That FTX deal got me scared to give money to anything unregulated.
Unofficial Poll Time - Bulldog Initiative Related
- Thread starter dawgstudent
- Start date
Ah yes, I love the itemized spending allocations I get with my Bulldog Club donations**
I think one part of it is that most of State’s “affluent” alumni are the “Millionaire Nextdoor” type. They’ve accumulated enough wealth to be called millionaires, but they’ve done so by being prudent with their money and saving it. Living in TX, I know at least a dozen State grads who would fit this description.
Not saying that we qualify for that label, but the only “regular contributions“ my wife and I make are to our church and our 401k’s.
I feel confident that there are at least 1,000 Bama fans living in trailers, buying groceries with credit cards, but still contributing $100/mo to Bama’s NIL.
Would I like to make regular contributions to the BI? Sure! But our family has gotten where we are today by prioritizing different things. Hopefully we’ll make it to a point where we can contribute, but we’re not there today.
It‘s a different mindset.
Not saying that we qualify for that label, but the only “regular contributions“ my wife and I make are to our church and our 401k’s.
I feel confident that there are at least 1,000 Bama fans living in trailers, buying groceries with credit cards, but still contributing $100/mo to Bama’s NIL.
Would I like to make regular contributions to the BI? Sure! But our family has gotten where we are today by prioritizing different things. Hopefully we’ll make it to a point where we can contribute, but we’re not there today.
It‘s a different mindset.
It's their money maybe they don't give a crap about football maybe they don't give a crap about paying an immature 19 year old half a mil to laugh spend it all and go get a mil or 2 from someone else. Most millionaires don't become that way by making poor investments. What's the return truly for a millionaire alumni to give to nil? If they aren't huge fans of msu football? Unless you can get a ton of millionaires putting in and find a way to keep those nil guys from leaving anyway, I feel like it's just throwing money into a fire.
Not really because I'm not a regular contributor to nil but I'm starting to not give a crap about college football anymore. Nil and transfer portal wide open has changed it for the worse. Lot of power 4 college football players were already spoiled but now they are even worse. Programs like msu will always be left out no matter how much nil we raise. It's all relative. Until msu has much larger wealthy fan base that loves football enough to throw money away we will always be bottom half of sec. Gone are the days of developing players and having them stay long enough to matter. Only game is buying developed transfer players. I might be willing to give if I knew it was tied to get a proven big producer at another good program but giving to get a 2 star with no offers from other power 4 conf what is the return there?
There are a ton of bama fans who don’t contribute anything.
If 30,000 alumni (last 15 years covers that easily) averaged $20/month that’s $7,200,000 per year.
for every $30 giver we could have a $10 giver.
SO COMMIT TO $15/month! $180 a year!
No but I don't want to give money to someone for one thing and they use it for themselves. Money makes people do stupid things. This money is in the millions and what safeguards are in place?
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Honestly, I think something like what Utah is doing is a pretty smart work around for NIL. Someone is leasing vehicles to all of their athletes, I presume with a stipulation that they have to return the car if they leave. I don't think NIL was meant to be all the fans pay for their schools to get good athletes. It's a shame that it has played out the way that it has.
I also think if BI could work similar to the Bulldog Club and give tangible results to its donors it has a better path to getting more money. With the Bulldog Club, you can see what your money donated does for you. Not necessarily where it's going, but you can see that when you donate more your rank goes up and you get access to more exclusive or better tickets, clubs, lounges, etc. If there was a way for BI to offer something in return, and I'm not talking about business partnerships/ads/athlete appearances, to the more average fan. They could go much farther.
I also think if BI could work similar to the Bulldog Club and give tangible results to its donors it has a better path to getting more money. With the Bulldog Club, you can see what your money donated does for you. Not necessarily where it's going, but you can see that when you donate more your rank goes up and you get access to more exclusive or better tickets, clubs, lounges, etc. If there was a way for BI to offer something in return, and I'm not talking about business partnerships/ads/athlete appearances, to the more average fan. They could go much farther.
Big difference in a 501c3 non profit (Bulldog Club) with rules of incorporation, bylaws, auditable by the IRS, governed by an elected board, etc. From the Bulldog Club wesite, "Gifts to the Bulldog Club support scholarships, educational resources, facility enhancements, life skills development, nutrition, equipment, and other expenses associated with being a Bulldog student-athlete."
The rules for an NIL, oh wait a minute, are there any?
That money goes to, wait another minute, we don't know that either......
I'm not saying I won't ever donate to an NIL fund, but in their present form and structure, its a nope...........
First off, those listed categories are pretty general from the Bulldog Club.
I guess I'm not sure what you are inferring by saying "We don't know where the BI money goes"? Are you saying that it could be lining the pockets of non-MSU athletes? If so, I just don't see that as very likely at all. But if that's your concern due to a lack of governance, then I can't really argue you on that.
Otherwise, if you are saying you know it goes to MSU athletes, but don't know how it is distributed - the same is said about Bulldog Club. You don't know how the money is allocated between those general categories they list. The BI only has one category, and it is to compensate MSU athletes. So I really don't see the issue.
Bulldog Club money doesn't go into the palm of the hand of athletes. As the mission statement said, it goes to scholarships (that's not general either it goes to the university as re-imbursements) nutrition (there are athletic dept nutritionists for all sports), facility enhancements (weight rooms), academic tutors, etc. all for the entirety of the student athletes. All of that can be audited under IRS guidelines since it is a federal nonprofit so there is accountability.
I didn't say anything about lining any pockets anywhere, you went down that road. I'm not just talking about the Bulldog Inititiave either so don't go there, this is an NCAA wide problem . There is just no accountability where its going, period, and for what amount of time. How much to which athlete, none to some, pay in advance for having done absolutely nothing then leaving less than a year later? I prefer to think my money is going to the overall good of the athletes through athletic department investments rather than into the hands of a kid fresh out of high school with no idea how to manage it or no accountability for it. They will get some from a school and turn around and bolt less than a year later. It won't be long and we will start seeing investigations into taxes not being paid, somebody's family member stealing from an athlete, cars being re-poed, insurance not being paid, etc etc etc and its all stemming from handing wads of cash from unknown origins over to irresponsible minors or young people with no accountability. And don't even pretend its actually for " NIL aka Name, Image, or Likeness", its just free money handed out randomly. Again, its a nope from me
If someone consistently buys NIL generated products, does that count? It may not be Bulldog Initiative specific, but NIL money is going to MSU athletes, so...
That $70 quarter-zip with a % going to NIL that was mentioned a few weeks ago. The trading cards mentioned yesterday with a % going to NIL.
^ these sort of things may not be the same as a consistent tithing to the BI, but I also dont think they should be ignored.
The cars should especially be viewed as contributing/supporting since products like that are literally what the whole NIL thing was about 15 years ago when Ed OBannon filed a class action lawsuit.
That $70 quarter-zip with a % going to NIL that was mentioned a few weeks ago. The trading cards mentioned yesterday with a % going to NIL.
^ these sort of things may not be the same as a consistent tithing to the BI, but I also dont think they should be ignored.
The cars should especially be viewed as contributing/supporting since products like that are literally what the whole NIL thing was about 15 years ago when Ed OBannon filed a class action lawsuit.
I think the NIL Products are the key to getting "contributions" from a lot of people that aren't willing to give their money directly to a fund with no return. Make hoodies, t-shirts, polos, q-zips, etc. and sell them to the masses and put the "profits" into the BI. Then people can feel good about spending $70 on a jacket because they're contributing to the program. That would certainly persuade me to spend more money lol
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