NIL payouts - ridiculous amounts

[maxw]

Here's an article in The Athletic that lists some of the numbers (you may need subscription):

Men's college basketball mailbag, Part 2: How much are transfers getting paid?

With schools paying over $1 million for top hoops transfers, can mid-majors survive? And will more players pull out of the draft?

theathletic.com

Sadly, I can't see how we can compete with the obscene amounts of money being thrown around by football powerhouses, and those with billionaire backing. It's impressive Dan Hurley has been able to do what he did the last 2 years but it's going to get tough.

One good thing is that you don't win championships by recruiting a great paper team, you actually have to play the games and win them.

Here are a few quotes from the article:

“Baylor, Arkansas and Louisville have helped the market,” says one insider. Another listed those three, plus Indiana, Alabama and Kentucky as the biggest spenders this free-agent season. A mix of that, plus obscene asking prices, plus a little bit of liar’s poker have resulted in this new reality: “Every kid has ‘multiple $750K offers.’ That’s the opening line of every agent,” says one insider.

The article interviews several insiders who say that starters get $200K-$500K, all-conference up to $750K, all-american over a million.

There clearly is no salary-cap like limit here, the arms races are going to push the prices into stratosphere - potentially into NBA range soon.

How I miss the good old days when college basketball wasn't so mercenary.

 

[husky429]

We are in a very comfortable place with basketball NIL. I wouldn't worry about it.

Football, I have no idea.

 

[navery12]

I don't see how we'll be able to compete in the NIL era, there's certainly no way we'll ever win back to back championships in dominating fashion

 

[husky8273]

We are in a very comfortable place with basketball NIL. I wouldn't worry about it.

Football, I have no idea.

from BBFG? from D'Amelio NIL? other?

 

[FlakeyFoont]

So Karaban is weighing somewhere up to $750K to stay and try for a threepeat vs rolling the dice with the NBA. Interesting choice.

 

[Robrio89]

Only a select group of the top transfers will earn this kind of money and I don’t think that it drives the price up on all of the players, mainly because most schools don’t have this budget. It will be an embarrassment for these teams paying $1 million for a player when they aren’t guaranteeing those donors or collectives any success. Oumar Ballo gets a $1 million to play next year? When I saw that I thought it was a joke. The transfer portal is an exciting new piece of basketball but for every Dalton Knecht and Cam Spencer you have the complete opposite. Look how Timberlake did at Kansas? That guy was a top transfer.

Soon there will be revenue sharing and salary caps. And I don’t think that is even necessary to prevent some possible takeover in college BB by wealthy schools. I think they will find out on their own that teams win and assembling a group of randomly successful college level athletes isn’t the same as a the free agency in the pros. It just isn’t.

 

[polycom]

Only matter of time till this all blows up. Until then let’s enjoy the ride.

 

[husky429]

from BBFG? from D'Amelio NIL? other?

Those are our two NIL collectives, yes.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Only a select group of the top transfers will earn this kind of money and I don’t think that it drives the price up on all of the players, mainly because most schools don’t have this budget. It will be an embarrassment for these teams paying $1 million for a player when they aren’t guaranteeing those donors or collectives any success. Oumar Ballo gets a $1 million to play next year? When I saw that I thought it was a joke. The transfer portal is an exciting new piece of basketball but for every Dalton Knecht and Cam Spencer you have the complete opposite. Look how Timberlake did at Kansas? That guy was a top transfer.

Soon there will be revenue sharing and salary caps. And I don’t think that is even necessary to prevent some possible takeover in college BB by wealthy schools. I think they will find out on their own that teams win and assembling a group of randomly successful college level athletes isn’t the same as a the free agency in the pros. It just isn’t.

Couldn't agree more. Also, you aren't buying these kids for 4 years for 1mill. It's for one year most times. There will be donor fatigue if these things don't produce results. Hard enough for a coach to be a recruiter let alone a fundraiser. Imagine Scott Drew trying to go back to the well every year for 5 years when Baylor fails to win a natty?

 

[djct1999]

The extra year of eligibility was part of the problem. Things should calm down a bit next year. That said, this year was the Wild West. The numbers being thrown at kids were insane and in many cases unwarranted. I know of schools poaching committed kids and offering up to 3x. I also know some mid majors with huge boosters that threw real money around. It was pure chaos.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

So Karaban is weighing somewhere up to $750K to stay and try for a threepeat vs rolling the dice with the NBA. Interesting choice.

He needs to stay one more year and not make the same mistake Bouknight made.

 

[Sky ball]

He needs to stay one more year and not make the same mistake Bouknight made.

Bouk was to immature. Karaban would be OK.

 

[JayKoz]

He needs to stay one more year and not make the same mistake Bouknight made.

This isn’t even comparable.

 

[husky8273]

Those are our two NIL collectives, yes.

indeed. have they raised significant funds?

 

[Brochacho]

The market will correct. High-level starters making 6-7 figures isn't sustainable - NIL funds will eventually dry up and those figures will lower. Good for the kids though.

 

[Scrappy3]

Have to install a cap mechanismv

 

[husky429]

indeed. have they raised significant funds?

Enough to pay a championship-winning team... twice.

 

[auror]

Have to install a cap mechanismv

No they don't.

 

[navery12]

Have to install a cap mechanismv

It already exists, it's called the free market

 

[Scrappy3]

M

It already exists, it's called the free market

even the nba has a cap system. This is gonna destroy amateur sports as we know it. A team cap( hard cap) of 3-5 mm is reasonable. The mid majors can afford this and overall market has certainly

 

[husky429]

M

even the nba has a cap system. This is gonna destroy amateur sports as we know it. A team cap( hard cap) of 3-5 mm is reasonable. The mid majors can afford this and overall market has certainly

You think a mid-major donor base or AD has 3-5 million to spare?

 

[auror]

even the nba has a cap system. This is gonna destroy amateur sports as we know it. A team cap( hard cap) of 3-5 mm is reasonable. The mid majors can afford this and overall market has certainly

College basketball has NEVER had parity. Why does it need a mechanism to promote it?

 

[Scottobot]

UConn has never had much success at landing the top 25 players. I would guess about 10 to 15 of these players in school history, yet UConn has won 6 titles. I think a good coaching staff is more important than recruiting the top players. UN , Duke, and Kentucky have always found a way to get those players. SO NIL doesn’t change anything. Previously they we’re probably paying them under the table.

With good companies, key to success is building the right culture, and attracting the right type of people. Many of the guys seeking top dollar, are selfish mercenaries who don’t really care about the program, winning, or any other than maximizing what is best the them. I think they should be allowed to do that if that is what is important to them. Other players may find value in a lower NIL package combined with an experience that is rewarding.

What Hurley is doing is working. UConn players are probably getting much better NIL money than many other schools. Finally if you look at where UConn players were ranked out of high school vs where they got drafted, Hurley is doing a far superior Jon at increasing player draft stock compared to these other programs. That might be more important than an extra hundred thousand on an NIl contract.

 

[aburks41]

Couldn't agree more. Also, you aren't buying these kids for 4 years for 1mill. It's for one year most times. There will be donor fatigue if these things don't produce results. Hard enough for a coach to be a recruiter let alone a fundraiser. Imagine Scott Drew trying to go back to the well every year for 5 years when Baylor fails to win a natty?

I think we're already seeing donor fatigue with schools like Villanova. But for some schools who have multiple billionaire donors like an Arkansas with Jerry Jones and Tyson Chicken guy, $5M/year to them is like $5 to us. They won't care

 

[Jaydumo20]

I don't see how we'll be able to compete in the NIL era, there's certainly no way we'll ever win back to back championships in dominating fashion

This can't be overstated. It's evidence over fear and conjecture.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I think we're already seeing donor fatigue with schools like Villanova. But for some schools who have multiple billionaire donors like an Arkansas with Jerry Jones and Tyson Chicken guy, $5M/year to them is like $5 to us. They won't care

You're correct.
I still need to see a direct correlation between amount of money spent and number of wins and point differential. I don't think we'll see that amongst the best teams.
But you bring up a good point that i want to test out

 

[amishboy]

Bouk was to immature. Karaban would be OK.

Yep, he’s more mature than Bouknight, but AK is not going to be a first-round pick, let alone a lottery pick.

 

[amishboy]

Are the NIL figures for individuals (or teams) released anywhere? I’m curious because I wonder what’s at stake for Alex Karaban, if he opts for the draft (and possible second round selection) vs. returning for another year for guaranteed NIL money.

 

[CL82]

Bouk was to immature. Karaban would be OK.

I don't know if Bouk's issue was immaturity exactly, but I agree that his circumstances and Karaban's are different.

 

[bendm]

Sadly, I can't see how we can compete with the obscene amounts of money being thrown around by football powerhouses, and those with billionaire backing.