Baylor coaches wear 'We Pay Players' NIL T-shirt, benefiting team

Speaking at Big 12 Media Days in Las Vegas in July, Baylor head coach Dave Aranda was asked about the recent recruiting success. In a new college football landscape where NIL is crucial to retaining and attracting talent, the fifth-year coach delivered a blunt answer.

“We’re paying players,” Aranda said on 365 Sports with Craig Smoak.

Asked in a follow-up question by Smoak if it’s that simple, the Baylor coach responded with a quick “Yes.”

Now the Bears are capitalizing on the moment. During training camp on Friday, Baylor assistant coaches wore T-shirts with the “We Pay Players” slogan. The marketing move is associated with a new merchandise collection with The NIL Store. Shirts and sweatshirts are for sale, with a portion of proceeds going to GXG which supports Baylor athletes.

Aranda later clarified that he was emphasizing how crucial the “money part” is in recruitment.

“The balance is to be that and then not lose who you are and to not lose the relationships, not lose the authenticity and being genuine, and really caring,” Aranda said. “We talk about buying players, what you don’t want to do is make it so it’s so transactional that that’s what it is. You’re buying and discarding and off and on.

Baylor was initially slow to enter the NIL collective space, as one of the few Power 4 markets that went through Year One of NIL without a dedicated collective. The Bears now have GXG, which serves as a non-profit organization that partners with donors to provide NIL options to Baylor athletes. GXG Elite was rolled out in February as an NIL membership program for Baylor fans and donors. The program offers a range of exclusive benefits, including access to special events, behind-the-scenes content and unique merchandise and memorabilia.

In October 2022, the initiative executed a team-wide NIL deal with Baylor football players. While the full details of the contract were not disclosed to On3, sources said the total amount of cash given to the athletes was in the seven-figure range.

Aranda admitted in November he was partially the reason why Baylor was behind in NIL.

“I think the way it stands right now just with our record and with the amount of freshmen that are playing on our team. …. We are kind of the perfect example of a team to be poached [by other teams,” Aranda said at the time. “So, all that’s in play right now and is happening right now and is something that I’m spending a lot of time on.

“So, whether that’s NIL for the guys on our team and getting that to where that is way competitive. And then, for guys that are coming in, and that are going to be on our team and all that, I think it’s something that is a major focus.”

Baylor deputy athletic director Jovan Overshown told The Athletic this spring that NIL funding for football has “doubled” since last year and GXG is working to ensure that NIL doesn’t stand in the way of Baylor landing or retaining a player.

The Bears were aggressive in the transfer portal, adding Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn and Texas State wide receiver Ashtyn Hawkins.