Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

How NIL has impacted college athletics at the University of Delaware

A 'Go Hens' sign on campus at the University of Delaware.
Kyle McKinnon, Delaware Public Media
A 'Go Hens' sign on campus at the University of Delaware.

The NCAA’s college basketball tournaments – better known as March Madness – are underway; a reminder of the attention and money attached to college sports.

Only recently have student-athletes been able to grab their share of that money. A June 2021 U.S. Supreme Court ruling opened the door for them to cash in through Name, Image, and Likeness, or NIL, deals.

But that’s left student-athletes and schools scrambling to navigate the new NIL landscape, hoping to capitalize on opportunities, while understanding the implications on recruiting and avoiding potential pitfalls.

The University of Delaware launched the “Blue Hen Collective” this week, which allows fans, boosters, and businesses to essentially pool together money to fund NIL deals with student-athletes.

This week, Delaware Public Media’s Tom Byrne sat down with UD athletic director Chrissi Rawak to learn more about how NIL works at the University of Delaware and how it's changing college sports.

Delaware Public Media’s Tom Byrne discusses NIL at the University of Delaware with UD athletic director Chrissi Rawak

__________________________________________________________________________________

Bonus Content:

The Blue Hen Collective for NIL deals launched this week is operated by Student-Athlete NIL (SANIL), which also runs collectives at Penn State, Rutgers, Wake Forest, and George Washington, and other schools. We recently talked with SANIL's Chief Operating Officer Alexis Barlow to learn more about these NIL collectives.

Chief Operating Officer at Student Athlete NIL Alexis Barlow discusses all aspects of NIL in college sports

Related Reading:

Business of College Sports: "Tracker: University-Specific NIL Collectives"

WBUR: "New NCAA president Charlie Baker sets eyes on athlete compensation"

ESPN: "House committee to hold public hearing on NIL"

The Baltimore Banner: "NIL has helped Maryland women’s basketball — and now it’s changing the sport"

ESPN: "Miami women's hoops penalized for NIL infraction"

The Washington Post: "Florida grants top recruit’s release after $13 million NIL deal fell through"

For more information about Name, Image, and Likeness at the University of Delaware, the Blue Hen Exchange, and the Blue Hen Collective, visit UD's NIL website.

Stay Connected
Tom Byrne has been a fixture covering news in Delaware for three decades. He joined Delaware Public Media in 2010 as our first news director and has guided the news team ever since. When he's not covering the news, he can be found reading history or pursuing his love of all things athletic.
Kyle McKinnon is the Senior Producer for The Green with a passion for storytelling and connecting with people.