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Why college baseball could benefit from House settlement windfall

The smoke rose, pyrotechnics flared and cowbells tolled. In a scene largely reserved for Saturdays in the fall, Mississippi State welcomed new head baseball coach Brian O’Connor in a way few programs can. The rigs and grills that facilitate the smoky haze that hangs over the outfield at Dudy Noble Field during the spring were […]

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The smoke rose, pyrotechnics flared and cowbells tolled. In a scene largely reserved for Saturdays in the fall, Mississippi State welcomed new head baseball coach Brian O’Connor in a way few programs can.

The rigs and grills that facilitate the smoky haze that hangs over the outfield at Dudy Noble Field during the spring were opened to owners for tailgating. Concession stands poured $5 domestics and offered $3 hot dogs and nachos.

Those who donated to MSU’s “State Excellence Fund” in levels that ranged from $100 to $5,000, too, were rewarded with everything from commemorative baseballs and cowbells to Bulldogs jerseys.

O’Connor glanced out at the crowd, a smile cresting on his face, and summed up the scene at one of the sport’s cathedrals succinctly.

“Wow,” he mustered. “The Mecca of college baseball [is] right here in Starkville.”

The optics of O’Connor’s ballyhooed arrival from Virginia to Mississippi State were unique, sure. Few, if any, places can mimic the pageantry and fervor for baseball on display at Dudy Noble Field — albeit a similar scene will play out in the tailgate-like atmosphere at the College World Series in Omaha this week.

And while baseball isn’t the moneymaker its gridiron or hardwood counterparts might be, the sport enters a new-look college sports ecosystem as a winner in the passage of the House settlement earlier this month.

“Baseball is really the biggest example of a sport that’s kind of double dipping in this post-settlement world, because you’re having to solve for [three things],” South Carolina Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati explained. “Where football [and basketball] is strictly the rev-share component of NIL, baseball is kind of all three — it’s traditional NIL, it’s rev share and it’s ‘How fast can you add scholarships?’ and ‘How many?’”

Donati’s point, that baseball might be better off in a post-House settlement world, is layered.

The sport was long hamstrung by the 11.7 scholarships it was limited to under previous NCAA rules. In the new environment, where scholarship limits are a thing of the past, that’s opening a door for those willing to back extra scholarships up to the new roster limit of 34 players (down from 40).

South Carolina, winner of back-to-back CWS titles in 2010 and 2011, is slated to fund scholarships at or near the 34-man limit. Cross-state rival Clemson, too, is expected to be in the same ballpark.

Florida State, which turned in a more than $300,000 surplus on baseball in FY 2024, per its latest NCAA financial filings, meanwhile, is expected to jump to around 25 scholarships.

Reigning national title winner Tennessee, too, is likely to boost its scholarship number greatly, though a final number is still being ironed out, AD Danny White said.

How good is the influx of scholarships for the sport? That’s up for debate.

“A simple answer is, you’d think there’d be less parity [with Power Four schools funding more scholarships],” said Craig Keilitz, executive director of the American Baseball Coaches Association. “Then you look at this year’s NCAA Tournament, it’s probably as much parity as I’ve ever seen it.

”But with more scholarships means the better programs that have more money can offer more of the superstars. You look up and down — if it’s the SEC, the ACC, the Big 12 — they can gobble up more of those guys.”

Beyond scholarships, the financial commitment to baseball coaching contracts and facility improvements has continued to balloon in recent years.

Tennessee’s Tony Vitello became the highest-paid coach in America last year, receiving a new deal worth $3 million annually. O’Connor’s deal with Mississippi State puts him in the same stratosphere at $2.9 million per year.

Eleven of 15 SEC head coaches made north of $1 million in 2025, and every coach in the league made $700,000 or more, per The Tennessean. Four ACC coaches also made more than $1 million this year, including North Carolina’s Scott Forbes at $1.7 million.

On the facilities side, Tennessee is in the midst of a $105 million overhaul of its ballpark. That comes just six years after Mississippi State completed a $68 million renovation of Dudy Noble Field. Florida State, too, is in the process of considering revamps at Dick Howser Stadium. And Vanderbilt, which was the top national seed in this year’s CWS, is renovating and expanding Hawkins Field.

“Baseball is a revenue-generating sport for us,” Florida State AD Michael Alford said. “So how do we grow that revenue? What can we do to enhance that situation to continue to grow that revenue even more?

“We’re looking at facility renovations. We’re looking at premium seating. We’re looking at what we can do to put baseball at the forefront and to continue to grow that sport at Florida State.”

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LSU is one of the eight teams in the College World Series. The House settlement will help baseball grow in the future. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The NIL market for college baseball players, too, has continued to climb.

Learfield’s 2024 NIL Impact report indicated that baseball players received the fourth-most NIL deals of athletes it tracked, behind football and men’s and women’s basketball.

Opendorse’s 2024 NIL industry report also suggested the highest earners in college baseball were making in the neighborhood of $50,000 — again behind football and basketball, but nearly six times more than the next closest sport, softball.

“If NIL and rev share wasn’t a thing, yeah, [baseball coaches] would be like, ‘Holy cow, we’re going from 11.7 to 34,” said Ole Miss AD Keith Carter. “But now they’re like, ‘OK, that’s awesome, but essentially everybody is doing that because everybody’s going to, one way or another, have full-ride scholarships. Now, what’s the rev share look like? What’s the next step?”

How much revenue will be allocated to baseball programs will vary widely. Football is expected to command 75% or more of the $20.5 million cap schools are funding up to the maximum, while men’s basketball is likely to eat another 15% depending on the place.

That leaves a sliver of the cap to be directed toward baseball. But in a world where coaching contracts are skyrocketing and scholarship investments are booming, the sport is well on its way to a cash infusion.



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Argument over ‘valid buisiness purpose’ for NIL collectives threatens college sports settlement

Argument over ‘valid buisiness purpose’ for NIL collectives threatens college sports settlement – myMotherLode.com   Link 0

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Argument over ‘valid buisiness purpose’ for NIL collectives threatens college sports settlement – myMotherLode.com

































































 




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Louisville basketball in danger of losing top 2026 recruiting target to SEC giant

Louisville basketball made it clear over the weekend that their No. 1 target in the 2026 cycle is Tyran Stokes. The Cardinals appeared to be at multiple games of the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit while he competed at the Adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championship. However, outside of Stokes, a name that is becoming Kelsey’s […]

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Louisville basketball made it clear over the weekend that their No. 1 target in the 2026 cycle is Tyran Stokes. The Cardinals appeared to be at multiple games of the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit while he competed at the Adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championship.

However, outside of Stokes, a name that is becoming Kelsey’s No. 2 target in the 2026 cycle is Taylen Kinney, a native of Newport, Kentucky. The Cardinals are all-in on the elite guard after Kinney had a “great” official visit earlier in June.  

However, Louisville appears to be in an SEC battle for Kinney as some elite competition and a familiar enemy just entered the race for the 6-foot-2 point guard.

Related: Louisville basketball jumps Kentucky for 5-star PG in massive recruiting twist

Louisville basketball in danger of losing top 2026 recruiting target to SEC giant

According to Joe Tipton of On3/Rivals, Kinney has now scheduled an official visit with John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Razorbacks made their offer to Kinney back in August 2024 and now has an official visit lined up to meet Calipari on September 26.

He has already visited the Cardinals back on June 5 and has also made official visits to Purdue on January 20 and Kentucky on June 24. In addition to his visit to Arkansas, he will also visit Indiana on August 29, Oregon on September 6, and Texas on September 12.

The Cardinals are considered the favorites to land Kinney’s commitment, but these official visits to big-time programs should have Kelsey on alert. Coach Cal will always be a threat to Louisville for 5-star recruits, as he has been recognized as one of the best coaches in college basketball history and is highly skilled at developing college players into NBA superstars.  

Kinney visiting these national brand schools and blue-blood programs is not a great sign for Louisville, but it doesn’t mean they are out of the race. Tipton reported that Arkansas is emerging as a legitimate contender, and Kelsey must continue to go all-in on Kinney.

If the Cardinals can win Kinney’s commitment, it would be a massive first domino to fall their way, and could lead to players like Stokes and other 5-stars to commit. It is reported that Kinney plans to announce his commitment sometime before fall.

Kinney has earned over 29 offers, and Louisville must pay what it takes to bring him to the Cardinals. Kinney ranks as the No. 1 point guard in the 2026 cycle and ranks as high as No. 11 in the nation.

However, with programs like Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oregon, and others earning official visits from Kinney, it is clear the 5-star guard is going to be worth even more money than Kelsey thought. Louisville is hoping to land Stokes, as they are the favorites, but with Kinney taking more official visits, it may become clear that it will be challenging to secure both recruits’ commitments and meet their financial obligations.

Related: 2 Dream, 2 reach, 2 realistic 2026 5-star targets Louisville basketball could land

For all the latest on Louisville basketball’s offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.





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Several college basketball alumni teams to take the court in TBT 2025

The Basketball Tournament (TBT) 2025 is set to tip off this Friday July 18th, and once again should be an exciting dose of basketball in the dog days of summer. Since it first began in 2014, TBT has quickly grown into one of the premier basketball events of the offseason. This year’s event will feature […]

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The Basketball Tournament (TBT) 2025 is set to tip off this Friday July 18th, and once again should be an exciting dose of basketball in the dog days of summer. Since it first began in 2014, TBT has quickly grown into one of the premier basketball events of the offseason. This year’s event will feature 61 teams competing in a single-elimination bracket, with a $1 million winner-take-all prize.

While TBT features a mix of current and former professional players, the event is deeply rooted in, and has really grown because of its strong ties to the college basketball world. Many of the participating teams are college alumni squads, made up of former players from their programs. With its single-elimination format and rosters full of familiar faces from the college basketball world, TBT is the perfect offseason remedy for college hoops fans.

Elam Ending Format

The tournament will once again feature the Elam Ending, which is a unique format that has gained traction since it was first used in TBT in 2017. Since then, it has been adopted in events such as the NBA All-Star Game, NBA G League, and Unrivaled. 

Under the Elam Ending rules in TBT, the game clock is turned off at the first stoppage at or under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. At this point, a target score is set that is 8 points more than the leading team’s score (e.g. If score is 78-72, Target Score = 86, first team to 86 points wins). Under this format, every contest ends on a “game winner” and it eliminates the long, drawn-out foul and free throw fest that can take place near the end of games, a part of college basketball that has become highly criticized as of late. 

College Hoops Connection

Now, assuming you’re here because you love college hoops, here are the teams with college basketball affiliations competing in TBT 2025.

  • Aftershocks (Wichita State)
  • All Good Dawgs (Butler)
  • Assembly Ball (Indiana)
  • Austin’s Own (Texas)
  • Best Virginia (West Virginia)
  • Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse)
  • Carmen’s Crew (Ohio State)
  • Court Street Kings (Ohio)
  • Dunkin’ Dogs (Louisiana Tech)
  • Forever Coogs (Houston)
  • Founding Fathers (James Madison)
  • Green Mountain Men (Vermont)
  • Happy Valley Hoopers (Penn State)
  • Herd That (Marshall)
  • JHX Hoops (Kansas)
  • La Familia (Kentucky)
  • Purple Reign (Kansas State)
  • Shell Shock (Maryland)
  • Shield 219 (Valparaiso)
  • Stars of Storrs (UConn)
  • Srtroh’s Squad (Bowling Green)
  • The Ville (Louisville)
  • War Ready (Auburn)
  • We Are D3 (Division III Players)

Full 61 team field here

Host Sites

This year’s field is divided into eight regions, each hosted by a college alumni squad. All regional hosts will have home-court advantage throughout the entire tournament.

  • Indianapolis (Butler/Indiana) – Hinkle Fieldhouse
  • James Madison (James Madison) – Atlantic Union Bank Center
  • Kansas City (Kansas/Kansas State) – Municipal Auditorium
  • Lexington (Kentucky) – Memorial Coliseum
  • Louisville (Louisville) – Freedom Hall
  • Syracuse (Syracuse) – SRC Arena
  • West Virginia (West Virginia/Marshall) – Charleston Coliseum
  • Wichita (Wichita State) – Charles Koch Arena

Schedule

First-round games will tip off Friday and Saturday (7/18–7/19). Following rounds will take place over the next two weeks, with the championship game scheduled for August 3rd.

  • First Round: 7/18-19
  • Second Round: 7/20-21
  • Round of 16: 7/22-23
  • Quarterfinals: 7/27-28
  • Semifinals: 7/31
  • Championship: 8/3

Select games will be broadcast on FOX, FS1, and FS2, while most of the action will be available to watch on YouTube.



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Players’ associations urge Congress to reject proposed bill granting NCAA antitrust exemption

Players’ associations for the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, NHL and MLS issued a joint statement Monday urging Congress to reject proposed legislation that would grant the NCAA and its members an antitrust exemption to address NIL issues. The statement was in response to the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, […]

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Players’ associations for the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, NHL and MLS issued a joint statement Monday urging Congress to reject proposed legislation that would grant the NCAA and its members an antitrust exemption to address NIL issues.

The statement was in response to the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, introduced last week by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A markup on the bill is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

In their letter, the players’ associations warned that an antitrust exemption would permit the NCAA and its members to “collude to harm athletes.”

“Whatever progress the athletes have made has been a result of their use of the antitrust laws,” they wrote. “The SCORE Act would take that weapon away from them.”

The proposed legislation from seven Republican and two Democratic sponsors prevents athletes from obtaining employment status and mirrors many of the terms from the recent House vs. NCAA settlement. It would officially end most administrative restrictions on athletes’ NIL compensation, but it allows schools and conferences to establish what is and isn’t permissible. Should the federal legislation pass, it would override current state NIL laws, which vary from state to state.

Earlier Monday, two members of Congress from the state of Washington, Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner, issued a similar statement urging the House committee to delay the markup until there are significant changes.

“The bill appears to be a product of the richest conferences to cement into place the current power structure in college athletics that would leave only the wealthiest schools able to compete at the highest levels of college athletics,” the statement said.

All of the Power 5 conferences previously issued a statement endorsing the SCORE Act.

“In the absence of federal standards, student-athletes and schools have been forced to navigate a fractured regulatory framework for too long,” they wrote. “Following the historic House settlement, this bill represents a very encouraging step toward delivering the national clarity and accountability that college athletics desperately needs.”

Last week, the NCAA said in a statement that it “has made long overdue changes, mandating health and wellness benefits and ushering in a new system for Division I programs to provide up to 50 percent of athletic department revenue to student-athletes, but some of the most important changes can only come from Congress.”

“This bill reflects many student-athletes’ priorities, and the NCAA is committed to working with Congress to build a bipartisan path forward that ensures the long-term success of college sports and the ongoing opportunities they provide to young people,” wrote Tim Buckley, the NCAA’s senior vice president of external affairs.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey also praised the bill Monday.

“I think what’s happening in college athletics is a nonpartisan issue, but using the typical nomenclature, to have members of both of our major political parties willing to step out and introduce the SCORE Act, is a positive step,” he said.

The players’ associations’ letter noted that only two industries in the United States have antitrust law exemptions: railroads and Major League Baseball (partially).

“The NCAA should not have a blank check to impose (its) will on the financial future of over 500,000 college athletes,” they wrote.

Justin Williams contributed to this story.

(Photo of Capitol Building: Al Drago / Getty Images)





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Recruiting the Mercers; OSU’s NIL gameplan; Finebaum’s foibles

Bucknuts.com’s Steve Helwagen hosted his weekly Chat on Monday night on The Front Row message board. Check out the transcript below. Programming Note: Steve will again join Ohio State Buckeyes Live at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Check out The Front Row for access details after 11 a.m. on Wednesday. ButlerBuck: Players may want all they can […]

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Bucknuts.com’s Steve Helwagen hosted his weekly Chat on Monday night on The Front Row message board. Check out the transcript below.

Programming Note: Steve will again join Ohio State Buckeyes Live at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Check out The Front Row for access details after 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

ButlerBuck: Players may want all they can get as a HS kid.

For hoops, Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg would have been the #1 draft pick whether they went to a blue blood or not.

For football, getting that development during college is more important since the NFL watches you for 3 years.

Will kids get that idea/does OSU use that as a basketball recruiting pitch from OSU or another pigskin blue blood?

OSU hoops would use that to recruit those 5* players….you’ll be #1 wherever you go.  You just need to get the most playing time you can. You’ll get all the minutes you can play here. At UK and Duke, maybe not

Helwagen: Yeah, lot of ifs in there. Every kid’s upbringing, wherewithal and recruitment is different. Some have to have as much as they can get their hands on as soon as possible. Some are interested in being one and done and on to the league. Some are content to play the long game to prolong their development and maximize their pro value.

So, yeah, you can look at it and say Ohio State can help you get there. But if you watched the NBA Finals, here were the schools of the starters:

Pacers: Pascal Siakam (New Mexico State), Aaron Nesmith (Vanderbilt), Myles Turner (Texas), Andrew Nembhard (Gonzaga), Tyrese Haliburton (Iowa State)

Thunder: Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga), Jalen Williams (Santa Clara), Isaiah Hartenstein (Germany/Lithuania), Lu Dort (Arizona State), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Kentucky)

Only one real blueblood there. You can get there from anywhere, so why not Ohio State? Of course, will need Ohio State to be competitive in the pay department.

foxr2001: Don’t know if you can answer this and has nothing to do with OSU. BTN has aired a few US women’s volleyball games, which has nothing to do with the B1G. I can only imagine its some reciprocal agreement with FOX that they (BTN) air events when FOX doesn’t have room on their schedule or something like that. Any intel on why these are airing on BTN?

Two other completely different questions for you. The Columbus Dispatch said that McGuff was able to drive again, presumably meaning that his license was temporarily suspended. The article didn’t go into much detail about his current status though. Has his DUI arrest already been processed and if so, what penalty(ies) did he receive? Did the university do anything to him or are they going to like suspend him for a few games? Hey, maybe OSU will suspend him in the MIDDLE of the non-conference schedule when we are playing our easiest two games!

Other question, no one here at Bucknuts has mentioned Cleveland getting an WNBA franchise. I imagine you are a Cavs fan, how do you feel with the city sharing the court with a women’s team? Do you think, with the improved success in the WNBA that this franchise will survive, unlike Cleveland’s earlier WNBA franchise?

Thanks Steve.

Helwagen: I was not aware BTN was airing women’s USA volleyball events, but it makes sense if FOX needs an outlet that they do that. ESPN puts some NCAA events it can’t get on ESPN or ESPN2 on SEC Network (usually involving an SEC team). Big Ten is big in volleyball and maybe they rationalized some of the players were from Big Ten schools.

Have not heard anything about McGuff or his status. I assume the judge in his case has granted him work driving privileges. I assume if Ohio State is going to suspend him, it will happen before the season starts. No idea when his next court appearance would be. I will try and check on that. Not sure how he beats the rap if they play the video at trial, unless he can prove he was drugged somehow.

Don’t really have a thought about the WNBA in Cleveland. It seems the league has 10-12 needle movers who draw crowds. People will come there to watch Caitlin Clark and some of the others. But to win and contend you need stars. Those are hard to come by. Good luck and, I agree, I hope it goes better than the last time. Sophie Cunningham’s comments about why would anybody want to play in Cleveland were not the least bit helpful. LOL



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Nick Saban

Greg McElroy sent the college football universe into a frenzy ahead of Monday at the SEC Media Days. He claims to have spoken to somebody “in the know” who believes Nick Saban will return to coaching. This comes well over a year after Saban announced his retirement and stepped down as the Alabama head coach. […]

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Nick Saban

Greg McElroy sent the college football universe into a frenzy ahead of Monday at the SEC Media Days. He claims to have spoken to somebody “in the know” who believes Nick Saban will return to coaching. This comes well over a year after Saban announced his retirement and stepped down as the Alabama head coach.

This had led to all kinds of speculation, wondering where Saban’s next stop possibly could be. CBS Sports took the liberty of naming five programs that could be potential fits for Saban.

Breaking it down by conference — two come from the ACC and a Big 12 school is mentioned. Saban could even make his way back to the Big Ten or connect with some old roots inside the SEC. Let’s check out the five from CBS Sports.

Jimbo-Fisher-expands-on-relationship-with-Nick-Saban-during-LSU-Tigers-days-Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Texas-AM-Aggies
Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Saban’s career would almost come full circle if it ended in Baton Rouge. Of course, something would have to terribly go wrong with Brian Kelly, someone facing a ton of pressure in 2025. But if LSU were to open up, CBS Sports believes only one call needs to be made.

CBS Sports: “Am I the only one who sees this as obvious? … LSU is the only school other than Alabama that Nick Saban has won a national title at. He doesn’t need to envision it here. He has the recipe.”

You have to imagine Michigan State fans would feel similar to LSU if Saban joined one of the program’s biggest rivals. Proving he could win outside of the SEC is why CBS Sports lists Michigan, saying Saban might want to prove himself just a little more.

CBS Sports: “Saban never conquered the Big Ten. He spent 22 seasons as a coach in the SEC, won 11 SEC titles and seven national championships… You know he wants the chance to prove to the world that he’s not a system coach who is only capable of winning in the SEC. He can win in the Big Ten, too!”

Mike Norvell survived a 2-10 season but may not have the same fate if things go south for Florida State this season. Just a few years removed from Saban being public enemy No. 1 in Tallahassee, he jump-starts the program and restores some of the glory days.

CBS Sports: “Think of the storyline. The man whose program kept Florida State out of the College Football Playoff two years ago, causing the Seminoles to descend into such a deep depression… offered an apology by offering to save them.”

Texas Tech Helmets
Michael C. Johnson | Imagn Images

Texas Tech continues to make splashes in the recruiting world, most recently five-star OT Felix Ojo. Resources are going to flow in Lubbock while having a great talent pool across the state. Just what somebody like Saban needs.

CBS Sports: “If Nick Saban is coming back, he ain’t doing it to go 7-5. He’ll want resources and a strong local recruiting base to build a program and compete for titles. We certainly know Texas Tech has the money.”

Bill Belichick has not even coached a fall practice in Chapel Hill. However, the moment he was hired, rumors about his NFL return began. If/when Belichick does leave the program, CBS Sports points out North Carolina has no issue bringing on older head coaches.

CBS Sports: “Why not take over at North Carolina next season when Bill Belichick returns to the NFL? I mean, the last two coaches they’ve hired in Chapel Hill had an average age of 70.5 when hired. Saban’s right in their wheelhouse.”

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