Clunie Email re NIL

[Acorn]

Frankly, we could buy the A10 if we really wanted to. The question is will Davidson go all-in on an endeavor that is inherently smarmy like the NIL.

I don't know and will not hazard a guess. I don't know what I would do if it were my decision.

Doesn’t the Athletic Director’s email suggest Davidson is all in, has been all in, and intends to continue to be “all-in” on NIL? What more do we need to see?

[i77cat]

Numbers. And results. We aren't landing the players that would make you suspect that we are "all in."

[Acorn]

The College is all in. The College doesn’t and can’t (yet) pay players—via NIL or whatever it ends up getting called. The College can’t force fans to give to the collective or directly to players. But the College is doing all it can. It’s all in.

[i77cat]

I'm all in on world peace.

[Acorn]

Great. That there isn’t world peace doesn’t mean you’re not all in on world peace. Just like the fact that Davidson isn’t associated with the biggest-dollar NIL deals doesn’t mean that it isn’t all in.

We’ve got two groups of folks on here who seem to refuse to believe the College’s repeated statements and actions in pursuit of NIL. Some keep saying Davidson “needs NIL.” Well, folks, that means you put up the money. Davidson can’t pay for play yet. Other schools aren’t paying for play. They collude with separate NIL collectives who distribute dollars from boosters (not colleges or athletic departments) to players. Just like Davidson does. The other group says they hope Davidson doesn’t engage in inherently shady stuff like NIL. Too late. Clunie has told us (once again) that he and the College are all for using NIL as much as they can within the rules (which are basically nonexistent). Loyer was selling Beds in Boxes from the moment he arrived; Emory Lanier was selling chicken sandwiches. And beyond NIL, Davidson has embraced the new competitive landscape by allowing students who aren’t pursuing a degree to suit up for the College’s teams. It’s happening. The first group should stop complaining and be happy (and open their wallets). The second group should be pretty sad.

[TiredCat88]

The college isn't "All In". It never has been. They have been saying for the past 25-30+ years that I have been around Davidson athletics that they are "All In" but to this date, they never have made the commitment.

We have put lipstick on a pig numerous times, but never committed. If they were, we would hear that our next capital campaign was to raise $150 million to fully fund athletic scholarships. We have been saying we would for 30 years...nothing.

We will come up with some NIL money....enough to say we have made an effort. We will continue to have sports like soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and volleyball all funded at 25% or less than the rest of the conference. We will get more emails or bold statements, but never an "All In" commitment. We will instead add two or three more women's sports, which will further dilute the dollar commitment to the current teams, but we won't go "All In" with DI sports.

[Acorn]

When it comes to NIL, which is what this thread is about (or at least what I’ve been talking about on this thread), what could/should the College do that it’s not doing? Scholarships aren’t NIL. Facilities aren’t NIL.

[i77cat]

I knew they were lies when Murphy told them. I want to believe better of Clunie. I've heard some numbers of what we've spent this year, but they've been whispers with pledges to not repeat them. Davidson doesn't do change well. Many schools were caught flat-footed by the radical changes in the athletics landscape. Our feet were flatter than most.

[Acorn]

Davidson (and Dayton and Duke) does not take money in or pay money out for NIL.

[TOK]

I didn't go to Davidson, so maybe i shouldn't chime in, but to all the folks who say the school should fully fund "X," I say, great, you write the check.

I believe that there are lots of schools that really do want to do lots of things, but don't have the money to do so.

[cat44]

If cheering for mercenaries thrills you, write that check.

[slowcat95]

If cheering for young athletes who are finally getting compensated at fair market rates for their work thrills you, write that check (if your finances allow it).

[stevelee]

If cheering for young athletes who are finally getting compensated at fair market rates for their work thrills you, write that check (if your finances allow it).

How many Davidson basketball scholarship players have a fair market value significantly over the $70,000+ base pay?

[slowcat95]

If cheering for young athletes who are finally getting compensated at fair market rates for their work thrills you, write that check (if your finances allow it).

How many Davidson basketball scholarship players have a fair market value significantly over the $70,000+ base pay?

I don't know.
But most lawyers make a great deal more than $70k. I daresay college basketball players are providing a much greater value to society.

[ScootCat]