UConn women's basketball great Sue Bird loves NIL in college sports. Why Geno Auriemma sees 'problems'

[Carnac]

UConn women's basketball legend Sue Bird knows a few things about profiting from deals with brands.

But all those skills — and all that profit — came about over the course of her illustrious professional career in the WNBA. As one of the great players in the history of the league, Bird has built her own strong brand.

UConn women's basketball great Sue Bird loves NIL in college sports. Why Geno Auriemma sees 'problems'

UConn legend Sue Bird is a supporter of name, image and likeness in college sports, but Geno Auriemma sees issues with the new landscape.

www.ctinsider.com

This was NOT behind a paywall for me. Hopefully everyone will have access to the article.

 

[Nolefan]

Imo it’s gonna ruin college sports .. rich get richer .. they need some kinda of regulation and all this transfer portal stuff is ridiculous..

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

UConn women's basketball legend Sue Bird knows a few things about profiting from deals with brands.

But all those skills — and all that profit — came about over the course of her illustrious professional career in the WNBA. As one of the great players in the history of the league, Bird has built her own strong brand.

UConn women's basketball great Sue Bird loves NIL in college sports. Why Geno Auriemma sees 'problems'

UConn legend Sue Bird is a supporter of name, image and likeness in college sports, but Geno Auriemma sees issues with the new landscape.

www.ctinsider.com

This was NOT behind a paywall for me. Hopefully everyone will have access to the article.

Carnac- - -I wasn't so lucky! Thanks for trying!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

This is going to lead to a form of illegal recruiting when supporters of programs take over NIL payments to recruits, graduate transfers, & regular transfers! Letters of intent to the highest bidders!
It is already happening at some big-time WBB programs!
Not just businesses like GATORADE, NIKE, ADDIAS, etc.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Before NIL showed up there was a certain amount of democracy filtering into college sports which displayed itself as increasing parity. I'm afraid that NIL is going to concentrate the aggregation of talent in fewer schools and destroy the benefits of parity.

 

[Bone Dog]

I'm not convinced NIL is at odds with greater parity. It's another lever schools have to compete with, and it doesn't require the usual alumni donors to break the bank, or bend the rules to make it effective. There's been lots of rumors and insinuations about programs like LSU simply paying players. But these have so far not proved to be accurate. In LSU's case, I gather the school gives players a cut of the team merch profits since it involves their names images and likenesses. This is not only not a violation, but entirely within the spirit of the NIL rules. Also, each player's share is not huge, and I'm sure the big stars have much more sizable independent NIL deals of their own.

 

[Carnac]

This is going to lead to a form of illegal recruiting when supporters of programs take over NIL payments to recruits, graduate transfers, & regular transfers! Letters of intent to the highest bidders!
It is already happening at some big-time WBB programs!
Not just businesses like GATORADE, NIKE, ADDIAS, etc.

WCBB as we knew it no longer exists. I don't think it will ever return to the days of yesteryear. Ask the coaches of Maryland, Stanford, Louisville, and DePaul for instance what THEY think of NIL and the portal. They ALL lost their star players to other teams that are for the most part irreplaceable.

The top-tier programs will continue to benefit as they have so far this calendar year. The smaller schools, not so much. It's kind of hard to suggest to a non-P5 WCBB coach that he/she is playing on a level playing field today. They can all get players from the portal, but not the BIG names like Van Lith, Reese, or Morrow. Some coaches no longer worry about recruiting HS players. They can make out their "needs" list, and then go shopping in the portal. Welcome to the new normal. Did anyone do better filling their needs so far this spring than Kim Mulkey of LSU who lost her entire starting 5? Dawn Staley (South Carolina) didn't do too badly either.

 

[Carnac]

Imo it’s gonna ruin college sports .. rich get richer .. they need some kinda of regulation and all this transfer portal stuff is ridiculous..

This is what happens when the inmates run the asylum. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

 

[Carnac]

Correction Dawn Staley ( South Carolina) lost her starting 5, not Mulkey.

 

[JellyBean]

Sadly, I was unable to read the article but I am sure it was insightful. Did Coach Auriemma say why there are problems with NILs?

 

[JellyBean]

Imo it’s gonna ruin college sports .. rich get richer .. they need some kinda of regulation and all this transfer portal stuff is ridiculous..

I just don't see how NILs are going to ruin college sports. Sticking with WBB, I just don't see how the rich will get richer. First off, we gotta define which programs are the rich. As for the transfer portal, that has been around for a few years, and I really didn't see or hear much uproar until now, with LSU adding their additions.

 

[Geew1992]

I just don't see how NILs are going to ruin college sports. Sticking with WBB, I just don't see how the rich will get richer. First off, we gotta define which programs are the rich. As for the transfer portal, that has been around for a few years, and I really didn't see or hear much uproar until now, with LSU adding their additions.

Not disagreeing… but if you read the Tennessee board, they believe they lost a few players, including Shade, to NIL. That they were out bid

 

[Nolefan]

I just don't see how NILs are going to ruin college sports. Sticking with WBB, I just don't see how the rich will get richer. First off, we gotta define which programs are the rich. As for the transfer portal, that has been around for a few years, and I really didn't see or hear much uproar until now, with LSU adding their additions.

Well do you really think LSU gets both Morrow and Hailey Van Lith without NIL incentives than I have ocean front property in Arizona to sell you .. transfer portal without sitting out or being a graduate transfer to be eligible to play immediately is a disservice to the game imo .. this has nothing to do with LSU good for them they are using the system to their advantage.. but go back 3 years before all this stuff and Morrow and HLV both stay at their respective schools imo .. how do you think Deion was able to secure a number 1 recruit to a Jackson state ? So now all the best players at lower schools basically can go to bigger name programs so they can chase that money and championship aspirations.. You don’t think coaches are contacting players while they are still playing and attending their respective schools .. if you’re for all this please explain how NLI and the portal is good for college athletics?

 

[hoopsfan22]

Well do you really think LSU gets both Morrow and Hailey Van Lith without NIL incentives than I have ocean front property in Arizona to sell you .. transfer portal without sitting out or being a graduate transfer to be eligible to play immediately is a disservice to the game imo .. this has nothing to do with LSU good for them they are using the system to their advantage.. but go back 3 years before all this stuff and Morrow and HLV both stay at their respective schools imo .. how do you think Deion was able to secure a number 1 recruit to a Jackson state ? So now all the best players at lower schools basically can go to bigger name programs so they can chase that money and championship aspirations.. You don’t think coaches are contacting players while they are still playing and attending their respective schools .. if you’re for all this please explain how NLI and the portal is good for college athletics?

Anyone can make money from their NIL and can transfer to different schools whenever they want. Why should some portion of students be denied those things just because they play a sport?

 

[Bone Dog]

Not disagreeing… but if you read the Tennessee board, they believe they lost a few players, including Shade, to NIL. That they were out bid

If they think this, they haven’t been paying attention to Ashlynn over the last few years. She’s had UConn in her heart for a long time. Just like Allie and Morgan.

 

[Geew1992]

If they think this, they haven’t been paying attention to Ashlynn over the last few years. She’s had UConn in her heart for a long time. Just like Allie and Morgan.

Nope they haven’t…

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I just don't see how NILs are going to ruin college sports. Sticking with WBB, I just don't see how the rich will get richer. First off, we gotta define which programs are the rich. As for the transfer portal, that has been around for a few years, and I really didn't see or hear much uproar until now, with LSU adding their additions.

JellyBean- - -In reality, ANY school in Division I that has rich boosters can turn their school into a HAVE!
If the school allows their rich boosters to pay the NIL of current players, recruits, transfers or graduate transfers, to get these great players to come to that school it becomes an unfair advantage vs schools such as UCONN and others that go by the strict interpretation of the NIL rules! There are schools such as LSU, SoCar, (which has been discussed on the BONEYARD) that are offering NIL help to get players to come to their schools!
It seems the first year of the NIL change the only ones offering places for athletes such as Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and others were Gatorade, Nike, Addias, and agencies signing college players so they can represent them to companies that want those players to sell their brands! Now others are getting involved that have other purposes than representation!
There hasn't been an uproar until this year when boosters figured out they can do NIL to benefit their favorite school!

 

[JellyBean]

Not disagreeing… but if you read the Tennessee board, they believe they lost a few players, including Shade, to NIL. That they were out bid

Well, it is Tennessee, so I am not really giving much weight to their claim. Heck any fan can say their program lost out on a player because of NIL. I would need some proof in the end.

 

[JellyBean]

Well do you really think LSU gets both Morrow and Hailey Van Lith without NIL incentives than I have ocean front property in Arizona to sell you .. transfer portal without sitting out or being a graduate transfer to be eligible to play immediately is a disservice to the game imo .. this has nothing to do with LSU good for them they are using the system to their advantage.. but go back 3 years before all this stuff and Morrow and HLV both stay at their respective schools imo .. how do you think Deion was able to secure a number 1 recruit to a Jackson state ? So now all the best players at lower schools basically can go to bigger name programs so they can chase that money and championship aspirations.. You don’t think coaches are contacting players while they are still playing and attending their respective schools .. if you’re for all this please explain how NLI and the portal is good for college athletics?

LOL!! Love the ocean front property in Arizona line. Too funny. But Hailey Van Lith and Morrow joining LSU, NIL could be one factor in their decision. One other decision is, maybe they actually want to play basketball at LSU. Some players actually do make decisions based on the playing the game. The comment about Deion getting a player to go to Jackson State has been debunked. Not even going to address that lie.

As for why I think the NIL deals and transfer portal is good for college athletics. Let's take NIL deals first. It was said early on that NIL would be unfair to female athletes and actually hurt women's sports. Early returns indicate such concerns were without merit. Women have thrived in the NIL space, not only earning money, but gaining a platform to advance gender equity in college sports and beyond.

Women have been active and creative in the social media sphere, and there is no indication that NIL has damaged women's sports in any way. To the contrary, all evidence indicates that NIL has enhanced women's sports and brought more attention to its best and most charismatic athletes. In addition, it has empowered female athletes and allowed some to earn money to start businesses and pay for graduate school.

As for the transfer portal and how I view it as a good thing for college athletics. I look at it as a way of allowing that player to go to whatever program/college that they feel fits their academic and athletic need. We get caught up in the big named players going to big time programs but what gets lost in the conversation is when players, who sit on benches of these big time programs transfer out to go play at other programs. So, for example, a player like Saylor Poffenbarger. She leaves UConn and goes to Arkansas. This was a win/win for her and a good example of how the transfer portal works well. Like anything with the transfer portal, it is going to be a case-by-case situation. Programs will adjust.

 

[Rowdy831]

I'm not convinced NIL is at odds with greater parity. It's another lever schools have to compete with, and it doesn't require the usual alumni donors to break the bank, or bend the rules to make it effective. There's been lots of rumors and insinuations about programs like LSU simply paying players. But these have so far not proved to be accurate. In LSU's case, I gather the school gives players a cut of the team merch profits since it involves their names images and likenesses. This is not only not a violation, but entirely within the spirit of the NIL rules. Also, each player's share is not huge, and I'm sure the big stars have much more sizable independent NIL deals of their own.

LSU is paying players big money and it isn't coming from selling shirts. They do have some athletes who have done it one their own but those aren't big sport players like football and basketball. I don't know how it will impact the sports in the long run but right now the teams who spend the money are benefitting and nobody is benefitting more than LSU.

 

[Ozimoto]

I saw an interview with Carol Hutchins (former Michigan softball coach of 40 years so she may be considered out of touch?). Her take on NIL and the transfer portal is that for some sports, what you now have is colleges and their NIL collectives are essentially serving as minor pro leagues for the big revenue sports.

In her opinion, she feels that college coaches are educators as well as coaches and that collegiate sports should be part of the education of these kids, teaching them how to cope with life challenges. College sports should not be about building a brand and making money.

If you follow that line of reasoning, college athletics and "revenue" sports are not compatible, which I think is the point she was making. The idea of the "student athlete" is becoming a sort of a joke to some degree. The emphasis has definitely shifted more to the "athlete" then the "student." Not that this is a new phenomenon, but NIL and the revisions to transfers has pushed that gap wider by quite a bit.

Now, get off my lawn!

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Not so sure Sue sees things for exactly what they are and need to be, on several fronts, as of late. Absolutely loved her as a player and representative of the UCONN program but that doesn’t necessarily translate to 20/20 vision.

 

[Bone Dog]

I saw an interview with Carol Hutchins (former Michigan softball coach of 40 years so she may be considered out of touch?). Her take on NIL and the transfer portal is that for some sports, what you now have is colleges and their NIL collectives are essentially serving as minor pro leagues for the big revenue sports.

In her opinion, she feels that college coaches are educators as well as coaches and that collegiate sports should be part of the education of these kids, teaching them how to cope with life challenges. College sports should not be about building a brand and making money.

If you follow that line of reasoning, college athletics and "revenue" sports are not compatible, which I think is the point she was making. The idea of the "student athlete" is becoming a sort of a joke to some degree. The emphasis has definitely shifted more to the "athlete" then the "student." Not that this is a new phenomenon, but NIL and the revisions to transfers has pushed that gap wider by quite a bit.

Now, get off my lawn!

I agree with Coach Hutchins, coaches are teachers. In fact, there's no justification for college sports at all if they aren't. As a college prof, I feel this very strongly. It's what my 40 years in academia has shown me over and over again. But even that justification can feel a bit thin, since the main thing coaches can teach is character, and a school is not an ideal place for that lesson. Note that I distinguish what they teach from what they coach -- athletic skill is coached not taught according to this very narrow reading of the words. Feel free to redefine them.

But there are ways an athletic program can be good for a school, in school spirit and in a general encouragement to physical activity as key to intellectual development. Intercollegiate sports contributes to this too, though it may lose sight of this function sometimes.

The problem is, once athletics is part of the mission of a college, and once it becomes a big money operation, other imperatives apply, like property rights. Schools have profited off students name image and likeness for many decades, and in the case of student-athletes they got away with preventing the students from having a share in what is clearly a property right of theirs. it was always wrong, and now this has been rectified. We can worry about the distorting effect of NIL on the sports we love. But returning to the old unjust system is wrong.

And if boosters (or even administrators) at some schools are violating the current rules, those programs should be sanctioned. This is the same solution as the NCAA has always had.

 

[90BSEE]

Sue doesn't exactly exhibit the best judgment where non-basketball stuff (Xs and Os) is concerned.

 

[JellyBean]

JellyBean- - -In reality, ANY school in Division I that has rich boosters can turn their school into a HAVE!
If the school allows their rich boosters to pay the NIL of current players, recruits, transfers or graduate transfers, to get these great players to come to that school it becomes an unfair advantage vs schools such as UCONN and others that go by the strict interpretation of the NIL rules! There are schools such as LSU, SoCar, (which has been discussed on the BONEYARD) that are offering NIL help to get players to come to their schools!
It seems the first year of the NIL change the only ones offering places for athletes such as Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and others were Gatorade, Nike, Addias, and agencies signing college players so they can represent them to companies that want those players to sell their brands! Now others are getting involved that have other purposes than representation!
There hasn't been an uproar until this year when boosters figured out they can do NIL to benefit their favorite school!

Texas A&M women's basketball should have a waiting list, if you believe the hype about their football program.

 

[ccwarrior]

I agree with Coach Hutchins, coaches are teachers. In fact, there's no justification for college sports at all if they aren't. As a college prof, I feel this very strongly. It's what my 40 years in academia has shown me over and over again. But even that justification can feel a bit thin, since the main thing coaches can teach is character, and a school is not an ideal place for that lesson. Note that I distinguish what they teach from what they coach -- athletic skill is coached not taught according to this very narrow reading of the words. Feel free to redefine them.

But there are ways an athletic program can be good for a school, in school spirit and in a general encouragement to physical activity as key to intellectual development. Intercollegiate sports contributes to this too, though it may lose sight of this function sometimes.

The problem is, once athletics is part of the mission of a college, and once it becomes a big money operation, other imperatives apply, like property rights. Schools have profited off students name image and likeness for many decades, and in the case of student-athletes they got away with preventing the students from having a share in what is clearly a property right of theirs. it was always wrong, and now this has been rectified. We can worry about the distorting effect of NIL on the sports we love. But returning to the old unjust system is wrong.

And if boosters (or even administrators) at some schools are violating the current rules, those programs should be sanctioned. This is the same solution as the NCAA has always had.

As a past college athlete (dark ages), and current Prof like you, I cannot agree more with your assessment.

 

[BRS24]

I may be a biased homer, however I believe that UConn is one of the best programs to prepare the players for whatever comes after graduation - WNBA, overseas play, a career, etc. The reality of making a pro team anywhere, is harsh, and coaches should ensure from day one on campus that even if the ultimate goal is playing in the W, there must be prep and hard work for whatever may come.