Why isn't anyone talking about Miami (YTM) booster buying their hoops teams?
Before this tourney began, I told my son, this is going to be the least-chalky tourney ever. I saw "Uncle Seth" on ESPN say this is probably a one-year aberration, but I totally disagree. We are in the new world of NIL + transfer portal. KSU's team was entirely rebuilt with xfers. SDSU has key ones. Etc. The #1 ranking was a hot potato all year; the difference between a 3 seed and a 9 seed was as small as ever; etc.
And maybe the best proof of that are the Miami Hurricanes -- both men's and women's. Make no mistake, they are the Texas A&M of college basketball. They have a billionaire booster, John Ruiz, who has been paying huge sums to players on both teams to get them to xfer to Miami. Supposedly doing marketing for his company you've never heard of (LifeWallet) and would never use based on ads with Miami hoops players.
This might not be the future of "college" sports, but, it's what we hath wrought for the present.
There are definitely news articles about this, but I hear zero mention of this from the talking heads on TV about Miami's resurgence. Should we be bothered? I am all for capitalism. But whereas pro teams are on level playing fields, it's the Wild Wild West in the NCAA, and I'm not sure this is exactly what I consider capitalism. (Not dissimilar is how European soccer is getting distorted by the oil money.)
March 27th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
Yes. It IS the principle.
I think Hunter Dickenson is probably "overpaid" for the NIL he gets but not out of the realm of possibility. An example of unreasonable would be "$500k to sit for 1-hour autograph session at my car dealership"...$5k? sure, $5k and free use of a car? fine, $15k? a bit high, $50k? really stretching it but maybe.
AZ, while I agree you - who is to say what something is really worth. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And, if someone is willing to pay $50K for a 17 year olds autograph - who is to stop them?
There really is no defined market for the NIL fees. As we know, in many places it appears to be pay for play, and little more.
For years, Bama football players have been driving around in muscle cars. Oh, I’m sure there were no violations there.
The one entity that may make this interesting is the IRS.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
The whole NIL push was to allow kids to make money from legit other streams
I don't know why people are shocked by this. NIL has functioned exactly as I expected. The Miami booster's company is as "legit" (per the rules) as any other.
I don't think any/many on this blog are shocked by how NIL is going. Despite the intention it was noted as "legalizing bagmen" on MGo.
And No the Miami stuff is NOT legit ..per the rules.. (though not limited to Miami)
-- They are discussing specific $$ amounts and deals BEFORE a kid is signed and on-campus which is against the rules (but hard to prove legally)
--Approaching kids before they enter the portal --- actually got caught on the WBB transfers which is hard to do given this is a grey area. Talking to a parent or advisor is technically OK and many schools (probably including M) are doing this to some extent.
-- The compensation is supposed to be "market-rate" for lack of a better term. Paying every Miami football player $10k for being the "official company of the team" and doing a group photo ad is market value. Promising an incoming QB $1.2MM for ?? is probably NOT going to be market value.
Not complaining as much as just hoping things will equalize over time. M should have an advantage over just about everyone in NIL if "the rules" are equal.
March 27th, 2023 at 12:18 PM ^
This was always the inevitable consequence of NIL; it legalizes bagmen. It's child's play to structure a pay to play transaction as an endorsement deal. You talk about regulations, but all that does is revive the NCAA's arbitrary and capricious enforcement regime, only with different rules about how much is too much.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:08 AM ^
In the Pros there are (theoretically) contracts, free agencies, tampering rules, etc. that somewhat prevent player X from raising his hand and jumping to the highest bidder whenever he/she wants. It seems, for the sake of the sport, there will have to be some sort of rules in place that mimics the above. I am not sure what that is, but the current status quo doesn't seem sustainable for fans, players, or coaches if you can have a whole roster turnover year over year. Sure, if you're winning that helps - see, Miami this year. But money does not always equal success - see TAMU last year.
It does seem the more and more the sport mimics professionals, there will need to be a hard conversation about whether or not this is actually aligned with colleges or, as one poster mentions, this folds into semi-pro teams that operate as a developmental league. As it stands, the idea of a "student-athelete" such as we have is an anomoly in the world - just look at European sports. There's nothing like this in non-American universities, for better or worse.
At the end of the day, I am not getting too worked up now that the kids are making money. BUT I do think there should still be more structures around transferring to make the whole student-college relationship a two-way street, and not, as it has been, bouncing from one extreme to the other.
"In the Pros there are (theoretically) contracts, free agencies, tampering rules, etc. that somewhat prevent player X from raising his hand and jumping to the highest bidder whenever he/she wants. "
None of that applies to pros doing ads, and plenty of pros choose LA/NY because their shoe company recommend it.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:12 AM ^
Nobody bought them cheeseburgers, so they are in the clear!
I think I read that they are being investigated for buying recruits meals, but the $400k for endorsing the wallet thingy is fine.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
Where I see the real problem is keeping good coaches in college sports. Coaches will become more and more just liaisons for money flow and less and less coaching. There is already a certain level of needing to be a salesperson in college sports as it is, but NIL and the transfer portal are moving more and more to being full time salespeople in order to be successful. I would believe most coaches get into coach to coach, not be salespeople.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
No blue bloods anywhere near the FF. They might continue to win the recruiting battles and land the five stars. But when that simply becomes an audition for the NBA and they leave after one year, the teams left standing are the ones who build college basketball teams...not all-star NBA farm league teams.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:59 AM ^
Except that UConn is going for its fifth national title since 1999. No other school has won more than three in that timeframe.
March 27th, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
Yeah, UCONN is definitely a blue blood. I think the sentiment is coming more from the fact that after being a dominant program that was in or near the top 10 nearly every season from the late 90s through ~2009, they've taken a huge step back from that since. They won the championship in 2011 as a 3 seed when they and Kemba Walker caught fire from the Big East tournament on, although that 3 seed was really a result of (maybe even an overreaction to) their run to the Big East championship; had they lost in even the Big East championship game, they'd probably have been no higher than a 6 or 7 seed. They were a 9 seed in 2012, missed the tournament in 2013, and then won again in 2014 on another hot streak, but this time as a 7 seed. In the nine seasons since, they've made four tournaments (as a 9, 7, 5 and 4 seed), missed four, and were squarely on the bubble (and quite possibly on the wrong side of it) in 2020 before COVID cancelled the rest of the season.
So yeah, haven't exactly been on people's radar as an elite team the past decade, despite the incredible success they had in the 15 years before that.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:16 AM ^
What can you say about the NCAA's incompetence that hasn't already been said? Maybe that's why no one is talking about this. I don't see any reason to be mad at Miami for taking advantage of the current situation. Good for them for making their first final 4.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:21 AM ^
Miami spent the whole season somewhere in the 30s on Kenpom. It's not some billionaire-assembled super-team dominating the sport by force. Absent tournament results, they spent most of the season with a profile similar to an Illinois or Memphis. If anything, what we "hath wrought" is a far more interesting and exciting tournament created in part by more parity across teams and less dominant blue bloods.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
Miami also made the Elite 8 last year. They didn't come out of no where as a number of players who lost in the Elite 8 are on this years team.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:23 AM ^
It's simple really.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
I mean, hasn't Michigan already been benefitting from this (this meaning broad 'capitalism' that makes the playing field uneven)? The B1G television contract repeatedly kicks off more $$ per team than any other conference gets.
If we really want level playing fields, then it means Indiana and Michigan State and Rutgers having a 50:50 shot to beat our beloved football team week in and week out.
FWIW, I love that there's 3 new teams in the final-four, and hope the eventual winner is anyone but perennial blue-blood UConn.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
This looks bigger than one booster with nothing better to do with his money. What you're describing in the last part of the first paragraph is parity. That's a fine thing. The game doesn't need dynasties like Duke, Kansas, etc. If the kids can go make money, let them. Maybe there should be some protections in place, but those should be for the players' benefit, not the schools.
If anything, schools need to get out of the sports industry. Return to amateurism at school, let those that want to go pro try it out. Make no barriers to the kids who don't pan out in the pros to later come to school to finally get their degree, maybe even on scholly.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
I can't get on board with scholarships for players who leave after one year, go pro and crash and burn, and then return to school no strings attached to get their degree. I can't see going that far.
In college basketball, I just think the NBA needs to eliminate the one-year rule and let players who want to go pro go pro. There is no reason Mousa Diabate needs to come to Michigan for one year before hitting the G league.
March 27th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
There are no rules in place that prohibit a school from providing financial aid to former athletes for degree completion. Michigan should lead the way on this.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:37 AM ^
Because nobody cares and they should get paid
March 27th, 2023 at 11:37 AM ^
Paying players is, for the most part, perfectly legal as it should be....deal with it.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:48 AM ^
I enjoy how players are finally getting paid somewhat for the value they generate for these institutions, we get a pretty interesting tournament with a lot of first-time programs playing for a title, players are able to move around without being controlled by coaches...and people are complaining about it.
Last year the Final Four was Duke, Kansas, Villanova, and UNC. The bluest of blue bloods you could imagine, with systemic advantages that were built on decades of money and access to talent other teams lacked.
Nobody got hurt here. Yes Miami paid a bunch for the talent they have - A&M paid a buttload for their football talent and finished below .500. There's no proof that this is a sustainable model; Miami has a good team this year but could just as easily be bounced in the first round of the tournament.
At some point NIL will be corralled to a point where the teams with the most resources are able to maximize its potential but everyone will have a decent crack at it.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
Pro teams are not on a level playing field. You can't tell me the Brewers have the same ability to get free agents as the Yankees. Maybe it's closest in the NFL but even then, it's not that level because some owners put more money into their franchise and others don't. He's doing the same thing with Miami.
March 27th, 2023 at 11:57 AM ^
they’re not talking about it because no one really cares as it’s basically legal with nil
March 27th, 2023 at 12:06 PM ^
LifeWallet is an interesting company (there are a few like that, and most are in Florida). They sue companies, healthcare providers, and healthcare users to recover claims, and in exchange, they get a portion of the proceeds. They are modern-day ambulance chasers.
Who knows how long they can go on, as many players are in this space. Also, they are capitalists at the end of the day and will stop the funding if there are no meaningful payoffs. The cost of buying a team can go up as well.
http://www.lifwnetwork.com/category/insights/sports-insights/
March 27th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
Why did you not post links to articles about this? You must have read about this somewhere…
March 27th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
This is the way.
March 27th, 2023 at 12:30 PM ^
Why isn't anyone talking about Miami (YTM) booster buying their hoops teams?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
Because in the day and age of NIL, this is no longer a thing.
And why are you picking on YTM? KSU (sub .500 the last 3 seasons), USC, are good all of sudden too.
Same with 'Bama... a .500 club this decade except for COVID year and this year.
March 27th, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
Regardless, they still have one of the best coaches in college basketball, a guy who took George Mason to the Final 4 before all of this. Glad they beat Texas.
March 27th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
What's the "real" difference between an endorsement for a professional player and a college student athlete?
The difference, IMO, is - the company that employs the professional expects a business return on their investment. The booster who funds something from NIL - again, IMO - usually doesn't expect a significant BUSINESS return (though any positive impact would be welcome) - the NIL funder does expect increased visibility and "clout" by supporting the collegiate team in a given manner.
And, as long as there are boosters who are willing to spend sums of money to persuade 17 / 18 year olds - and their families that they'll pocket some noticeable coin, you'll see NIL monies tossed around like candy at Halloween.
The return on that "spend" - well, it varies - and, varies greatly. You can compare Miami (in hoops) and A&M (in football).
March 27th, 2023 at 12:58 PM ^
Wait, you mean the 'U' is buying players? Shocking!
“Your winnings, Sir.”
“Oh, thank you very much.”
Just a comment on John Ruiz. NOT a Billionaire. He did not specifically claim to be, to my knowledge, but he has also not refuted it when he was first labelled that, and people have run with it assuming it to be true.
OP, you are a whiny baby. None of Miami's players are even top 50 are they? The booster doesn't coach them or make them jell as a team or give them mental toughness in close games.
Why isn't anyone talking about Goblins?
I think letting the Alabama kid play, who was loosely involved in a murder, was slightly more problematic.
Miami was in the Elite 8 last year, with several of those players returning, so, it's not like they went out and bough a whole new team. I am waiting for when a team who had a season like Minnesota did this year, goes out and pays for 5 new starters who lead them to a Final Four or championship, then you will really see heads exploding across the college sports landscape.
The NCAA is a dumpster fire. NIL BS - Men who think they are women ( DNA is DNA ) get to compete vs females……..
If a team like Miami or whoever is doing something illegal the NCAA looking the other way and choosing to allow it hasn’t been proven.
Charles Barkley said it great yesterday.
“ College athletics are a travesty and a disgrace “.
I don't disagree about this being the new reality, but ... I'm not sure Miami is "proof" of anything. Miami is from perhaps the premier basketball conference in America -- and they were a 5-seed. It's not like they dominated the basketball world this year. It's like pointing to George Mason or Loyola of Chicago or Butler, back in the day. There have always been lower-ranked teams making the Final Four -- just like there have always been fans worrying that the sky is falling.
It's all ok.
Would you like some cheese with that whine?
Exactly why I feel LESS interested in college football/basketball/etc. these days and MORE interested in pro sports. I used to be the other way around...
Oh, I thought it was this booster....
I wish I would of known that SDSU was fielding a team full of grown men. Can't underestimate what spending 3 to 4 years in a collegiate conditioning program can do to your body. Should of watched more Mountain West basketball.
Texas spent $280K on an official recruiting visit for Arch Manning.
Is there any NCAA outrage - or concern - about this figure? No, there isn’t - and, IMO - that’s part of the problem.
If college student athletes have their representation (name, image, or likeness) on NCAA Football, Madden, or something similar - I have no issue with their being compensated financially. Jersey sales - again, no problem. How about conference media revenue sharing? Again - no problem - but, that revenue sharing will be a delicate on to figure out - with men’s and women’s sports - as well as revenue generating vs non-revenue generating sports to be considered (or - maybe not).
I'm jealous. Any chance we could rename one of our campus buildings LifeWallet?
How about “Value City”? Oh, my mistake - that’s already taken.
The student/athlete illusion was sustainable until TV money overwhelmed the system. We could tolerate unpaid students playing semi-pro ball for universities as long as no one made huge piles of money doing it. Once it the schools, coaches, and networks starting making hundreds of billions of dollars, it just seemed wrong that the players were the unpaid interns in the system. Now, major college sports are just another form of entertainment competing against other athletic and non-athletic entertainment for you dollar. The question is how long can college-affiliatedence entertainment hang on to the audience as it becomes increasingly clear that the performers have no meaningful relationship to the university they play for.
What do you consider capitalism?