Six Star Pro Nutrition: Jermaine Burton's NIL deal 'ended in September'

Six Star Pro Nutrition released a statement Monday in response to criticism after Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton allegedly struck a woman as fans stormed the field after Tennessee defeated Alabama 52-49 in Week 7. Six Star Pro Nutrition previously agreed to NIL deals with Burton, safety Malachi Moore and offensive tackle Javion Cohen as part of a social media “detox” campaign during training camp.

The nutrition company’s statement didn’t mention Burton by name. Alabama coach Nick Saban said the program handles discipline internally. Burton didn’t receive a suspension.

“Quick note in reference to an incident that happened following the Tennessee-Alabama football game,” read the statement that Six Star Pro Nutrition posted on Twitter. “The athlete in question was compensated for a short-term promotion which ended in September — successfully performing the duties asked of him. This NIL deal has come and gone, as it was centered around getting players to log offline during the #BamaRush social media phenomenon.

“Not every NIL deal (despite the fact Jimbo Fisher has failed to buy a National Championship with them) is a blank check with an open timeline.”

The nutrition brand also shared the statement in a Twitter reply to a Tennessee fan who, in a since-deleted tweet, criticized the company for its past partnership with Burton.

Then in a follow-up quote tweet of Six Star Pro Nutrition’s statement, the supplements company added, “People think all #NIL deals are long term. Some are. Some aren’t.”

Six Star Pro Nutrition’s statement marks one of the first times in the NCAA’s NIL era that a company has taken action, including releasing a statement, due to the alleged conduct of an athlete with whom it has partnered.

Six Star Pro Nutrition’s statement focuses on short-term contract

Six Star Pro Nutrition’s statement focused on the fact that its NIL agreement with Burton had a short-term contract term that has since ended. While some publicly announced contracts are seasonal or yearlong in length, short-term contracts are common. This is especially true in regard to the offseason and potential concerns about athletes entering the Transfer Portal.

NIL collectives, which is a catch-all term for various organizations that typically operate independently of the universities whose athletes they support through the facilitation of NIL opportunities, often have an FAQ page on their website. A common question they answer is what happens when an athlete at the school enters the Transfer Portal.

Typically, the answer provided is that contract terms are structured in a way that mitigates the potential risk of an athlete transferring to another school.

This approach can be deployed by brands and fans who wish to maintain control over the terms of the NIL agreements they enter, whether due to potential concerns about the Transfer Portal or in a case like Burton’s where the athlete’s future conduct is criticized.

Six Star Pro Nutrition reignites Alabama, Texas A&M NIL feud

While the incident in question followed Tennessee’s win over Alabama, Six Star Pro Nutrition referenced Texas A&M‘s Fisher in its statement, referencing the offseason feud that Saban and Fisher had regarding NIL.

It’s atypical for a national brand to take a stance against a specific school or coach in this manner. Six Star Pro Nutrition was among the brands that rushed to try to claim the title of being the first to enter into a NIL agreement on July 1, 2021, when the NCAA’s interim NIL policy took effect.

The company announced partnerships with Illinois guard Edgar Padilla Jr., and Miami guards Hanna and Haley Cavinder.

In February, Six Star Pro Nutrition announced NIL deals with Stanford golfer Rachel Heck, who was then the reigning NCAA individual champion, USC forward Isaiah Mobley, UCLA track athlete Shae Anderson, USC beach volleyball player Tina Graudina, UCLA gymnast Samantha Sakti and UC Irvine pitcher Michael Frias.

So the supplements brand’s reach is much wider than the state of Alabama and regional rivalries. But on a Monday morning after Week 8 of the college football season, which saw Texas A&M drop to 3-4, Six Star Pro Nutrition reignited the biggest storyline in the sport from May.