Daily Digest: Lexington Stars Shine with 'Moore Horsey'

Today's digest showcases NIL milestones—Kentucky's creative campaign, FSU's team support initiative, military branch endorsements, Basepath's Texas-wide partnership, and navigating the new NIL landscape.

Author

Jack M
November 22, 2023

"Moore Horsey" Campaign Champions Kentucky's Equestrian Spirit

  • Kentucky’s Jackson Moore and Kenneth Horsey landed an inventive NIL deal with VisitLEX, celebrating Lexington’s equestrian fame.

  • The "Moore Horsey" slogan blends the players’ names and Lexington’s “Horse Capital of the World” identity, perfect for social media buzz.

  • The campaign, timed before the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry game, aims to fuel local pride and highlight Lexington's picturesque horse farms.

Team Spirit Fuels Jordan Travis's Innovative NIL Move for Tate Rodemaker

  • FSU’s Jordan Travis launches "18ELIEVE" merchandise to support backup QB Tate Rodemaker’s sudden starting role and financial gain.

  • Travis's brand, which gained traction after "Tiger King" themed apparel, now aims to boost Rodemaker as FSU strives for a playoff spot.

  • The initiative exemplifies the collegiate camaraderie and novel ways NIL can be utilized to support fellow student-athletes during pivotal moments.

NIL Deals Reach New Frontiers with Military Branch Campaigns

  • College athletes are boosting military recruitment; UConn's Paige Bueckers and prominent football players have secured unique NIL deals with GoArmy and the Marines, tapping into their massive social media followings.

  • Service academy athletes face a different reality, unable to engage in NIL deals due to their status as military employees, contrasting with their NCAA counterparts amid rising NIL collaboration.

  • The debate continues over the appropriate use and impact of NIL deals, with UCLA's Chase Griffin promoting the Marines and responding thoughtfully to the ensuing public discourse on military associations.

Basepath Joins Forces with Lone Star NIL to Support Texas Student Athletes

  • Basepath, specializing in NIL software, now partners with Lone Star NIL to help all college athletes in Texas, regardless of their school.

  • Lone Star NIL, led by ex-Southland Conference chief Tom Burnett, backs players from any of the 116 institutions across Texas.

  • The partnership boasts features like DocuSign, digital wallet integrations, and strict adherence to state and NCAA rules.

Navigating the NIL Era in College Athletics

  • Joseph Crotty writes about “Mitigating The Risks Of Introducing Name, Image, And Likeness Rights In College Athletics” in his article on JD Supra

  • Risk mitigation steps outlined: thorough vetting of donors (KYD), anti-money laundering (AML) measures, understanding tax liabilities, and considering contract clawback clauses.

  • Strategies suggested to preserve competitive balance include potential revenue sharing, endorsement deal caps, enhanced support for smaller programs, nationwide NIL regulation uniformity, and collaborative oversight.