Ok…let’s talk NIL. I feel like we have been talking about talking about it but we haven’t ever really talked about it. If you know what I’m talking about. So, let’s just go ahead and dive in head first, we have that opening thanks to the…um…interesting, maybe…comment made by University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek. He was able to sum up al of Razorback Football’s woes and provide a “simple solution”:
Now remember, I live in nonprofit land where we are all broke and we spend our time and money on giving back to those in need so that they have opportunities to become amazing humans. And, for the record, I wouldn’t have it any other way. But, I am still reeling myself from that bonehead statement. And you are welcome to disagree with me. And I don’t even mind you telling me why you disagree with me. Though you likely won’t change my mind. Not even because I’m being hard headed, I just have very strong feelings about the murky topic of the NIL.
Before I was a broke lover of all things nonprofit I was a broke college student. I say that a little tongue and cheek on both ends because both then and now I was able to get by and survive. But I digress. Let’s talk about those college years and we can circle back to the here and now once we have hashed it all out. Moment of pure transparency, I really did not want for anything when I was in college. As we have discussed before I went to college at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and am a proud Sugar Bear alumna. Like the Razorbacks are the only one of their kind, the women’s basketball team on campus is the only team known as the Sugar Bears (everyone else is a Bear) and that’s one of my favorite things about the school.
Anyway…
I attended UCA on a full athletic scholarship from 2000 through 2004.. What that means, in case you didn’t know, is that based on my athletic ability the University of Central Arkansas Women’s Basketball team essentially purchased me and my abilities for four years in exchange for paying my college tuition, room and board, and allowing me to have opportunities I may never have had opportunities to access had I not been a student athlete. I didn’t have to purchase my uniform or any other team clothing (warm ups, shoes, etc) and when we traveled there was no cost to me either. And we were able to have some amazing adventures playing across the US. We played in a tournament at Disney’s Wild world of Sports, another tournament in Hawaii, and competed in the Division II NCAA National Tournament (Elite 8).
NCAA Regional Champions
NCAA Division II Elite 8
From the Lobby of our tournament in Hawaii
I never lived in a dorm, call me a princess if you want, but always lived in a very modest apartment…aka nothing fancy. My room and board stipend easily covered that expense and left me about $150-$200 to buy a month’s worth of groceries and pay my utilities. At the time, it was totally doable. In the off season I didn’t get a stipend so I worked a summer job to pay my bills and supplemented with a few private coaching lessons with young local athletes. Again, nothing fancy. Any debt I managed to wrack up came in the form of unsolicited and wholly unneeded credit card companies who make having a credit card so appealing…until you have to pay it back! But that’s a story for another time, kiddos.
We were good. Like, really good. Our team was talented and we put on a good show. Then we followed it up by putting on a good face for our community and doing what we could to support our program and make our coaches and the university proud. Again…we did it well. And yet, at no point did I ever expect to get paid for my Name, Image, or Likeness. I didn’t EXPECT anything except my education in exchange for my time, talents, and effort. Seems pretty straightforward to me…but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.
Not that the University/Athletic Department didn’t use my Name, Image, and Likeness (with my consent), I just felt like that was part of the deal. Especially since (reference everything I said above) they were paying for my education, living expenses, allowing me to play a game I love, and traveling me all over the place at no cost to me. Because, say it with me now kids, the University of Central Arkansas purchased my athletic abilities for four years in exchange for my education. Seems very grown and business-ie for an 18 year old but even at forty-none-of-your-business it still makes sense to me.
READ MORE BELOW
So then, let’s fast forward to now. Well, close to now. Starting July 1 2021 the NCAA approved a name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy that allows student-athletes to monetize and capitalize off of their name, image, and likeness. Good for them, right? Well maybe…and then again maybe not! And here’s (at least partially and obviously in my opinion) why. There is zero amount of regulation on any of this, and by that what I mean is, by technical definition: no federal legislation or specific NCAA NIL rules have been established. NIL activities and restrictions vary from state to state and school to school, which means student-athletes must understand both sets of rules before entering into any NIL agreements. And By Bekka’s definition: everyone is just doing whatever they want, whenever they want, and it’s all pretty much run amuck. What we have effectively done is take all of the focus off of playing a sport you love in exchange for an education that will serve you a lifetime. I know everyone thinks little Johnny is going to be the next Michael Jordan (still the goat…) but the fact is that across all NCAA collegiate sports there is only a 2% chance an athlete will participate in professional sports – read that again and let it sink in. TWO PERCENT.
Now, here my heart here for yourself, if you are an athlete reading these words, or the parent of an athlete – set high goals, work your tail off, and shoot your shot…become that 2%. I’m here for it! But, don’t miss out on the bigger picture here. If you shoot for the moon and only reach the stars you are going to need that degree to fall back on and start your post sports life.
However, thanks to our friend-ish the NIL, that concern for your education and what your life is going to look like after that brilliant flash of time (4 years of eligibility flies by in an instant, take it from me) has ended is a thing of the past. If you don’t like your playing time, hit the transfer portal. If you want more money, hit the transfer portal. If you are mad at your coach, hit the transfer portal. Got your panties in a wad, hit the transfer portal. I feel like you can see where I’m going here.
In reality, our bodies can only take so much. So, depending on your sport of choice and what you are willing to put your body through to play at elite levels, the amount of time you can function as an elite athlete is small in relation to the rest of your life. So, with that in mind, I can also see the temptation to embrace a more self-centered mindset while you can. I’m at the level, so give my due, and write that paycheck while you are at it. I just feel like we have forever changed the trajectory and purity of college sport and I’m afraid we will never be able to go back. If you really think about it, back before scholarships were even available, people just went to college and played a sport…on their own dime…because they loved it. Let that soak in.
https://www.nfhs.org/media/886012/recruiting-fact-sheet-web.pdf
What will we put a dollar sign on next? The possibilities are endless. And pretty scary if you ask me.
So, back to this week, and the not so popular opinion of our old buddy Hunter Yuracheck.
I mean, y’all, I just can’t with this.
If you could see me now, sitting in my husband’s recliner, with the dog in my lap, typing and just shaking my head. I absolutely cannot.
I’m not a huge Razorback fan to begin with but the hubs is so I embrace the Hog when I need to (again, y’all, Sugar Bear for Life) but this simple little comment hits right at the core of everything I have said above. Why should 10,000 households in Arkansas take $100 out of their monthly budget (in THIS economy) so that we can have what he deems “a competitive football team”? P.S. he makes a salary of over $1.5 million per year…also let that sink in.
Maybe I’m a little selfish, but I think that you should take your $100.00 per month and give it to The EMpact One Foundation so that we can allow kids from struggling families a chance to play sports…period. That’s how I choose to spend my extra. Not padding the pockets of administrators and kids who have lost all consciousness of how this was built in the first place.
Maybe it’s going to be an unpopular opinion.
But it’s mine…
And I will die on it!
Until next week…That’s How the Ball Bounces
Read more from How the Ball Bounces with Bekka in the archives at www.mysaline.com/bounces.
About the author: Bekka Wilkerson is a lifelong lover of all things sports. Raised in a super athletic household it was no surprise when she too began to love sports at a young age. It seems like from the time she could walk she had a softball bat in her hands, but her true athletic passion came from all things Basketball. That love served her well as a Bryant High School Lady Hornet and ultimately earned her a full scholarship to play at the University of Central Arkansas – among many other adventures.
These days Bekka can be found running around Saline County with her husband, Speedy, or chasing one of her grandsons. She is also the Executive Director of The EMpact One Foundation, a Saline County Nonprofit Organization that helps young people stay connected to extracurricular activities through tuition assistance and equipment provisions.
Reach out to Bekka with questions and/or ideas about things you want to see in this column at [email protected] and learn more about The EMpact One Foundation at www.empactone.org.