025 season.
Kyrin LeBlanc, a junior right-handed pitcher out of St. Martinville, LA, who committed to the Aggies over the Texas Longhorns amongst other schools, announced on X Friday morning that he would be entering the NCAA Transfer Portal.
LeBlanc did not make an appearance on the mound for Texas A&M during the 2025 season.
Before LeBlanc looked to take his talents to the Division I stage, he spent two seasons in junior college at Cisco College, where his 2024 season stood out, as he composed a 2-1 record with 35 strikeouts and 21.2 innings pitched in 17 appearances as a reliever, which also featured a pair of saves.
LeBlanc’s main weapon was his fastball, which he has been known to throw as fast as 102 miles per hour, which would have mixed him in perfectly with the rest of the hard-throwing A&M bullpen that also featured players like Clayton Freshcorn and Kaiden Wilson. It seems as though head coach Michael Earley or even pitching coach Jason Kelly thought otherwise, perhaps choosing to preserve the flamethrower.
Regardless of Earley’s or Kelly’s intentions, LeBlanc clearly did not see things the same way and will now take his talents to another school where they can be used effectively.
Though we probably won’t hear of many other transfer portal entrants until the fate of head coach Earley is decided, LeBlanc’s announcement kick starts an offseason of questions that truly makes the 12th Man wonder who is going to be in College Station next season and who will be packing their bags.
That, of course, going for both players and coaches.
NIL
Kansas Basketball Guard Makes Late Offseason Transfer Portal Entry
According to reports from On3, Kansas Jayhawks guard Noah Shelby is entering the NCAA transfer portal. NEW: Kansas guard Noah Shelby has entered the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos_ reports. Shelby has made stops at Vanderbilt and Rice.https://t.co/EDWuhfuFZR pic.twitter.com/rZt7GHDEQW — Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) July 7, 2025 Although Bill Self had seemingly rounded out his squad, Shelby […]


According to reports from On3, Kansas Jayhawks guard Noah Shelby is entering the NCAA transfer portal.
NEW: Kansas guard Noah Shelby has entered the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos_ reports.
Shelby has made stops at Vanderbilt and Rice.https://t.co/EDWuhfuFZR pic.twitter.com/rZt7GHDEQW
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) July 7, 2025
Although Bill Self had seemingly rounded out his squad, Shelby unexpectedly departed from the program in the late transfer window.
A former 4-star recruit out of high school, Shelby began his collegiate career at Vanderbilt before transferring to Rice.
He was a walk-on redshirt during his first and only year in Lawrence, and his KU career ended before he could play a game in a crimson and blue uniform. The school was planning to elevate Shelby to a scholarship player this upcoming season.
While he never took the floor at KU, Shelby appeared in 30 games for Rice in the 2023-24 campaign. He averaged 3.9 points and 1.0 rebounds for the Owls on 35.1% field goal shooting.
With transfers Melvin Council Jr. and Jayden Dawson and returning players Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell in the fold, the 6-foot-3 guard did not have a viable path to playing time despite his exceptional athleticism.
Incoming freshman Kohl Rosario’s commitment last month also could have influenced Shelby‘s decision.
Now that Shelby is out of the picture, Kansas has two remaining scholarships on the roster, though it remains unknown whether the program will fill them.
NIL
Season and Single-Game Tickets Now Available for Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Soccer
Story Links MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Mountaineer Ticket Office has announced season and single-game ticket information for the 2025 women’s soccer, men’s soccer and volleyball home schedules. Season tickets for all three programs are now available, offering Mountaineer fans an affordable and convenient way to support WVU’s fall athletic programs […]

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Mountaineer Ticket Office has announced season and single-game ticket information for the 2025 women’s soccer, men’s soccer and volleyball home schedules.
Season tickets for all three programs are now available, offering Mountaineer fans an affordable and convenient way to support WVU’s fall athletic programs throughout the season. All season tickets will be sold as general admission only.
Season ticket pricing is set at $75 for all sports. Fans also have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive WVU soccer scarf as part of a bundled offer with either soccer season ticket for a total of $90. Scarves will be available only through this package and will not be sold separately.
All season tickets will be delivered via mobile delivery only, and sales will conclude at the beginning of each sport’s first home event. Flex plans will not be offered for the 2025 season.
Single-game tickets purchased in advance through WVUGAME.com will be priced at $8. Group tickets for parties of 10 or more will be available for $5 per person in advance. On-site, game day pricing will be $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and youth (ages 18 and under).
Tickets can be purchased online at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU GAME, or in person at the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
For more information on team schedules, ticket policies, and promotional events, visit WVUsports.com and follow @WVUsports on social media.
NIL
Ohio State’s 2024 National Championship Proved NIL, Revenue-Sharing Strategy Works Without Winning Every High School Recruit
It’s impossible to tell exactly how much NIL and revenue sharing dollars factored into Felix Ojo’s decision to attend Texas Tech, but there’s no denying it was a factor. Being a five-star offensive tackle, Ojo represented what’s been a desperate recruiting desire for the Buckeyes for the better part of a decade. Ohio State hasn’t […]

It’s impossible to tell exactly how much NIL and revenue sharing dollars factored into Felix Ojo’s decision to attend Texas Tech, but there’s no denying it was a factor.
Being a five-star offensive tackle, Ojo represented what’s been a desperate recruiting desire for the Buckeyes for the better part of a decade. Ohio State hasn’t landed a five-star offensive line bookender from outside The Buckeye State since Nicholas Petit-Frere signed on in the class of 2018. The Buckeyes haven’t landed a top-100 OT in general since Ohio five-star Paris Johnson Jr. in 2020 – not counting Donovan Jackson in 2021 – though Sam Greer (the composite No. 109 overall prospect in 2026) and Maxwell Riley (No. 127) could buck that trend with a bit more rankings climb.
Texas Tech is reportedly ready to shell out $5.1 million over the next three years for Ojo. Conflicting reports are out about whether that’s fully guaranteed or if it’s a $775,000 per year deal that can be renegotiated later, but in both cases, the Red Raiders are at least willing to cough up more than $1.5 million each season.
Five-Star OT Felix Ojo will join Texas Tech on a fully-guaranteed 3-year, 5.1M Deal, per his agent Derrick Shelby of @PrestigeMgmtLLC
Its believed to be one of the largest guaranteed deals in CFB historyhttps://t.co/p5CYQomCVB pic.twitter.com/Pft40wpRm3
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 4, 2025
Could Ohio State have pooled its resources and extended Ojo a better offer and possibly brought him to Columbus? Perhaps. But that has not been the strategy of Ryan Day’s program since NIL entered college football back in 2021.
And it’s working. It’s the strategy that built the Buckeyes a national championship roster in 2024.
“The number one thing is wanting to be a Buckeye,” Ryan Day said of the players he recruits during Big Ten Media Days in July 2024. “Understanding the tradition, what our city can do, what our program can do, how we can develop you, playing for championships, all those things. If the number one thing is NIL, it probably isn’t the right place for you.”
There’s an inherent risk to throwing millions of dollars at an 18, 17 or even 16-year-old kid. Just ask Texas A&M.
The Aggies poured out proverbial oceans of cash to help sign the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in 2022, the first cycle where NIL was fully available to recruits after the NCAA implemented its first NIL-allowing policy in July 2021. What has it reaped the program? Well, Texas A&M still hasn’t had a 10-win season since 2012. A number of the prospects from its 2022 class who received lucrative payouts from collectives transferred elsewhere later in their college careers, including the nation’s composite No. 2 player, Walter Nolen (Ole Miss). Oh, and the school paid a record $77 million buyout to fire former head coach Jimbo Fisher in 2023.
Beyond feel-good talks about loyalty or “wanting to be a Buckeye,” as Day put it, he and his program devised a clear, consistent and better long-term plan than funneling most of its NIL resources into recruiting. Ohio State figured out what it felt a prospect’s worth was and its now-disbanded NIL collectives would orchestrate deals for around that amount, but the Buckeyes have rarely, if ever, entered bidding wars for recruits. Some NIL resources went to recruiting, yes, but roster retention and the transfer portal were equal or higher priorities.
Alright, maybe there was bidding for Jeremiah Smith out of high school, but he’s as obvious a generational talent as there’s ever been. And Smith wanted to be a Buckeye all along, too, despite some of the last-minute drama around him on Early Signing Day, 2024.
Ohio State might not have won the recruitments of 2025 five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. or five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord, both of whom drew top-dollar NIL deals, reportedly. It stung. But they invested in an all-in push with more proven assets earlier in 2024.
Who is the highest-paid recruit in the 2025 class?
An ACC NIL Collective tells @PeteNakos_ it’s 5-star Tennesssee OT David Sanders…
Story: https://t.co/RyXhLcsY97 pic.twitter.com/46hSQsPuiQ
— On3 (@On3sports) February 5, 2025
The Buckeyes returned 11 seniors who became 2025 NFL draft picks. From the transfer portal, they pulled unanimous All-American safety Caleb Downs, Rimington Trophy-winning center Seth McLaughlin, national title-winning quarterback Will Howard, 1,000-yard rusher Quinshon Judkins and excellent blocking tight end Will Kacmarek.
That core, plus Smith, banded together after Ohio State’s fourth consecutive loss to Michigan and went on the greatest national championship run in college football history. The Buckeyes’ four-game College Football Playoff gauntlet featured victories over No. 7 Tennessee, No. 1 Oregon, No. 3 Texas and No. 5 Notre Dame based on the final batch of CFP rankings. It’s been recounted on here numerous times. There’s an entire library you can check out by clicking the banner below:

But that memorable journey was enabled by Ohio State’s NIL spend, not in recruiting but in the portal and especially in retention. Plus, it made the Buckeyes’ title feel very homegrown, and it says much about the culture of Day’s program that so many draft-caliber players stuck around for a senior season.
“I think that’s where it’s just easy for people to say, you know, Ohio State just had NIL for this amount of money or whatever, and it’s just so cheap and so easy for someone to say,” Day told Josh Pate on his Pate State Speaker Series in May. “If you actually do the research, all it does it really tell you the value of an Ohio State football player. When you look at a brand that has just south of 12 million fans and the city of Columbus with 2 million people and the power of Ohio State, yeah, our guys are going to make a lot of money in NIL.”
None of this is to excuse lost recruitments like that of Ojo’s. Ohio State also whiffed on a few big-time defensive linemen recently in Luke Wafle (USC) and Carter Meadows (Michigan). The Trojans reportedly upped their NIL offer to Wafle in the final hours. However, the Buckeyes are still attracting elite recruiting classes, signing the composite No. 5 class in 2024 and the No. 4 class in 2025. The Buckeyes currently hold the composite No. 6 class in 2026.
Revenue sharing is shaking up the structure of recruiting again and Ohio State is unifying its NIL and revenue sharing efforts under the oversight of the athletic department. But its tactics remain the same. In an ever-crazier era of player movement through the transfer portal, the Buckeyes didn’t lose any contributors to the portal this offseason.
From the portal, they added back the best available tight end in Purdue’s Max Klare, a defensive end with proven production in North Carolina’s Beau Atkinson and West Virginia running back CJ Donaldson, who is projected to work in tandem with James Peoples atop Ohio State’s depth chart at the position.
Perhaps the Buckeyes’ approach to roster building will yield more national championships soon.
“Once you win that national championship, for the most part, you’ll get the benefit of the doubt moving forward,” Day told NBC in May. “Not that anything is guaranteed because once you lose a game, it’s not good (laughs). But that’s part of the job here. It’s part of the excellence. It’s a wonderful place to be. You get to be around great people, you get to recruit great people — even in a day and age where there’s a lot of craziness going on.
“But we do, we have good people here. Our culture is very, very strong. I always kind of said to recruits and families, ‘If we win one of these national championships, watch out, we’re gonna be doing it for a while, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun.’”
NIL
Koby Brea was included in the NBA's first ever seven team trade
Years from now, Koby Brea can say that he helped Kevin Durant find his way to the Houston Rockets — well, sort of. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Durant’s trade from the Phoenix Suns to the Rockets all the way back on June 22. But because of how the league calendar is set up, the […]

Years from now, Koby Brea can say that he helped Kevin Durant find his way to the Houston Rockets — well, sort of.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Durant’s trade from the Phoenix Suns to the Rockets all the way back on June 22. But because of how the league calendar is set up, the transaction couldn’t be made official until Sunday. And when all was said and done, the dealing of Durant to Houston included a record-setting seven teams. Brea, who was taken 41st overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, ended up being a part of it, with the Golden State Warriors trading his draft rights to Phoenix.
This massive, seven-team deal was made up of a series of smaller transactions that leaked out since the Durant deal was made public in June. All seven franchises somehow managed to get on the same page and make it work. Also included in the trade was former Kentucky guard Adou Thiero, who had his draft rights traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Los Angeles Lakers. Thiero was the 36th overall pick in the draft.

Would it have been nice for Brea to begin his professional career with the Warriors, learning under the greatest shooter of all time in Steph Curry? Of course. But here at Kentucky Sports Radio, we think learning under Devin Booker in Phoenix is a pretty solid consolation prize. There should be a pretty clear pathway to a rotation spot for Brea, too — especially if the Suns’ front office can figure out a way to offload Bradley Beal and his expensive, no-trade clause contract.
Brea will make his NBA debut later this week (Friday, July 11) in Las Vegas at the NBA 2K26 Summer League. He’ll be one of a dozen former Wildcats set to suit up and make some noise.
NIL
How Fans Can Play EA Sports College Football 26 Before July 10 Release
College football fans can get their hands on EA Sports College Football 26 three days early, starting July 7. The game officially launches July 10 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, but several early access options let players jump in sooner. Whether you want to spend big on premium editions or test the waters […]
College football fans can get their hands on EA Sports College Football 26 three days early, starting July 7. The game officially launches July 10 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, but several early access options let players jump in sooner.
Whether you want to spend big on premium editions or test the waters with a budget trial, there’s an early access path that fits your wallet and gaming style.

How the Deluxe and MVP Bundles Get You Playing First
EA Sports gives players two premium ways to start playing July 7 at Noon Eastern Time. The Deluxe Edition costs $99.99, which is $30 more than the standard version but gets you three full days of early access.
That extra $30 also nets you 4,600 College Football Points, a College Ultimate Team All Hands Pack, Dynasty Coach Points, Road to Glory Skill Points, and an Ultimate Team Hero Player Item. For players who plan to dive deep into the game modes, those bonuses add real value beyond just the early access.
NEW: EA College Football 26 Gameplay Deep Dive
(via @EASPORTSCollege) https://t.co/vUiQsRsMMC pic.twitter.com/sndbw4Tvy7
— On3 (@On3sports) June 20, 2025
The MVP Bundle takes things further at $149.99 by combining both Madden NFL 26 Deluxe Edition and College Football 26 Deluxe Edition. You get the same July 7 early access for both games plus 4,600 Madden points, 4,600 CUT Points, and a Cover Athlete Elite Item. For fans who buy both games anyway, this bundle saves money while delivering early access to both titles.
This year’s College Football game packs over 2,800 new plays and 45+ new formations into the experience. The developers brought in 300 real-world coaches who use their actual schemes, making each team feel authentic to their real-life counterparts. Road to Glory mode now starts in high school with full recruiting experiences, complete with the traditional Hat Ceremony where players announce their college choice.
The NIL features let players chase brand partnerships and endorsement deals throughout their virtual careers, mirroring the modern college football landscape. These additions make the early access period valuable for players who want to explore all the new systems before the general release.
The Smart Money Play: EA Play Trial and Pre-Loading Perks
EA Play subscribers get a 10-hour trial of College Football 26 starting July 7, the same day as premium early access. The monthly subscription costs just $5.99 and includes a 10% discount on game purchases. Any progress you make during the trial carries over if you decide to buy the full game.
This trial option gives you plenty of time to test the gameplay, try different modes, and see if the game lives up to the hype. Ten hours is enough to play through several games, experiment with Road to Glory, and get a feel for the Dynasty mode improvements.
The EA Sports College Football 25 Reveal Trailer has arrived. I HAVE NEVER FELT SO ALIVE. pic.twitter.com/jMUCN1YvCm
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) May 17, 2024
Both console platforms offer pre-loading to make the most of early access time. PlayStation 5 users can download the 39.51 GB file 48 hours before early access begins, while Xbox Series X/S players with pre-orders can start downloading the 40.5 GB file immediately after purchase.
The EA Play route makes the most financial sense for casual players or those unsure about the game. You get substantial gameplay time for under $6, plus the discount if you decide to purchase. Players who know they want the game can jump straight to the Deluxe Edition for the full early access experience with bonus content.
For those who prefer to wait, the Standard Edition launches July 10 at noon Eastern Time for $69.99. But with college football season approaching and the first game in over a decade generating massive excitement, those three extra days might be worth the investment for die-hard fans.
NIL
Lynette Woodard Sues Harlem Globetrotters Over Unpaid NIL Money
Basketball Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard last week sued the Harlem Globetrotters and other defendants for what she argues is unauthorized use of her NIL in a clothing line. The case presents a unique test of NIL outside the college sports landscape and in a setting where a player contract and collective bargaining agreements complicate […]

Basketball Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard last week sued the Harlem Globetrotters and other defendants for what she argues is unauthorized use of her NIL in a clothing line.
The case presents a unique test of NIL outside the college sports landscape and in a setting where a player contract and collective bargaining agreements complicate the situation.
Woodard, 65, is among the country’s most accomplished basketball players. She was a four-time All-American at Kansas, a two-time Olympian and captain of the gold-medal-winning 1984 U.S. Olympic team. Woodard also played in the WNBA and professionally in Europe and Japan. She was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004 and has also been inducted in the National High School Hall of Fame, the Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Black Legends Professional Hall of Fame, the State of Kansas Hall of Fame and the African American Hall of Fame.
Woodard had a remarkable career, but what’s at issue in her lawsuit is another basketball experience: playing for the Harlem Globetrotters in the mid-1980s.
In 1985, Woodard became the first woman to ever play for a men’s professional basketball team when she signed with the Globetrotters. She toured with the team for two years.
Woodard signed player contracts with the Globetrotters, with her 1986 pact key to the case. The Globetrotters agreed to pay Woodard $75,000 (worth about $220,000 today) for the 1986-87 season. As told by Woodard’s attorneys, Michael L. Murphy, Elliott C. McGraw and Michael B. Clohisy, the contract included a California choice of law provision—meaning California law on NIL applies. It also refers to the Globetrotters having a right to use her NIL in perpetuity under certain conditions.
In addition, Woodard was a member of a players’ union, the United Basketball Players Association. The UBPA represented Globetrotters players and negotiated a CBA with the Globetrotters. Ratification of a CBA meant union and management agreed on terms and conditions of employment related to hours, wages and other working conditions of Globetrotters players. Woodard insists that the CBA and individual player contracts “are inextricably intertwined with one another, such that they must be read together.”
Woodard cites language from the CBA to insist the Globetrotters “agreed to pay royalties on merchandise sales to the players.” The CBA also provided royalties rights and other terms that, Woodard contends, supplement and supersede conditions in players’ contracts. The CBA indicates that in any year where net merchandising revenue exceeds $5,000, the player will be paid a 25% royalty rate of net merchandising revenue. Although the CBA excluded certain types of merchandise, including signed photographs and items sold at games, Woodard maintains hoodies and sweatpants weren’t excluded and thus fall within the royalties provision.
These contractual terms are especially important because the Globetrotters and streetwear brand UNDRCRWN teamed up in 2022 to launch a clothing line celebrating Globetrotter motifs from the 1970s and 1980s. The line included the Lynette fleece sweatsuit, which marketing materials indicated was “named in honor of Lynette Woodard … whose breakthrough participation made the Globetrotters the first co-ed professional team.”
Woodard contends neither the Globetrotters nor its associated businesses, including parent company Herschend, have paid her royalties.
In January, Woodard filed a petition in a New York trial court seeking a subpoena to obtain her 1986 Globetrotters contract and a Globetrotters apparel contract from a few years ago. Now she brings 14 claims against the Globetrotters and associated businesses.
One claim is a demand for a declaration that Woodard’s player contract was not assumed as part of a Globetrotters bankruptcy proceeding in the early 1990s. The Globetrotters’ then-parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and through that process, the team was sold to a former Globetrotters player, Mannie Jackson. Woodard contends her player contracts “are a legal nullity,” because they “were not assumed” through the bankruptcy. Therefore, Woodard argues, her player contracts can’t be enforced against her.
Other claims include misappropriation of her NIL through sale of a clothing line she never approved or authorized and false endorsement in that consumers will assume she endorsed the clothing line. To that point, Woodard argues that the Globetrotters “never sought” her consent, because they knew she “would not give it for free.”
The complaint also invokes California’s right of publicity in a claim. The right of publicity forbids the unauthorized commercial use of another person’s identity, including their name, image, likeness, voice, signature and other distinguishing characteristics. The right of publicity long predates NIL, which became a popular term in Ed O’Bannon’s case against the NCAA and more recently when states made it illegal for the NCAA, conferences and schools to deny endorsement opportunities for college athletes through eligibility rules.
California’s right of publicity is particularly protective of individuals’ identifying traits. Woodard argues the use of her name and likeness in the Lynette apparel line diminishes her “ability to control the value of her own brand.”
Her complaint accuses the defendants of knowing they had no “right to right to design, manufacture, distribute, and sell products bearing Lynette Woodard’s name, image, or likeness.” Woodard seeks profits from the sale of the apparel line as well as damages, attorney’s fees and an injunction that would block what she terms further infringement.
The defendants will have the opportunity to rebut Woodard’s arguments in an answer and motion to dismiss. Those documents might assert an alternative interpretation of Woodard’s contract and the Globetrotters’ CBA to defend their decision-making. They could also challenge Woodard’s depiction of how rights and obligations flowed from the bankruptcy proceeding.
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Polar is teasing a Whoop alternative without subscription
-
College Sports2 weeks ago
WAC to Rebrand to UAC, Add Five New Members in 2026
-
Technology3 weeks ago
I loved the Whoop MG, but didn’t love the price: that’s why I’m excited about this mysterious new fitness band from a major Garmin rival
-
Motorsports7 days ago
Why Cosmetics are Making Up for Lost Time in Women’s Sports
-
Professional Sports2 weeks ago
Alex Pereira responds to rumors of UFC heavyweight title fight with threatening message
-
College Sports2 weeks ago
Women's Basketball Thanks Shannon LeBeauf for 14 Seasons
-
College Sports2 weeks ago
Alabama Basketball
-
Motorsports2 weeks ago
NASCAR This Week – Patriot Publishing LLC
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Pet fitness and wellness trends for a healthier and happier dog
-
Professional Sports2 weeks ago
Francis Ngannou sends Dana White a message following Jon Jones' shock UFC retirement