Syracuse Orange: The time is now to take NIL 'to a new level,' John Wildhack says

In recent months, Syracuse Orange athletics director John Wildhack has said more than once that the 'Cuse has been making encouraging progress as it pertains to name, image and likeness ("NIL") efforts supporting SU student-athletes.

Wildhack, in a letter posted to cuse.com on Friday, says "the time is now to take this (NIL) to a new level" as he asked for Syracuse Orange alumni, fans and others to support this critical cause as the landscape in college sports continues to evolve, driven by factors such as NIL, the transfer portal's explosion, future revenue-sharing with players and ongoing conference realignment.

In his letter, Wildhack starts off by noting the excitement surrounding the Syracuse football program, which has raced out to a 2-0 record thus far in the young 2024 season under first-year head coach Fran Brown.

As Wildhack mentions, and I've discussed on numerous occasions over the past few months, the Orange's 2024 roster has excellent talent on it, buoyed by key returnees on offense and defense, as well as a terrific incoming class inclusive of top-flight transfers and the program's highest-rated cycle at the high school level since recruiting services first established rankings.

Not too long ago, in an interview with 'Cuse play-by-play announcer Matt Park, Wildhack stressed that the Syracuse Orange having a competitive NIL program was key in helping to shape the Syracuse football 2024 roster.

John Wildhack is calling on alumni, fans and others to support Syracuse Orange NIL initiatives.

Wildhack, in discussing how collegiate athletics are changing, said in part: "Simply put, in order to compete and be successful on the field and court to the standard we expect here at Syracuse, we must be competitive in NIL. We've taken aggressive action to develop avenues to support our student-athletes through NIL, but the time is now to take this to a new level. Syracuse University partners with three NIL organizations that are actively supporting our programs' abilities to recruit and retain some of college athletics' most elite student-athletes."

Those three NIL organizations, as I've written about in various columns, are Orange United, SU Football NIL and Athletes Who Care.

Orange United, which launched around a year ago, is managed by the Atlanta-based Student Athlete NIL ("SANIL"). Orange United supports NIL efforts in every 'Cuse sport and, when it launched last September, it did so as the preferred collective of SU Athletics.

SU Football NIL focuses on endorsement deals for Syracuse football players. The non-profit Athletes Who Care, per Wildhack's letter, "has contracts with over 80 student-athletes to provide over 4,000 hours of charitable services this year."

Wildhack says if you're interested in supporting Syracuse Orange sports, he urges you to make a gift to one or more of the three NIL organizations, make a donation to the SU Athletics Opportunity Fund, and come cheer on the football program and other 'Cuse sports in person this fall and beyond.

Wildhack closed by saying in part, "As we boldly move into this new era of Syracuse Athletics, the difference between success and competitive excellence will be the support of every fan, alumni, donor and friend to the University."