UK should have at least $1.5 million left in NIL.

[Son_Of_Saul]

If what Barnhart said about UK NIL is true, we should have the money to pay Lanier close to a million, if not more.

Last year's NIL:

Dillingham made $770,000
Edwards made $560,000
Wagner made $560,000
Bradshaw made $520,000
Sheppard made $420,000
Reeves made $150,000

Even with the market taking an upturn of say, 20%, going by these numbers, the same guys would made about $100,000-$150,000 more each this upcoming season.

That said, comparably I'd imagine the market for our roster looks something like this:

Carr, Williams, Brea, Garrison: $400,000-$500,000 each (on average).
Butler, Oweh, KK: $200,000-$400,000 each (on average).
Perry, Chandler, Noah: $100,000-$200,000 each (on average).

Even at a maximum cost, you're spending $2 million on the top four; $1.2 million on the middle three; and $600,000 on the bottom three.

That's $3.8 to $4 million right now (at maximum).

Mitch said we had around $4 million originally committed, and then an additional $1 million. That was before the recent surge of around $700,000 from the BBN NIL fund. This fund is obviously only going to grow in time.

That puts our salary cap at around $5.7 to $6 million (at minimum).

It doesn't even factor in the extra coach's salary money we would have had to pay Cal (he would have made $3 million more than Pope this upcoming year); or the fact that we were willing to pay Hurley $6 to 7 million more a year than Pope. Where will that extra money go? It was there before and I know it didn't suddenly disappear.

That said, I'd say a safe estimate is that we still have a minimum of $1.7 million to $2.5 million in NIL available for the remaining two roster spots.

You can give Lanier $1 million of that without blinking an eye and still have around $700,000 remaining (at minimum) for one last player.

 

[RabbiShmuley]

All of that was without any contributions from the Crafts too, and that’s not even including outside sources that hasn’t even gotten involved yet. Nobody is going to outbid Kentucky if we don’t want them to. Nobody.

All of this will work itself out. Kentucky as a brand and with the boosters (who actually contribute unlike programs unlike Arkansas where their big ones typically don’t) there’s nobody in a better position. But we’re not going to allow anyone to Fleece the program, it’s not gonna happen.

 

[cawoodsct]

There’s more. And there’s ways to secure more. Money is not an issue at the moment

 

[UKBlueBlood]

These total NIL budget figures… is it just assumed the university will have that type of budget annually? Do they have commitments from donors for this much cash every year?

And I’m still curious what actual NIL services players are doing in one year’s time that are worth a million+ dollars to any given business or entity.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

All of that was without any contributions from the Crafts too, and that’s not even including outside sources that hasn’t even gotten involved yet. Nobody is going to outbid Kentucky if we don’t want them to. Nobody.

All of this will work itself out. Kentucky as a brand and with the boosters (who actually contribute unlike programs unlike Arkansas where their big ones typically don’t) there’s nobody in a better position. But we’re not going to allow anyone to Fleece the program, it’s not gonna happen.

What I love is that BBN has already pledged around $700,000 from the "plebian" portion of the fanbase. I expect that will only grow in time. We're just getting started. As UK continues to recruit at a high level, I think more and more of our blue collar fans will contribute and probably end up with a solid $1 million per year in NIL.

Pope has stated that he wants to find better ways to galvanize the NIL process in such a way as to utilize our fans.

Over time, I anticipate he will be the type of coach who will use every aspect of our fan base, alumni, former players, and broader marketing to gain access to more NIL funding.

He also strikes me as the type of coach who would personally sacrifice expansive pay increases in order to better use that money on roster construction.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

These total NIL budget figures… is it just assumed the university will have that type of budget annually? Do they have commitments from donors for this much cash every year?

And I’m still curious what actual NIL services players are doing in one year’s time that are worth a million+ dollars to any given business or entity.

I don't think that we will ever see a player's NIL services equaling their market value (the Reed Sheppards of the world, notwithstanding). That's just the way it will be for the foreseeable future.

The market dictates a bare minimum commercial output for a maximum financial player input.

 

[UKBlueBlood]

I don't think that we will ever see a player's NIL services equaling their market value (the Reed Sheppards of the world, notwithstanding). That's just the way it will be for the foreseeable future.

The market dictates a bare minimum commercial output for a maximum financial player input.

Curious how sustainable that will be.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Curious how sustainable that will be.

I suppose it will all depend on the level of success Pope's teams exhibit each season.

Evidently, there was $2.5 million on the table for Reed to return to Kentucky. That's just one player. These guys are worth whatever the general public dictates they're worth.

Also, one has to imagine that Pope will only find more ways to galvanize the financial pipeline as he develops real relationships with the higher level donors and the general fanbase alike.

He think he's going to absolutely kill it on both levels.

 

[Basscat1987]

If what Barnhart said about UK NIL is true, we should have the money to pay Lanier close to a million, if not more.

Last year's NIL:

Dillingham made $770,000
Edwards made $560,000
Wagner made $560,000
Bradshaw made $520,000
Sheppard made $420,000
Reeves made $150,000

Even with the market taking an upturn of say, 20%, going by these numbers, the same guys would made about $100,000-$150,000 more each this upcoming season.

That said, comparably I'd imagine the market for our roster looks something like this:

Carr, Williams, Brea, Garrison: $400,000-$500,000 each (on average).
Butler, Oweh, KK: $200,000-$400,000 each (on average).
Perry, Chandler, Noah: $100,000-$200,000 each (on average).

Even at a maximum cost, you're spending $2 million on the top four; $1.2 million on the middle three; and $600,000 on the bottom three.

That's $3.8 to $4 million right now (at maximum).

Mitch said we had around $4 million originally committed, and then an additional $1 million. That was before the recent surge of around $700,000 from the BBN NIL fund. This fund is obviously only going to grow in time.

That puts our salary cap at around $5.7 to $6 million (at minimum).

It doesn't even factor in the extra coach's salary money we would have had to pay Cal (he would have made $3 million more than Pope this upcoming year); or the fact that we were willing to pay Hurley $6 to 7 million more a year than Pope. Where will that extra money go? It was there before and I know it didn't suddenly disappear.

That said, I'd say a safe estimate is that we still have a minimum of $1.7 million to $2.5 million in NIL available for the remaining two roster spots.

You can give Lanier $1 million of that without blinking an eye and still have around $700,000 remaining (at minimum) for one last player.

Where are these numbers coming from? Not just last years players numbers, but also the incoming players? I’m not disputing, just curious where you are getting them from

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Where are these numbers coming from? Not just last years players numbers, but also the incoming players? I’m not disputing, just curious where you are getting them from

Courier Journal.

Link

Going by last year's market value, and given an extreme expansion of exponential market growth (20%), the incoming NIL expenses are likely a high end estimate of what our guys will actually make next year. For example, do you really see Brandon Garrison making more than $500,000 or Chandler making more than $200,000, when Antonio Reeves was only making $150,000 last year?

 

[JHB4UK]

Curious how sustainable that will be.

It's not

That is why they will all become university employees paid with sharing of revenues their sports generate

And that reality is gonna come true a lot faster than anyone realize

 

[Catfanlou]

All of that was without any contributions from the Crafts too, and that’s not even including outside sources that hasn’t even gotten involved yet. Nobody is going to outbid Kentucky if we don’t want them to. Nobody.

All of this will work itself out. Kentucky as a brand and with the boosters (who actually contribute unlike programs unlike Arkansas where their big ones typically don’t) there’s nobody in a better position. But we’re not going to allow anyone to Fleece the program, it’s not gonna happen.

Oh I think Jerry Jones would

 

[RabbiShmuley]

Oh I think Jerry Jones would

Would what?

Jerry Jones has hardly contributed a damn dime to that entire university. He does nothing for them at all. Arkansas can’t even compete in NIL against teams like Ole Miss in football. The Walton’s don’t contribute either. People need to quit listening to this nonsense it’s all PR. Jerry Jones has been asked repeatedly for years to contribute to the University of Arkansas and has barely done enough to even have a small building named after him.

He is not a sports donor to the University of Arkansas and never will be. And the guy couldn’t care less about college basketball, there’s a ZERO chance he donates to that team. All of the nonsense you heard was made up.

Kentucky is unique because we acrually have a big time billionaire donor who LOVES the program. It doesn’t matter how many billionaires you have, what matters is do you have any that care? We are unique in that respect. Nobody is going to outbid UK for players if we don’t want them to. This doesn’t even get into the multi multi millionaire donors we have that love the program. Places like Arkansas would trade athletic resources with UK tomorrow. Just because they wanted Calipari out doesn’t mean anything when it comes to what they’re willing to do, they just weren’t going to give it to him and for good reason.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Would what? Jerry Jones has hardly contributed a damn dime to that entire university. He does nothing for them at all. Arkansas can’t even compete in NIL against teams like Ole Miss in football. The Walton’s don’t contribute either. People need to quit being this nonsense it’s all PR. Jerry Jones has been asked repeatedly for years to contribute to the University of Arkansas and has barely done enough to even have a small building named after him.

He is not a sports donor to the University of Arkansas and never will be. And the guy couldn’t care less about college basketball, there’s a ZERO chance he donates to that team. All of the nonsense you heard was made up.

Wasn't Arkansas one of the two worst NIL teams last year for college football in the SEC?


Now, suddenly, the same guys who wouldn't pony up for football are suddenly going to spend tens of millions on Arkansas basketball?

 

[RabbiShmuley]

Wasn't Arkansas one of the two worst NIL teams last year for college football in the SEC?


Now, suddenly, the same guys who wouldn't pony up for football are suddenly going to spend tens of millions on Arkansas basketball?

Exactly. It’s totally ridiculous that people are actually buying this I’ve actually been shocked so many took that nonsense as hard as they did. Arkansas would trade athletic resources with UK tomorrow no questions asked. They don’t have it like we do and they don’t have anywhere near the brand we do. And Calipari when all is said and done will not attract the same players there as he did here. This fear of Arkansas is exactly why they floated all of those BS rumors. It doesn’t take much to know it’s made up. Arkansas hired Calipari and wanted it to look like a big deal. They will have to pay way more for players than a place like UK Kansas Duke etc. they’re not going to sustain that, it’s another reason Calipari is gonna call it at 8 players. They don’t have it to do this year after year with a full roster.

I don’t know why more people don’t understand this but here we are. But if you look at how long it took many common fans to even realize what Calipari is, it makes sense. People are just easily duped and fooled.

 

[cats2010]

And where does the money come from next year and the year after that and the year after that? Coming up with 6 million/year just for a single sport doesn’t seem like a sustainable model. Millionaires are not going to continue to give their money away year after year..

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

And where does the money come from next year and the year after that and the year after that? Coming up with 6 million/year just for a single sport doesn’t seem like a sustainable model. Millionaires are not going to continue to give their money away year after year..

Well, they're giving it away right now (and they've given it away in the past), so what will suddenly deter them from giving away more in the future?

 

[Mike-D]

If those numbers are correct, Reeves got screwed.

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

Oh I think Jerry Jones would

That whole Jerrry Jones stuff was total bunk. He wouldn't wipe his tail with his old college team.

 

[blue cincy]

If what Barnhart said about UK NIL is true, we should have the money to pay Lanier close to a million, if not more.

Last year's NIL:

Dillingham made $770,000
Edwards made $560,000
Wagner made $560,000
Bradshaw made $520,000
Sheppard made $420,000
Reeves made $150,000

Even with the market taking an upturn of say, 20%, going by these numbers, the same guys would made about $100,000-$150,000 more each this upcoming season.

That said, comparably I'd imagine the market for our roster looks something like this:

Carr, Williams, Brea, Garrison: $400,000-$500,000 each (on average).
Butler, Oweh, KK: $200,000-$400,000 each (on average).
Perry, Chandler, Noah: $100,000-$200,000 each (on average).

Even at a maximum cost, you're spending $2 million on the top four; $1.2 million on the middle three; and $600,000 on the bottom three.

That's $3.8 to $4 million right now (at maximum).

Mitch said we had around $4 million originally committed, and then an additional $1 million. That was before the recent surge of around $700,000 from the BBN NIL fund. This fund is obviously only going to grow in time.

That puts our salary cap at around $5.7 to $6 million (at minimum).

It doesn't even factor in the extra coach's salary money we would have had to pay Cal (he would have made $3 million more than Pope this upcoming year); or the fact that we were willing to pay Hurley $6 to 7 million more a year than Pope. Where will that extra money go? It was there before and I know it didn't suddenly disappear.

That said, I'd say a safe estimate is that we still have a minimum of $1.7 million to $2.5 million in NIL available for the remaining two roster spots.

You can give Lanier $1 million of that without blinking an eye and still have around $700,000 remaining (at minimum) for one last player.

You think a guard at North Florida that had one repeat 1 good year (first year 1.7 pts a game) year 2 (4.5 points a game) year 3 (4.7 points a game), a guy that has had 1 good year is now worth a million. But we do not think the guys we have now are as good as him. CRAZY thinking. He is no better than the others we have, heck he has a few highlight worthy plays and lets pay for the flashy play. You all are just crazy in your thought process!

 

[BlueSince92]

We're taking a turn towards the idea of Universities, fans, and donors paying directly for NIL. As originally implemented (though I agree it was a departure from the way it was originally conceived) NIL was funded by commercial advertisers who were the primary co-recipients, along with the players, of the net benefits. Paul Miller Ford doing spots with Oscar instead of just Cal (for a hypothetical example, and I'm not combing back in time through commercials to find an actually historical example).

Those commercial companies have those advertising budgets as a permanent part of their business models and they aren't going away.

Some of you have asked how NIL is sustainable. That's a big part of your answer. Companies who were always going to advertise and who generally were always were going to advertise with spots from our coach and/or our players, who are not going away and in fact will be eager to take advantage of the new life and excitement that Pope has breathed into Kentucky basketball.

That is qualified a little bit, by the fact that many of those corporate advertisers have longstanding contracts to pay advertising money to the university in return for guaranteed commercial spots by the coach. Those relationships have existed for decades and that money isn't going to the players. But, for one thing, that paradigm already did pave the way for advertisers to really bring players onboard similar schemes in the "early" NIL years: the Oscar years. And for another thing, now that Pope's HC total compensation package is only about half what Cal's was, either all of those contract-bound corporate advertisers have half their advertising budgets now freed up to play around with, or there are only half the ones involved that used to be, and the other half of that group of companies still needs to advertise.

Either way, and whatever way you slice it, commercial advertising is and will remain a major source for ongoing supply and stability of NIL funds.

 

[blue cincy]

You think a guard at North Florida that had one repeat 1 good year (first year 1.7 pts a game) year 2 (4.5 points a game) year 3 (4.7 points a game), a guy that has had 1 good year is now worth a million. But we do not think the guys we have now are as good as him. CRAZY thinking. He is no better than the others we have, heck he has a few highlight worthy plays and lets pay for the flashy play. You all are just crazy in your thought process!

Also, North Florida is 49-68 in the 4 seasons he has played. He is better than Brea Dayton team is 85-41 and he had similar stats except last year he averaged 11 not 19.

 

[ukfan1622]

NIL isn't the university or individuals giving players money, although I guess that can be part of it. It is for licensing rights to the players' names and images. The people giving the money are mostly doing it to make money, not out of love.

 

[Stevo1951]

If those numbers are correct, Reeves got screwed.

Bradshaw way overpaid

 

[Mike-D]

Bradshaw way overpaid

Reeves could have made 6, 7, 800k somewhere else. Cal and his 5 stars.

 

[ukfan041]

I would imagine that they do not want to completely deplete the fund as well! I do agree that we can’t be cheap when going after Lanier and/or Robinson. If the team is successful, you will make that money back in spades.

 

[Catfanlou]

If those numbers are correct, Reeves got screwed.

Badly

 

[FitchandMurray29]

I will say the On3 NIL valuation tool is not useful for determining what NIL these kids actually earn. The fact the Courier actually made an article about NIL with that being the basis is silliness.

On a separate note NIL amount reporting has been entertaining to watch unfold. The cool thing at first was to exaggerate the amounts significantly to the benefit of the school and player. Now there’s been a switch on the school side to leak out that the player had monster offers elsewhere and we weren’t even the highest bidder but the player is still coming here.

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

If what Barnhart said about UK NIL is true, we should have the money to pay Lanier close to a million, if not more.

Last year's NIL:

Dillingham made $770,000
Edwards made $560,000
Wagner made $560,000
Bradshaw made $520,000
Sheppard made $420,000
Reeves made $150,000

Even with the market taking an upturn of say, 20%, going by these numbers, the same guys would made about $100,000-$150,000 more each this upcoming season.

That said, comparably I'd imagine the market for our roster looks something like this:

Carr, Williams, Brea, Garrison: $400,000-$500,000 each (on average).
Butler, Oweh, KK: $200,000-$400,000 each (on average).
Perry, Chandler, Noah: $100,000-$200,000 each (on average).

Even at a maximum cost, you're spending $2 million on the top four; $1.2 million on the middle three; and $600,000 on the bottom three.

That's $3.8 to $4 million right now (at maximum).

Mitch said we had around $4 million originally committed, and then an additional $1 million. That was before the recent surge of around $700,000 from the BBN NIL fund. This fund is obviously only going to grow in time.

That puts our salary cap at around $5.7 to $6 million (at minimum).

It doesn't even factor in the extra coach's salary money we would have had to pay Cal (he would have made $3 million more than Pope this upcoming year); or the fact that we were willing to pay Hurley $6 to 7 million more a year than Pope. Where will that extra money go? It was there before and I know it didn't suddenly disappear.

That said, I'd say a safe estimate is that we still have a minimum of $1.7 million to $2.5 million in NIL available for the remaining two roster spots.

You can give Lanier $1 million of that without blinking an eye and still have around $700,000 remaining (at minimum) for one last player.

I would be bitter if I was Reeves. The NIL #'s and the mishandling of perspective deals not being relayed. Cal didn't put Reeves first.

 

[Elliott Tim]

I don't think that we will ever see a player's NIL services equaling their market value (the Reed Sheppards of the world, notwithstanding). That's just the way it will be for the foreseeable future.

The market dictates a bare minimum commercial output for a maximum financial player input.

Even the pro's miss the mark for what they earn.

 

[ORCAT]

When you think about all that NIL money it just seems even crazier what college sports has become. Just a free agent bidding war.

 

[Looksbetterinblue]

NIL isn't the university or individuals giving players money, although I guess that can be part of it. It is for licensing rights to the players' names and images. The people giving the money are mostly doing it to make money, not out of love.

To be clear this is 100% not how it works currently. Today, it’s boosters giving money to NIL collectives to get the best players out of love for the U-no rewards. There is zero money being made. If we are lucky we get kids to do some good things for the community in their contracts. There are some true NIL deals for use in commercials and advertising, but those are also mostly fans who own companies just trying to help us get the best players.

 

[The_Answer1313]

It would be interesting to see like a listing of NIL per school, how much they have in total and how they have allocated it out to the players

 

[UKBlueBlood]

To be clear this is 100% not how it works currently. Today, it’s boosters giving money to NIL collectives to get the best players out of love for the U-no rewards. There is zero money being made. If we are lucky we get kids to do some good things for the community in their contracts. There are some true NIL deals for use in commercials and advertising, but those are also mostly fans who own companies just trying to help us get the best players.

Exactly. NIL has been entirely hijacked and bastardized compared to what it is “supposed” to be. And I can’t imagine it is sustainable unless there is just an endless supply of people who want to throw big money at a venture that offers zero financial return on the investment.

 

[megablue]

And where does the money come from next year and the year after that and the year after that? Coming up with 6 million/year just for a single sport doesn’t seem like a sustainable model. Millionaires are not going to continue to give their money away year after year..

Plus, many (if not most) wealthy people are more interested in the academic reputation of a school than its athletic reputation. Not everyone is interested in contributing heavily toward sports programs.

 

[Stretch98]

To be clear this is 100% not how it works currently. Today, it’s boosters giving money to NIL collectives to get the best players out of love for the U-no rewards. There is zero money being made. If we are lucky we get kids to do some good things for the community in their contracts. There are some true NIL deals for use in commercials and advertising, but those are also mostly fans who own companies just trying to help us get the best players.

Reed Sheppard was all over the radio and TV statewide as the primary spokesperson for Forcht Bank. Terry Forcht is a Louisville native and U of L grad and a major U of L donor--definitely not a fan of UK. Terry engaged Sheppard to promote Forcht Bank because Sheppard is a beloved figure in this state and the public will pay attention to the ads and patronize the product that Sheppard is selling, i.e., Marketing 101.

 

[Fox2monk]

All of that was without any contributions from the Crafts too, and that’s not even including outside sources that hasn’t even gotten involved yet. Nobody is going to outbid Kentucky if we don’t want them to. Nobody.

All of this will work itself out. Kentucky as a brand and with the boosters (who actually contribute unlike programs unlike Arkansas where their big ones typically don’t) there’s nobody in a better position. But we’re not going to allow anyone to Fleece the program, it’s not gonna happen.

As far as caring about getting players we will always be up there but plenty of schools can easily outbid us, I mean Arkansas easily had the money available if needed. Just a matter of them opening the checkbook. Hell the Waltons could fund their basketball team for eternity with 1 check.

 

[Fox2monk]

Courier Journal.

Link

Going by last year's market value, and given an extreme expansion of exponential market growth (20%), the incoming NIL expenses are likely a high end estimate of what our guys will actually make next year. For example, do you really see Brandon Garrison making more than $500,000 or Chandler making more than $200,000, when Antonio Reeves was only making $150,000 last year?

On the other hand Bradshaw made 560k though? Some dudes will be way overpaid apparently.

 

[JHB4UK]

NIL legalization freed former Bag Men to straight up pay kids to attend specific schools as directed. It is an insult to all intelligence to try and apply the intent of the practice to reality. Nobody wants a rEtUrN oN iNvEsTmEnT!@#$%^&* Folks with money want talented ballplayers to attend their fav schools so they will be better entertained. Period.

 

[UKBlueBlood]

NIL legalization freed former Bag Men to straight up pay kids to attend specific schools as directed. It is an insult to all intelligence to try and apply the intent of the practice to reality. Nobody wants a rEtUrN oN iNvEsTmEnT!@#$%^&* Folks with money want talented ballplayers to attend their fav schools so they will be better entertained. Period.

I agree. That is exactly the landscape we have. I’m just curious how deep that well is. It sure seems the players are intent on finding out.