Syracuse Orange: John Wildhack must get everyone on same page regarding NIL efforts

When it comes to name, image and likeness efforts surrounding the Syracuse Orange, I feel like there is some confusion these days about just what exactly the ‘Cuse NIL strategy is.

This is, of course, just my opinion. However, it seems to me that there may be NIL entities focused on the ‘Cuse in operation to one extent or another that could – I repeat, could – be competing for NIL deals for Syracuse Orange student-athletes.

Is that a good thing? I don’t necessarily think so. On the one hand, we live in a free-market economy where competition is encouraged. But is that what SU Athletics wants as the NIL strategy for ‘Cuse student-athletes?

In recent days, there have been some a lot of comments that I’ve come across on social media and in chat rooms about the Syracuse Orange and NIL. Some of these comments, to put it mildly, haven’t proven all that positive.

Since I like to focus on the positives and be optimistic as often as possible, my main message here is that Syracuse University athletics director John Wildhack has to get everyone on the same page regarding the ‘Cuse NIL strategy. And I'll leave it at that.

There are multiple NIL entities supporting Syracuse Orange student-athletes. It’s confusing.

Last September, Orange United launched to support NIL deals for student-athletes in every ‘Cuse sport. At that time, Orange United had signed a deal with multi-media rights company LEARFIELD to be an official partner of, and the preferred collective for, SU Athletics.

Orange United, a commercial NIL collective, is managed by the Atlanta-based Student Athlete NIL (“SANIL”), which operates dozens of commercial collectives nationwide.

When I wrote about Orange United’s launch, I noted the collective’s board of directors at that time. One board member was Joe Burton, a former Syracuse football offensive guard who is president of Darien, Conn.-based CoreOne Industrial.

Burton is no longer on Orange’ United’s board. In fact, he is president of SU Football NIL, an entity that “seeks to offer endorsement contracts to corporate sponsors utilizing the name, image and likeness of the most recognizable players in SU Football,” according to its Web site.

Both CoreOne Industrial’s headquarters and SU Football NIL’s address listed on its Web site are the same location in Darien.

This brings us to Athletes Who Care, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which was formed in the summer of 2022 and “works with Syracuse University student-athletes to provide meaningful charitable opportunities, which benefit our Central New York Community,” according to its Web site.

On the Orange United Web site, there are numerous ‘Cuse student-athletes noted, including players in men’s basketball, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, football, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, field hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, women’s rowing, softball and tennis.

Recent media reports, as I noted in another recent column, have stated that Syracuse basketball is among numerous teams in talks to potentially play in a future in-season tournament slated for Las Vegas that would provide millions of dollars in NIL deals to the participants.

The Orange has not been officially named as a future participant in this event, called “Players Era,” but a source told me that SANIL brought Syracuse basketball into the discussions to possibly compete in this tourney in the future.

SU Football NIL, naturally, is focused on Syracuse football. This organization, on its Web site, says that it represents 16 Orange players, and several of the players listed on its Web site are also listed on Orange United’s Web site.

An article published in December of 2023 by The Daily Orange said that Athletes Who Care, when that story ran, had “deals with over 25 football players and over 50 Syracuse student-athletes, according to founder and director Cliff Ensley. The goal is to have 150 student-athletes engaging with charities by the start of the next school year.”

Now, to be fair, I’m not saying here that Orange United, SU Football NIL and Athletes Who Care have the same focuses and missions. But are they competing for NIL deals with Syracuse Orange student-athletes?

Additionally, what is the priority, or priorities, for SU Athletics? Last September, Orange United had signed a deal with multi-media rights company LEARFIELD to be an official partner of, and the preferred collective for, SU Athletics.

But on the bottom right-hand side of the Athletes Who Care Web site, it reads, “POWERED BY LEARFIELD.” It’s unclear to me what this means. Is Athletes Who Care also a preferred collective for SU Athletics?

By extension, is SU Athletics working with SU Football NIL? To reiterate, I think Syracuse Orange fans would benefit from Wildhack clarifying how these various NIL entities shape the ‘Cuse NIL strategy.

Over the past year or two, I’ve read numerous articles where experts discuss the importance of having one unified strategy for a particular school’s NIL efforts. The Daily Orange piece from late last year, for one, discussed this notion.

When I wrote an article last April, before Orange United launched, I spoke with Jason Belzer, the founder of SANIL. Speaking generally, and not specifically about the 'Cuse, he did say that in his experience running commercial collectives at schools around the country, the most successful NIL programs had one unified voice, rather than multiple entities in operation with potentially competing interests.

Prior to writing this article, I e-mailed Joe Burton and Cliff Ensley, with no response. I sent an e-mail to a SU Athletics spokesperson that wasn’t returned.

I also left general e-mail and voicemail messages stemming from the SU Football NIL’s contact us page on its Web site that weren’t returned.

Former Syracuse football fullback Rob Konrad, in recent days, has put out a few posts on his X page where he’s voiced his support of SU Football NIL and also made some comments about Orange United. I sent a message to Konrad this week via X that was not returned.

Belzer, in a telephone interview this week, says that Orange United is focused on serving the best interests of Syracuse student-athletes and developing a sustainable NIL collective to support every ‘Cuse sport.

He noted that Orange United has never been exclusive as it pertains to ‘Cuse NIL efforts and “others are free to have their own efforts,” when I asked him about Athletes Who Care and SU Football NIL.

With regard to Konrad’s comments about Orange United, Belzer’s main response was that it would be ideal if everyone could be on the same team.

I agree with that sort of sentiment, and I hope that John Wildhack can bring everyone together for the best interests of Syracuse Orange student-athletes as it pertains to NIL.