College athlete compensation is changing fast. The latest twist? Student Athlete NIL (SANIL), a third-party operator that worked with over 40 schools, has abruptly shut down.
With SANIL gone, Opendorse—a big name in NIL deal marketplaces—is stepping in. Their goal is to make sure athletes still get paid and schools don’t lose those crucial relationships.
This is just the latest shift in college sports. Third-party NIL deals are under the microscope, and schools are still figuring out how to handle new revenue-sharing rules.
The Rise and Fall of Student Athlete NIL
SANIL’s sudden closure has definitely shaken up the college sports world. The company was supposed to be acquired by NIL agency Blueprint Sports earlier this year, in a deal hyped as a $100M+ NIL powerhouse.
But the acquisition never actually closed. Now, schools and collectives that depended on SANIL are left scrambling.
Opendorse Steps In
Amid all this, Opendorse is moving quickly to take on the collectives SANIL used to manage. Blake Lawrence, Opendorse’s cofounder, says the company is committed to making sure athletes keep getting paid, and schools keep their relationships intact.
Nearly 10 school collectives have already moved over to Opendorse. More are expected to join soon.
Lawrence admits the transition’s been hectic. There have been tons of calls from partners looking for help and answers.
Still, Opendorse is doing what it can to keep things steady for both athletes and schools.
The Broader Impact on College Sports
SANIL’s downfall is just one piece of a bigger story. Athletic departments can now share up to $20.5 million of revenue with athletes every year.
This major change has brought even more scrutiny to third-party NIL deals. Recent events show just how complicated it’s all become.
Revenue Sharing and NIL Go
On June 30, right before the new revenue-sharing era kicked off, collectives sent nearly $20 million to college athletes through Opendorse. That was the company’s biggest day ever.
But the new NIL Go clearinghouse—created under the House v. NCAA settlement—has been slammed for being slow and confusing. Some collectives have even skipped the clearinghouse and paid players before getting deals approved.
The College Sports Commission, which oversees NIL Go, has tried to respond by setting up an anonymous tip line for reporting NIL rules violations. Not everyone’s a fan—some folks in the industry are calling it a “snitch line.”
Legal and Ethical Challenges
The legal side of college sports is getting more complicated, too. One high-profile case involves Jill Ellis, former president of the NWSL’s San Diego Wave.
She’s accused of telling the team’s new owners she’d stay on after the sale, only to quit two days later to join FIFA. The lawsuit, filed by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, claims Ellis was negotiating with FIFA while promising her commitment to the Wave.
The firm says Ellis’s sudden exit caused major financial losses, especially since the team was doing well under her leadership. Ellis’s attorney calls the lawsuit “meritless” and says it’s just retaliation for her seeking deferred compensation.
Ellis isn’t new to legal battles. She previously filed a defamation suit against a former Wave videographer who accused her of being an abusive boss.
Saudi Arabia’s Ambitious Vision 2030
On the global stage, Saudi Arabia is still pouring money into sports as part of its Vision 2030 plan. SURJ Sports, led by ex-Australian soccer player Danny Townsend, is leading the charge.
SURJ is investing in all sorts of sports organizations and projects to build up the country’s sports scene.
Investments and Criticisms
SURJ Sports has put money into groups like Kings League, Professional Fighters League, and Professional Triathletes Organisation. Townsend knows people criticize Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, but he insists the country is serious about using sports for social and economic change.
He points to things like adding sports to girls’ school curriculums and the big increase in professional female athletes as signs of progress. There’s skepticism, sure, but a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers report backs up Townsend’s claims, showing women’s sports are booming in the Middle East.
That growth matters as the region gears up to host some huge global events.
Private Equity and Youth Sports
Back in the U.S., private equity firms are still moving into the sports world. Maple Park Capital Partners just invested in Prep Network, a company that covers and ranks youth and high school sports.
It’s part of a bigger trend—private equity wants a piece of the youth sports market, which is growing fast.
Scorability’s Expansion
Another big move: Scorability, a college sports recruiting marketplace, raised $40 million from a group led by Bluestone Equity Partners. They’ll use the money to develop new products, expand into more sports, and maybe make some acquisitions.
It all points to more growth and innovation in the sports tech space. On a related note, former NFL tight end Vernon Davis has invested in Jerry Rice’s beverage brand G.O.A.T. Fuel, which uses cordyceps mushrooms as an ingredient.
Davis is no stranger to the beverage industry—he’s also put money into Path Water. He seems pretty bullish on this whole sector.
The world of college and professional sports is changing fast. Big things are happening everywhere you look.
We’re seeing NIL collectives rise and fall, legal fights break out, and even international investments shaking things up.
This landscape isn’t standing still. Every twist and turn seems to push sports in new directions, both here in the U.S. and around the world.
If you want to dig deeper into what’s going on, check out the original article on Front Office Sports.
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