Give Us Your NIL Pitch - How, Specifically, Should Michigan Approach It?

Step 1: Rob banks.

Step 2: Use the stolen money to buy cocaine. Lots of cocaine.

Step 3: Sell that cocaine.

Step 4: Use the proceeds to fund NIL.

Pretty sure the U of Miami is already doing this, so there's a precedence.

I agree with Mineral King.  We just won a national championship and we are complaining about everything. 

It seems that the Board is well on its way to being a toxic place again.  I see a lot of BPONE and I really don't understand it at all.

Do what Georgia is doing. 

How can you tell the difference between a "mercenary", and a kid who wants to get paid but also get developed?

I really don't think this is that hard. How did Harbaugh identify recruits that love football? You can sense it in the way they ask questions about the program, from watching their film, from speaking to family and coaches, etc.

Some warning signs would be:

• If a recruit asks for money to visit. Thanks but no thanks.
• If NIL is one of the first things are recruit asks about, that's not a good sign.
• If they parents start getting involved about money, NIL deals, etc. Especially if they are not involved in other aspects (i.e., asking questions about education, development, etc.)

Also keep in mind, though, that some of these recruits are coming from very poor backgrounds (see Denard meeting UM staff at his grandparents house because he was self-conscious about where he lived). Money might not be the only thing for them, but it also has to be considered. Assuming there are no other warning signs, asking about NIL may not be a signal of a mercenary.

I would love to reach in other people's pocket like Stephen Ross and take their millions and give it to the players. 

Step One:  Acquire ALL THE CURRENCY

Step Two:  Identify players who are really good and are worthy of paying

Step Three:  Distribute the currency among those players

Step Four:  ???

Step Five:  PROFIT

Oh wait, this was intended to be a serious discussion?  In that case, never mind.  I don't really have any advice for how people I don't know should spend money donated by rich people I'll never meet.

I would do it the way it is set up to be used. Scout what players you want, then offer them money to come play football here. It's pretty simple.

1. Find an individual who is driven to make Michigan's NIL program the best it can be and pay that person an impressive salary.

2. Give that individual a title, say "Athletic Director".

3. Empower the "Athletic Director" to assemble a team of people with knowledge of the legal and ethical boundaries associated with NIL.

4. Expect the team to propose the best path forward on NIL, where the University is acting ethically and obeying all laws.

money canon go brrrr

Others have said it wisely here. Michigan has an incredible culture and has done a great job retaining key players and identifying impactful transfers. NIL should prioritize that. Market forces might dictate that sometimes we need to dip into more NIL resources for freshman at key positions, that seems to be an area we are lacking.

But Jim seemed to understand how a locker room can be damaged by having players get paid huge amounts before doing anything on the field. I think we would be wise to not lose sight of that. 

I also think we have been wise to spend money to retain players for another year prior to losing them for the draft. And specifically we have targeted players at positions where we can actually put forward a comparable package. We may not be able to raise the funds to keep people at positions that turn into highly regarded first round picks. But we can do so for positions like running back where the NFL is less likely to draft players earlier and less likely to pay them more. 

I love what they have been able to do so far and I want to keep the general idea up. Recruiting kids who love football and Michigan more than money is working out. The concerning thing are the kids that are incredibly talented and love football and Michigan but are not privileged enough to ignore the money. I would like us to keep up the same idea but offer these kids something in the ballpark of their current market value so we don't lose the top-notch kids that can't ignore the money. Hopefully if our package is 5-10% less but the recruit loves Michigan enough that will remove their biggest hurdle and will still send the kids that are all about the money elsewhere.

Rent out Michigan Stadium to an NIL collective for $1.  NIL pays the players from ticket sales.

Fire Warde.

Profit.

I think people post about this in isolation, when you need to think about total $ commitment.  I would want someone who's looking at this from a whole-team perspective so we can make sure we can actually pay out our promises.

At any rate, I'd offer around than 80% of what other programs are offering, but offer a no-bullshit form contract.  80% is (a) enough to be meaningful, a sensible person might be willing to take a 20% less pay for other reasons (while they probably couldn't take a 40%+ pay cut), (b) a big enough difference that someone who's only here for the cash wouldn't come.  

The no-bullshit contract is important - there's a lot of noise out there from players that they heard $lots was coming their way but it never materialized.  Actual, guaranteed dollars are a difference that we can execute on.

I also think the contract should have some amount of deferred comp.  $x up front + $y if you stay three years (or the coaches bless your transfer, etc).  It is weird that all NIL "contracts" are pure year-to-year.  

It's always easy spending other people's money. 

Hookers + Blow = Recruits 

Change the system.  This blank check mentality is broken.  “Amateur” sports somehow has a more corrupt and broken system than the NFL.  I’d like to see Michigan take the lead in promoting Harbaugh’s agenda which was for the NCAA or big ten to directly pay players.  It’s time to standardize this process.  

Sign your life, oops I mean sign right here if you're really a Michigan man you'd come here despite all of our AD's shortcomings you could still win a championship!!!  
GO BLUE

/s

Donate to the NIL collectives we know about and can contribute to!

https://givebutter.com/thosewhostay

1.  At least be in the game with dollars for recruits.  We will never -- and should never -- go to teh "buy it now" model of the SEC + OSU camp, but I don't think we should be categorically against this at some level.

2.  Continue to spend dollars (which need to increase a lot) on retaining guys who could go to the NFL to get them to stay that 4th/5th year.

3.  Be willing to pay transfers, again, subject to (1).

Can't be 100% "culture" and ignore what everyone else is doing.  Can't be joining them in doing that.  

I'd love to see Michigan become a leader in doing NIL in a way that feels not skeezy. We all know it's pay-for-play now, but there's gotta be another way to do it than the OSU/A&M League of Militant Bagmen.

In other words, make that NIL look classy. Highlight how guys like JJ and Corum used it to do good works in the community. Make it more about opportunity and possibility than "must buy more talent and win more championships." And really widen the perspective to show how it's benefitting more than just football and basketball players.

I think trying to buy high school players is a bad market to be in.  They're high-risk, even the five stars, and the most desired players will have many bidders.

They should probably provide a baseline amount and be very up front about what they will, and will not provide.  Further, continuing to beat the bushes for overlooked players who Michigan can (uniquely?) develop is probably a better value proposition.

I think the best EV will be in the transfer portal.  Actual college tape, taking advantage of players who are not in optimal situations, and Michigan can both target players with less competition and allocate their resources to match their needs.

If I was rich, I would pay all OSU recruits to go to literally any other school because it would be hilarious. "Ah OSU is offering you $50k more than Miami? Here's an extra 100k kid. Have fun in South Beach"

What would be a baseline NIL deal?

If the baseline is not enough for a recruit, do you engage in bidding wars?

How can you tell the difference between a "mercenary", and a kid who wants to get paid but also get developed?

Would you pay recruits to visit? 

Lastly, would you wait to see if one of these approaches (OSU, Hurricanes, Aggies) results in a National Title before jumping into the pay-for-play, inducement game?

Baseline deal wouldn't be too dissimilar from a pro contract - players get benefits when they show up and begin work with the program.  the benefits grow each year, with performance incentives.

no engagement in bidding wars.  if a kid wants to show up and work his tail off for a chance at a bigger check, come on in.  if he wants dollars guaranteed before taking a snap, look elsewhere young man.

i'm not sure you could always tell the difference between mercs and kids who are highly motivated - their may not always be a difference.  but longevity should be rewarded, to incentivize a better team atmosphere and culture.

I think keeping up with the Jonses is important to a degree, but Michigan has lagged with NIL, and just brought home a Championship anyways.   Yes, a lot of circumstances had to be just right, but, nobody said winning championships is easy.  If we believe the gossip, OSU is one of the biggest bag-throwers in the game, and they haven't won a championship yet since bagging became legal.

We will look back in disbelief a few years from now when we emerge from this fog to realize that fans are actually being asked to donate their money to collectives so players will stay at Michigan. I don’t have a TV deal with Fox, NBC and CBS. Michigan does. Pay your damn players and stop asking your fans to do it instead. And, if you won’t, then pay your damn S&C coach what he’s worth to turn middle tier players into top tier players. 

Revenue sharing can’t get here soon enough so this NIL nonsense can end. 

Other than you assuming the worst, what sources are there that OSU is paying players upfront? Are you aware michigan is one of the top schools for NIL compensation? In 2023 michigan paid its athletes $11.6 million,#7 in the country. OSU was #3 @ $13.4 million. So looking at those numbers wouldn’t it be safe to say that OSU isn’t doing anything different than michigan or anyone else?