Syracuse Orange: NIL in ‘better position than I think people perceive’ – AD

Syracuse Orange athletic director John Wildhack said in a recent radio interview that name, image and likeness (“NIL”) efforts on the Hill are “in a better position than I think people perceive.”

NIL continues to prove a hot-button topic in Central New York, given the explosion of the NCAA’s transfer portal, recent comments from Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers, the football program’s struggles of late, and other factors.

Some fans remain frustrated about NIL as it relates to the Syracuse Orange, and I get it. I’ve seen them chime in on social media in recent weeks and in recent months, saying they’re skeptical that the ‘Cuse can successfully compete with other big-time schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference and around the country when it comes to NIL.

Fans also believe that SU Athletics is late to the game, so to speak, concerning NIL efforts. And even though a new commercial NIL collective focused on all Syracuse Orange sports just got off the ground in mid-September, some ‘Cuse fans are still upset about what transpired in the spring, when businessman and philanthropist Adam Weitsman decided to no longer do NIL deals with Syracuse Orange student-athletes.

Athletic director John Wildhack recently discussed the NIL space for the Syracuse Orange.

I wholeheartedly understand these sorts of sentiments from some ‘Cuse fans. At the same time, I think it’s important to have a little bit of patience here.

Orange United, the new commercial NIL collective supporting all ‘Cuse sports, only launched about 45 days ago, and leaders of this group have told me several times of late that they’re seeing positive momentum so far in their existence.

Orange United, which has signed a deal with multi-media rights company LEARFIELD to be an official partner of, and the preferred collective for, SU Athletics, is being managed by the Atlanta-based Student Athlete NIL (“SANIL”), an entity that currently operates dozens of commercial collectives nationwide and has more than 1,000 student-athletes under retainer contract.

In late October, SANIL and The Brandr Group announced a formal partnership, according to a recent article by Pete Nakos of On3. This new alliance is “bringing together the provider for 41 NIL collectives with the group licensing partner used at more than 54 Division I institutions,” Nakos wrote, adding that “notable overlapping partners” include the Syracuse Orange.

The Brandr Group, with offices in Davidson, N.C., and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., is a full-service NIL agency that represents the group rights of thousands of student-athletes at numerous universities nationwide in licensing, sponsorship and content licensing opportunities, according to its Web site.

As I noted in another recent piece, Orange United has launched a $500,000 matching campaign that is expected to run through December 11 and is designed to encourage Syracuse Orange fans to purchase annual or monthly Orange United subscriptions.

These subscriptions will give fans access to content and other opportunities, and depending on which level of subscription is purchased, those membership subscriptions can get upgraded to the next tier for a year.

While fan subscriptions are a vital part of Orange United’s fundraising initiatives to provide NIL deals to Syracuse Orange student-athletes, this collective is also engaging in many discussions to raise money through the business community as well as from larger investments from individual donors.

Jason Belzer, the founder of SANIL, has told me in the past that Orange United has a goal of raising $6 million to $9 million annually to fund NIL deals with ‘Cuse players.

Mark Hayes, the general manager of Orange United, recently told me in a phone interview that he’s hoping to reach that goal “within a year,” adding, “There’s a lot of really good conversations happening.”

Turning back to John Wildhack, he recently discussed NIL with the Syracuse Orange during an interview with Steve Infanti and Paulie Scibilia on their ESPN Radio Syracuse program, “Orange Nation.”

Right off the bat, when it comes to NIL, Wildhack said, “We’re in a better position than I think people perceive.”

He noted the recent challenge fundraising campaign from Orange United. He also mentioned that Athletes Who Care, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has done some positive things in the NIL space at the ‘Cuse.

Additionally, Wildhack said that some donors have stepped up, “in a quiet way,” declining to provide further details here.

He stressed that more local businesses have to do their part and step up to work with Syracuse Orange student-athletes across all SU sports on NIL opportunities. This doesn’t need to be “big dollars,” Wildhack said, adding that within this component, recent feedback has proven “positive.”

Wildhack said, unequivocally, that beyond NIL, the Syracuse Orange has to be competitive with its facilities, which can help with recruiting. He noted the ongoing improvements to the JMA Wireless Dome.

Also, in late September, ground was broken on a new Syracuse football operations center at the John A. Lally Athletic Complex. Wildhack says this new football operations center is “critical.”

In my humble opinion, I do think that there are encouraging signs on the NIL front in Central New York. Is the Syracuse Orange late to the NIL game, as some fans have emphatically stated? Perhaps. Did Adam Weitsman getting out of the NIL space with the ‘Cuse hurt? Perhaps.

But these new facilities are important initiatives. And I think Orange United will do a lot of positive things on the Hill in providing NIL deals to ‘Cuse student-athletes. The collective is in its infancy, so I’d say let’s give Orange United more time before rushing to any judgments one way or another.