Interesting note from his latest article:
When five-star offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. picked Oregon over USC, Michigan, Miami and Washington it caused a stir in the Pac-12 Conference booster world. The Division Street Collective — established to help UO athletes maximize their endorsement power — became an important player in the recruiting equation.
Six figures for Conerly Jr.?
Seven?
And what else is happening on the endorsement front in the Pac-12?
I reached out to a member of Washington State’s “Cougar Collective” on Thursday who confirmed that the entity put together a lucrative package for transfer quarterback Cameron Ward.
Ward jumped in the portal in January and transferred from University of the Incarnate Word to WSU. He figures to be an integral part of the Air Raid 2.0 offense that new offensive coordinator Eric Morris is implementing in spring football.
Ward’s total haul: $90,000.
His deal includes a contract with a housing firm for the school year that provides an apartment in Pullman. Also, Ward gets the use of a new pick-up truck for the year from a booster-owned car dealership. Also, he collects $50,000 in cash in exchange for promotional appearances he’ll make in the next year.
Said one member of the WSU collective: “For smaller schools to compete, it’s going to be very important. Our donor base is strong but nowhere near some of the big hitters.”
The “Cougar Collective” doesn’t have a required minimum contribution from donors. It also doesn’t collect fees or turn a profit. It’s solely there for the benefit of athletes. The group formed and put out the call for “like-minded business owners” and then placed an emphasis on the connections that the current and future athletes could form with business owners and leaders.
Said the donor: “We would love to be able to show any athlete, no matter what sport, that we can offer them some financial support to make college life a little easier.”
Ward won’t have to worry about transportation, housing and he has $50,000 in walking-around money now. Also, it’s above board. The initial foray into this world was all over the place but we’re starting to get an idea of the general market rate for players.
I have WSU athletic director Pat Chun on the statewide radio show today. We’ll talk some about the “Cougar Collective” and what he’s concerned about. I wonder if the athletic directors are concerned that booster donations to collectives are cannibalizing university gift giving.
The NCAA is woefully behind the curve on all of this, of course. Coaches and athletic directors are already speaking out. I support the right of a college kid to earn from his or her endorsement. But the WSU donor raised a great point. The potential separation between the “haves” and “have nots” on the college landscape is problematic.
Also, where is the line and will the NCAA ever draw one?
WSU and some others are doing it right and appear to be in it for the athletes. But we all know what happens when the ethics get skewed and the deals rise in value.
When five-star offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. picked Oregon over USC, Michigan, Miami and Washington it caused a stir in the Pac-12 Conference booster world. The Division Street Collective — established to help UO athletes maximize their endorsement power — became an important player in the recruiting equation.
Six figures for Conerly Jr.?
Seven?
And what else is happening on the endorsement front in the Pac-12?
I reached out to a member of Washington State’s “Cougar Collective” on Thursday who confirmed that the entity put together a lucrative package for transfer quarterback Cameron Ward.
Ward jumped in the portal in January and transferred from University of the Incarnate Word to WSU. He figures to be an integral part of the Air Raid 2.0 offense that new offensive coordinator Eric Morris is implementing in spring football.
Ward’s total haul: $90,000.
His deal includes a contract with a housing firm for the school year that provides an apartment in Pullman. Also, Ward gets the use of a new pick-up truck for the year from a booster-owned car dealership. Also, he collects $50,000 in cash in exchange for promotional appearances he’ll make in the next year.
Said one member of the WSU collective: “For smaller schools to compete, it’s going to be very important. Our donor base is strong but nowhere near some of the big hitters.”
The “Cougar Collective” doesn’t have a required minimum contribution from donors. It also doesn’t collect fees or turn a profit. It’s solely there for the benefit of athletes. The group formed and put out the call for “like-minded business owners” and then placed an emphasis on the connections that the current and future athletes could form with business owners and leaders.
Said the donor: “We would love to be able to show any athlete, no matter what sport, that we can offer them some financial support to make college life a little easier.”
Ward won’t have to worry about transportation, housing and he has $50,000 in walking-around money now. Also, it’s above board. The initial foray into this world was all over the place but we’re starting to get an idea of the general market rate for players.
I have WSU athletic director Pat Chun on the statewide radio show today. We’ll talk some about the “Cougar Collective” and what he’s concerned about. I wonder if the athletic directors are concerned that booster donations to collectives are cannibalizing university gift giving.
The NCAA is woefully behind the curve on all of this, of course. Coaches and athletic directors are already speaking out. I support the right of a college kid to earn from his or her endorsement. But the WSU donor raised a great point. The potential separation between the “haves” and “have nots” on the college landscape is problematic.
Also, where is the line and will the NCAA ever draw one?
WSU and some others are doing it right and appear to be in it for the athletes. But we all know what happens when the ethics get skewed and the deals rise in value.
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