Ole Miss, Tennessee to lead group of NIL collectives to lobby Congress

The one glaring voice missing from the NCAA’s Congressional hearing on NIL in March was collectives. With an opportunity to drive conversation around the new landscape of college athletics, stakeholders with close to no knowledge of how collectives operate or raise money stumbled.

That will change this week. A group of five Power 5 collectives is making the trip to Washington, D.C., this Wednesday and Thursday, with plans to lobby lawmakers to pass legislation that will create NIL uniformity. Collectives have operated on a patchwork of state laws and the NCAA’s interim policy for nearly two years.

And up to this point, nearly every bill drafted to address name, image and likeness has favored the NCAA’s point of view. Very little attention has been spent on giving athletes more rights or creating a sustainable structure for collectives.

Tennessee‘s Spyre Sports and Ole Miss‘ Grove Collective have organized the group, which also includes Clemson‘s TigerImpact, Georgia‘s Classic City Collective and Washington‘s Montlake Futures.

The trip to Capitol Hill coincides with the University of Arizona’s Future of College Sports summit, which will be held Wednesday and Thursday. Guests currently include NCAA President Charlie Baker, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. The collectives will have time with lawmakers during a three-hour, open-house reception at the U.S. Capitol.

Over the first 23 months of the NIL era, collectives have popped up across the country. The donor-led organizations competing to raise the most funds to attract high school recruits and retain athletes looking at the transfer portal.

“We are eager to engage in worthwhile conversations around these topics with regard to how revenue will be distributed in the future,” the collectives told On3 in a statement.

Collectives plan to vouch for athletes

The five collectives traveling to the nation’s capital are arguably some of the most competitive in the space. This is one of the first times there has been a concerted effort to organize collectives. In recent weeks, there have been murmurs of a trade association forming to lobby on behalf of collectives.

Walker Jones, the executive director of the Ole Miss-focused Grove Collective, is set to speak on the “NIL: What is the state of play?” panel during Arizona’s summit. Many collectives have been hoping for a chance to get their talking points in front of legislators. Multiple leaders On3 has spoken with believe it is on them to be a voice for athletes.

The U.S. House’s Innovation, Data and Commerce subcommittee hearing back in March on NIL was missing a current Division I basketball or football player. The NCAA’s model has undergone so much change in the last two years that there has been close to no governance. Athletes can turn a profit, but they’ve been forced to navigate an unprecedented landscape.

“We are honored and excited to take part in this very important conversation around the future of name, image and likeness with the various stakeholders in collegiate athletics,” Jones said. “It is a critical time in the evolution of NIL, and we are confident that the perspective from our group of collectives can help add value and direction towards a sustainable model for all parties.”

How do collectives fit into future NCAA model?

Many stakeholders believe the NCAA is growing closer to a model where the athletes who are generating revenue will have a share. The California Assembly voted to approve legislation last week that would allow college athletes to receive payments from their schools; the bill now moves to the state Senate.

A drafted bill from the office of Sen. Lindsey Graham that On3 received from a source last month would establish an NIL clearinghouse, which would have the power to fine anyone, sue anyone and ban anyone from participating in college athletics.

The piece of legislation would try to bring down collectives, too.

“Ultimately we all want what’s best for student-athletes,” Spyre Sports president Hunter Baddour said. “We look forward to contributing to solution-based conversations regarding NIL and the future of college athletics.”

The Big Ten and SEC are positioned to be successful if college athletics does move to revenue sharing, as the conferences currently have the two richest TV deals. The five collectives traveling to Washington, D.C., represent the ACC, Pac-12 and SEC.

They also have the support of Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton.

“Thanks to NIL, college athletes are finally able to help financially support themselves and potentially their loved ones during their time in college,” he said. “As we face the future of NIL, it’s important that athletes have a voice to ensure they’re in a position to capitalize on what may be the most valuable three or four years of their lives. When tomorrow isn’t promised, we need to be able to make the most of every day.”

The collection of organizations spending time with lawmakers and power brokers this week represents the different types of collectives in college athletics. Spyre Sports is a marketing firm, which operates the two leading Tennessee collectives: the for-profit Volunteer Club and the non-profit Volunteer Legacy.

Classic City Collective is donor-supported and has facilitated endorsement deals for Georgia athletes. Both Montlake Futures and TigerImpact are registered 501(c)(3)s, providing financial opportunities for athletes who participate in charitable activities.

“As NIL collectives have become a major part of the market over the last two years, it’s critical that those who operate the collectives have a voice in this discussion to inform stakeholders and help guide college athletics to a new era where beloved traditions meet exciting innovation,” TigerImpact co-founder Kevin Gemas said.