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‘This is our time’: Alberts tailoring A&M’s approach as new era begins

Click here to view Trev Alberts’ Monday press conference. Trev Alberts’ job title is Texas A&M’s Director of Athletics. In some ways, tailor maybe should be added. That’s a reaction to how Alberts described the task he and A&M face in navigating the changing future of college athletics. “(It’s) how to thread the needle between tradition […]

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Click here to view Trev Alberts’ Monday press conference.


Trev Alberts’ job title is Texas A&M’s Director of Athletics. In some ways, tailor maybe should be added.

That’s a reaction to how Alberts described the task he and A&M face in navigating the changing future of college athletics.

“(It’s) how to thread the needle between tradition and modernization,” Alberts said in a Monday meeting with local reporters inside a third-floor conference room at Kyle Field.

Maintaining traditions at A&M won’t be a problem. Successfully modernizing A&M’s athletic department to excel in the new era of Name, Imagine & Likeness (NIL) and revenue sharing projects to be much more challenging.

Reacting to the recent House v. NCAA settlement, which allows NCAA member schools to directly pay student-athletes, Alberts announced that A&M will distribute $18 million to football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball.

A popular national template suggests directing 75 percent of funds to football, 15 percent to basketball, five percent to baseball and five percent to women’s sports.

“Some institutions have chosen to use that (75-15-5-5 model) as a template for their institution,” Alberts said. “Our percentages don’t reflect that. We’ve chosen to make market-based decisions based on revenue.”

The distribution could cause derision within athletic programs. Coaches in different programs could be competing against each other to get more funding.

Alberts said that hasn’t been a problem at A&M, but he has heard that has been an issue for other colleagues.

Alberts declined to reveal the percentages to be shared with A&M’s athletes for competitive reasons. But football is the only revenue-producing sport at Texas A&M, so it stands to reason that the majority of A&M’s shared revenue will go to football players.

“I’m not going to run out and tell you exactly what the numbers are and what the percentages are because there’s a competitive piece to that, right?” he said. “But I think you’re going to start to figure out where the numbers lie.”

He said in a year there may be more data available that provides at least guidelines how players perhaps should be compensated not only by sport, but by position.

Alberts acknowledged that some programs could be at a disadvantage to conference opponents.

“You’re not going to knowingly put any of your programs at a competitive disadvantage. But I think it’s absolutely true you could find yourselves in a situation — based on the priorities of the investments — that some of your programs will have less rev share than some of their competitors.”

– Director of Athletics Trev Alberts

For example, Kentucky, which puts great emphasis on basketball, figures to share a greater percentage of revenue with its basketball players than many other SEC programs.

“You’re not going to knowingly put any of your programs at a competitive disadvantage,” Alberts said. “But I think it’s absolutely true you could find yourselves in a situation — based on the priorities of the investments — that some of your programs will have less rev share than some of their competitors.”

Some of the differences, at least, could potentially be offset by greater NIL opportunities.

Alberts said if a program, like football, has players earning substantial money though fair-market NIL deals then some funds could be redirected to other sports.

To enhance those NIL possibilities, Alberts said a new position is being created to help locate NIL opportunities and ensure they meet the standard “fair market value” as determined by Deloitte, which will act as a third-party clearinghouse for NIL deals.

“We’re not ready to announce a name, but we are hiring a new position that will be an associate AD reporting directly to me that is an attorney,” Alberts said. “It’s basically, what is our strategy and how do we leverage every one of our assets?

“If we’re able to get fair market value NIL deals at a certain level, we may not need as much rev share there. We can put the rev share over at this sport because they’re not as successful. So, that’s why I think that fair market value NIL strategy is going to be really important to our future.”

Alberts later added: “We have to be better than our peers. To me, that’s the differentiator in the game. That’s why we’re going to throw a lot of energy and effort in making sure we have a good strategy there (NIL).”

Alberts is hopeful that a sound, effective strategy could launch A&M to great competitive success.

“This is our time,” he said. “If we have the courage to make tough decisions and act and modernize in some areas, I think Texas A&M can separate and do things we’ve never done here before.

“That’s why we’re all here. The opportunities are here at Texas A&M to do things that most people can’t do because of scale, because of resources and other things.”





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Natick sports news: Unified Track & Field team headed to Fenway; Basketball player Mela signs NIL deal with restaurant

The latest Natick, Mass., sports news: Unified Track & Field team headed to Fenway Three-Peat Division 1 Unified Track and Field State Championship athletes on Monday Aug. 4 with be honored with other title winners before the Red Sox-Royals at Fenway Park. Tickets are available until Aug. 1 for those who would like to sit […]

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The latest Natick, Mass., sports news:

Unified Track & Field team headed to Fenway

Three-Peat Division 1 Unified Track and Field State Championship athletes on Monday Aug. 4 with be honored with other title winners before the Red Sox-Royals at Fenway Park.

Tickets are available until Aug. 1 for those who would like to sit in the same area (right field grandstand) and cheer on the teams.
fenway opening day red soxfenway opening day red sox

Former NHS basketball player Ryan Mela signs NIL deal with restaurant

Former Natick High School basketball player Ryan Mela, now heading into his sophomore year at Providence College, has signed a NIL (name, image, and likeness) deal with 110 Grill, which has locations nearby Natick as well as in Providence. NIL deals allow college athletes to earn money from endorsements. Mela had a strong freshman year for the Friars basketball team, earning Big East All-Freshman Team honors.

110 Grill’s parent company has been doing deals for several years now with athletes from numerous schools, including Syracuse and Siena, and says you don’t have to be a big national brand to get in on this action as a local business. The deal with Mela was done through the Friar Family Collective and is the first for him that does not include teammates.

110 grill & Ryan Mela
110 grill & Ryan Mela Ryan Mela

Feel free to send us photos and info on Natick sports: natickreport@gmail.com

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Coaches race to master art of retention amid NIL, revenue sharing and transfer portal challenges

Whether it was an ACC, SEC, Big Ten or Big 12 coach taking the podium at media days, one theme remained consistent: In an era where revenue sharing and NIL opportunities can swiftly steer athletes toward the transfer portal, programs across the country are racing to master the art of player retention. Its importance is […]

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Whether it was an ACC, SEC, Big Ten or Big 12 coach taking the podium at media days, one theme remained consistent: In an era where revenue sharing and NIL opportunities can swiftly steer athletes toward the transfer portal, programs across the country are racing to master the art of player retention.

Its importance is clear to Arkansas coach Sam Pittman, who has seen all but five players from his 2023 recruiting class leave for different programs.

“Here’s what it’s not because of: the way they’re treated, because of the way they’re developed, because of the way they’re taught,” he said. “That’s not the reason. It could be playing time. It could be finances. Probably the majority of it is finances, but you’d have to ask those guys.”

More than 3,000 Bowl Subdivision players reportedly entered the transfer portal this past spring, which would average out to about 22 players per team. For the Razorbacks, 10 starters will be back and one of them is senior defensive lineman Cam Ball. He has remained with Arkansas his entire career, a somewhat rare occurrence for an NFL hopeful these days.

“I’m just a loyal guy. I’m loyal to the state of Arkansas; Arkansas has been loyal to me,” Ball said.

Arkansas, like many schools, is also trying to scare up more money from donors as it faces the financial ramifications of the $2.8 billion House settlement; last fall, the athletic director said the school needed some $12 million more annually to “be in the NIL game from a football perspective.” Besides the money, the Razorbacks have to find talented players; Ball grew up in Atlanta, just barely within the regional footprint in which Pittman prefers to recruit.

“We have to go outside our state,” Pittman said. “In-state recruiting has changed over the last three or four years because of NIL. So you have to think about the talent — who it is versus what pay is expected. So that’s been a little bit more difficult in our state.”

Pittman isn’t the only coach who wants prospects to be familiar with what their college experience will look like before making any life-changing decisions. Florida coach Billy Napier paints a clear picture of life in Gainesville and the challenges and perks that come with it.

“We present our product in a way where we’re selling the degree, the alumni network, the Gator-made program, and you have to be up for the challenge of trying to get Florida back to where it’s been before,” he said. “And I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve been able to keep it together.”

Florida’s 2023 recruiting class remains mostly intact, and from Napier’s perspective, hungrier than ever. Compared to other SEC teams, the Gators have had more success with retention. Napier doesn’t think it’s a coincidence.

“We told them when they came in, you know, look, it’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows here. We’re in this thing for the long haul,” Napier said. “I think a lot of this is how you pitch it in recruiting. We’re going to continue to do that, and retention is more important than it’s ever been.”

Coaches scrambling to prevent transfers and maintain consistency isn’t exclusive to the SEC. The approval of the House settlement is a double-edged sword when it comes to retention, and Power Four schools and beyond are feeling the effects. Third-party NIL deals are no longer the only negotiation tactic schools need to worry about.

Complex contracts are becoming common and legal risks grow for athletes and programs alike as college football increasingly resembles the pros. Some deals are being negotiated solely by athletes as young as 18.

As a redshirt senior, Louisville linebacker TJ Quinn is used to the process.

“I wouldn’t say I was nervous (to negotiate) because this is my third year of having to do that,” Quinn said. “You’ve got to kind of stand your ground with what you feel like is your worth. If you’re comfortable with their offer, then sign. Then you have some guys that’ll leave and go to schools to get more money and stuff. That was never really like a big pusher for me, to go out and get more money because I feel like I’m in a good situation here at Louisville.”

Quinn’s loyalty could be the most convincing negotiation tactic of them all. While programs use revenue-share dollars to sway prospective transfers, coaches have begun to reward loyalty.

“To some degree, it’s capitalism that you get what you earn. So the guys that go out and play well are going to get more than the guys who haven’t proven it yet,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “Everybody on the team’s not going to make the same. Fair doesn’t always mean equal.”

But he also said the Mustangs are not going to add players “making a whole lot more than those guys who have already earned it here.”

“And I think that’s what helps us keep a good culture, is try to start with: Let’s retain first, and then whatever’s left, let’s go build the best team we can for those guys,” Lashlee said.

North Carolina State’s Dave Doeren doubled down.

“A guy that’s been on a team three years, that’s playing well and earned it on the field should make more than a guy coming in the door. I think that’s a proper way to do business,” Doeren said, though he warned that might not be the case across the board. “Right now, common sense is not prevailing in college football.”

___

AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.



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Letters: Coach Jay Johnson lifts LSU baseball to new heights | Letters

Congratulations to Jay Johnson on winning National Coach of the Year awarded by D1Baseball.com. Coach Johnson won the prestigious award for the second time in three years at the helm of the LSU Tigers. Since the arrival of Johnson, college baseball has changed dramatically. NIL is a huge consideration for many players considering offers for […]

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Congratulations to Jay Johnson on winning National Coach of the Year awarded by D1Baseball.com. Coach Johnson won the prestigious award for the second time in three years at the helm of the LSU Tigers.

Since the arrival of Johnson, college baseball has changed dramatically. NIL is a huge consideration for many players considering offers for their services. However, the Tiger mentor assembled a star-studded roster of blue-chip players who chose LSU over other schools. A few even turned down lucrative professional baseball contracts to play for the Tigers.

Coach Johnson not only mentors his team in the art of baseball, but he also strives to prepare his men for life after college. He recently mentioned that LSU players have a GPA of 3.0. They participate in community projects and school extracurricular activities. And you don’t read about them in newspaper police reports.

When signees join the Tiger program under Johnson, they come to win a National Championship, enjoy the support of 12,000 fans and the unique LSU experience.

LSU fans deserve much of the credit for the program’s success. They are well-received at every venue they participate in because they are among the most generous, fun-loving, devoted fans in America. I thought it interesting to hear the Omaha business owners and other schools who were ecstatic that the Tigers were back in town for the College World Series. They share their barbecue fare with everyone who wants a taste of bayou favorites.



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Top International Prospect to Visit UNC later this week

North Carolina continues to stay in the recruiting spotlight—and that’s great news for Tar Heel fans. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, international prospect Sayon Keita is making a whirlwind tour of six blue blood programs in six days. One of those stops includes Chapel Hill. The 7-foot standout will visit UNC on Aug. 1, […]

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North Carolina continues to stay in the recruiting spotlight—and that’s great news for Tar Heel fans.

According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, international prospect Sayon Keita is making a whirlwind tour of six blue blood programs in six days. One of those stops includes Chapel Hill. The 7-foot standout will visit UNC on Aug. 1, his second-to-last stop before wrapping up his tour at UConn on Aug. 2. Keita already visited Kansas and Indiana on July 28–29, with trips to Kentucky on July 30 and Duke on July 31 also on the schedule.

This is on point as there is an influx of international basketball players into U.S. college programs has grown in recent years, fueled in large part by the rise of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities since the NCAA lifted restrictions in 2021.

Historically, many elite international prospects opted to remain in their home countries, where they could earn immediate salaries by turning professional. But the chance to secure NIL deals while playing college basketball in the United States has reshaped that dynamic. For many, it’s no longer just about getting paid — it’s about acclimating to American culture, raising their NBA stock and competing against top-level talent on a prominent stage.

North Carolina recently dipped their fingers in the Europan waters and managed to get Luka Bogavac.

Expect Keita’s name to surface frequently in the coming months. The Mali native may reclassify to the 2026 class, though even if he does, he’s expected to remain the top international prospect.

UNC

Dec 13, 2022; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; A view of the Roy Williams Court logo at Dean E. Smith Center. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Keita is an elite defender with a rare combination of size, length and athleticism that allows him to impact both ends of the floor. He’s highly effective in pick-and-roll situations, often finishing plays with alley-oops set up by well-timed screens. His highlight tape features plenty of explosive finishes and rim protection.

He impressed scouts at both the NBPA Top 100 Camp and NBA Academy Games, averaging 13.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and four blocks per game.

Keita made his professional debut in March 2025 while playing for FC Barcelona B, earning his first minutes with the senior team in an ACB League victory over CB Breogán at Palau Blaugrana. Injuries to Barcelona’s first-team roster opened the door for multiple EuroLeague call-ups during the 2024–25 season.

While Keita’s potential is undeniable, his game remains raw. At just 17 years old, he’s still learning how to fully utilize his 7-foot, 215-pound frame. He’s shown flashes of scoring ability with his back to the basket—most notably a developing right hook—and has intriguing upside as a vertical spacer and shot blocker.

Make sure to follow North Carolina Tar Heels On SI on X (formerly Twitter). Also, go like our page on Facebook!



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Unregulated NIL, transfers create chaos in college sports

SPORTS COLUMN Name, image and likeness, or NIL, has taken the college sports world by storm. Now, nearly every commitment by a high school prospect or transfer portal player is immediately followed by speculation about how much money was offered — or what other schools were willing to pay. But the problem with NIL has […]

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SPORTS COLUMN

Name, image and likeness, or NIL, has taken the college sports world by storm.

Now, nearly every commitment by a high school prospect or transfer portal player is immediately followed by speculation about how much money was offered — or what other schools were willing to pay.

But the problem with NIL has never been the money itself. College athletes deserve to be compensated. The issue lies in the NCAA’s lack of regulation.

Without clear guidelines, standard contracts or uniform expectations — like those in professional leagues — NIL has become a free-for-all. Athletes can renegotiate deals or switch programs every offseason with few restrictions.

This lack of structure has made life far more difficult for college coaches. Each year, they must re-recruit their own roster, decide how to allocate NIL funds and still try to land top high school and transfer portal talent. It’s a juggling act that leaves little room for roster continuity or long-term planning.

Implementing contracts that span a player’s remaining eligibility would help bring stability to the system.

Yes, some argue that student-athletes should have the same freedom to transfer as any other college student — but regular students aren’t being paid to represent a university on the field.

That said, graduate transfers should remain an exception.

If a student-athlete earns their degree, they should be free to transfer without restriction. Graduation reflects a full academic and athletic commitment — and those individuals deserve the freedom to pursue new opportunities, whether athletic, academic or financial.

Set contracts would also lead to more transparency. If NIL deals are formally negotiated and binding, it would protect both schools and athletes.

There have already been multiple cases where players were promised a certain amount of NIL money, only to discover later that the funds never materialized. With enforceable agreements, these situations would be far less common.

Contracts would also help promote team loyalty. As a lifelong LSU fan, I’ve seen the revolving- door effect firsthand. In the NIL era, players come and go at a staggering rate. Growing up, I watched legends like Patrick Peterson, Eric Reid, Leonard Fournette and Derek Stingley Jr. suit up for the Tigers year after year. That kind of continuity helped build deeper fan connections. You knew who the stars were, and you watched them grow over multiple seasons.

That’s no longer the norm. This past offseason alone, LSU brought in 20 players from the transfer portal and lost 26.

Even the top performers are willing to jump ship. Defending national champion Ohio State, for example, added star safety Caleb Downs from Alabama, standout running back Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss and several others from top programs.

There are still positives in the new system, and that’s worth acknowledging — especially for athletes from smaller schools or under-the-radar programs.

Former Elgin High School standout Braylon Owens, for instance, transferred from Texas State to UT-San Antonio, where he played a pivotal role in the Roadrunners’ upset of Texas in the NCAA regionals.

That performance helped propel him into the 2025 MLB Draft, where he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Keaton Grady, another former Elgin product, also benefited from the transfer portal. After starting his collegiate career at Incarnate Word, Grady transferred to Dallas Baptist University.

He emerged as a key defensive player and was named to the Baton Rouge All-Regional Team after a stellar performance at second base.

These are great examples of how NIL and the portal can open doors when used for the right reasons. But stories like theirs are becoming exceptions — not the rule. The bigger concern lies with powerhouse programs using unregulated NIL funds to poach athletes from other bigname schools.

Without meaningful regulation, college athletics has become a revolving door. Athletes chase bigger paychecks or better exposure — which is understandable in some cases.

But often, the grass isn’t greener on the other side. If players signed multi-year contracts out of high school, perhaps they’d take more time choosing the right fit rather than chasing the highest bidder, only to transfer again the following year.

NIL isn’t going away — nor should it. But if the NCAA wants to protect the integrity of college sports and ensure a better experience for athletes, coaches and fans, it’s time for structure, regulation and accountability.

Carter Bordwell is the sports editor of the Elgin Courier and Taylor Press. He can be reached at carter. bordwell@granitemediapartners. com.



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APEX and Baseline Ventures forge strategic alliance to drive global sports investments

Bengaluru: APEX, a sports-focused international investments firm, and Baseline Ventures, a prominent player in the Indian sports and entertainment ecosystem, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at unlocking high-impact investment opportunities across the global sports industry. The collaboration marks a significant step forward in connecting global capital with India’s rapidly evolving sports ecosystem. Through this […]

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APEX and Baseline Ventures forge strategic alliance to drive global sports investments

Bengaluru: APEX, a sports-focused international investments firm, and Baseline Ventures, a prominent player in the Indian sports and entertainment ecosystem, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at unlocking high-impact investment opportunities across the global sports industry.

The collaboration marks a significant step forward in connecting global capital with India’s rapidly evolving sports ecosystem. Through this alliance, APEX’s venture portfolio will gain access to one of the fastest-growing sports markets in the world, where innovation, IP creation, and fan engagement are accelerating. In parallel, APEX will actively explore investments in both emerging sports IPs and established entities across India, recognising the market’s scale and long-term potential.

Founded in 2014, Baseline Ventures has been instrumental in shaping India’s sports commerce landscape. The firm’s deep involvement across athlete management, league development, brand partnerships, and licensing has led to the creation of some of the most valuable properties in Indian sports. Their roster includes elite athletes and successful sports IPs, backed by enduring brand collaborations.

APEX, with its stronghold in Europe and the U.S., is recognised for its strategic investments in the global sports and media sector. The firm’s athlete-led model has attracted top-tier investors including F1 stars Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, as well as footballers Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marcelo Viera. Recently, Smriti Mandhana — India’s leading women’s cricketer and exclusively managed by Baseline Ventures — became the first Indian athlete to invest in APEX, further strengthening its ties with the Indian market.

Pedro Felix da Costa, Partner & Chief Commercial Officer at APEX, commented, “APEX was founded in Europe but built with a global mandate, and we’re very happy with the continuous deal flow we see across Europe and the US. To unlock potential in India, it’s a natural step to partner locally with people who deeply understand the landscape and can help us navigate it with intent. This is also an opportunity for capital in the region to access high-quality sports deals across Europe and the US through APEX.”

Vishal Jaison, Co-Founder & Director of Baseline Ventures, said, “We’re happy to join hands with APEX to help unlock opportunities for Indian investors in the global sports market. Sports has emerged as one of the most lucrative asset classes in recent times while showing tremendous potential for value appreciation. APEX is well placed to be right gateway for investment into some of the leading sports entities across Europe and US.”

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