Syracuse Orange: Adam Weitsman departing ‘Cuse NIL is a big-time blow

Businessman and philanthropist Adam Weitsman getting out of the name, image and likeness game as it relates to the Syracuse Orange is a huge bummer, and tons of ‘Cuse fans weighed in regarding this news on social media after I first reported on Tuesday that Weitsman would exit NIL as it relates to SU student-athletes.

Now, Weitsman’s decision doesn’t mean that the sky is completely falling as it pertains to NIL initiatives on the Hill. There are collectives out there supporting Syracuse Orange players, and it’s certainly possible that more collectives will commence operations down the line.

In January of this year, SU Athletics announced the launch of the Syracuse NIL Store, which you can read about here. Last summer, I wrote about the availability of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) featuring ‘Cuse student-athletes, and there are other NIL initiatives out there as well supporting Syracuse Orange players.

However, from my perspective, Adam Weitsman is on a different playing field as it relates to NIL, given his deep pockets and some of his potentially lucrative initial plans that he shared with me and others in the media regarding NIL.

Adam Weitsman will not be doing any new NIL deals with Syracuse Orange players.

Weitsman is an extremely generous man, and he wanted to invest big dollars in NIL to help Syracuse Orange sports teams thrive. Perhaps there are other wealthy individuals out there who already are investing in NIL deals with current ‘Cuse players, or maybe they will crop up in the future.

But for the time being anyway, I believe it’s a big-time loss for the Syracuse Orange sports community that Adam Weitsman is done with ‘Cuse NIL.

On Tuesday, via phone, Weitsman and I discussed his decision to no longer form new NIL agreements with SU student-athletes. Adam Weitsman says he is honoring his two-year agreement with Dyaisha Fair, a Syracuse Orange women’s basketball player.

Weitsman told me that he feels the Syracuse University chancellor, Kent Syverud, doesn’t want him doing NIL any longer, especially with the attention and publicity that it brings to SU with Weitsman involved in NIL.

“With NIL, I’ve done everything by the book 100 percent in every single circumstance,” Adam Weitsman says. “Even though I didn’t go to Syracuse University, there’s nothing more that I’m passionate about than Syracuse athletics, which also includes every single person who works at the Dome.”

A SU Athletics spokesperson said to me via e-mail that “Syracuse University has no comment.”

In January of this year, I first reported that Weitsman had completed NIL deals with numerous ‘Cuse student-athletes across several sports and was working to finalize more agreements with Syracuse Orange players.

I respect the decision by Adam Weitsman to get out of the NIL arena as it relates to the ‘Cuse. It’s unfortunate, and I’m sad about it. That being said, I do look forward to connecting with him about other charitable and civic endeavors that I’m sure he will be conducting beyond the Syracuse Orange in the future.