STrib: Dinkytown Athletes NIL

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Connecting Gophers athletes to the money: These boosters are making it happen

The name, image and likeness era is part of a dramatic makeover in college sports — and is creating opportunities for passionate fans to get involved in ways that previously would have violated NCAA rules. Here's how that's playing out at the University of Minnesota.

www.startribune.com

Randy Johnson:

If you see Dawson Garcia draining a three-pointer for the Gophers men's basketball team, 53-year-old Rob Gag might have contributed an assist.

If you see Darius Taylor dash 50 yards for a touchdown this fall, 45-year-old Derek Burns might have thrown a key block.

A small council of insiders in Minnesota works overtime to keep Gophers student-athletes as Gophers, to keep these young stars in maroon and gold, as opposed to red and white or black and gold. No two people are more involved in this effort than Gag and Burns, whose fingerprints are on most name, image and likeness (NIL) endorsement deals being struck by Gophers athletes.

Burns and Gag are the co-founders of Dinkytown Athletes, one of the many so-called collectives hatched in the fledgling NIL era that is transforming college sports. NIL is simply shorthand for athletes getting paid for being who they are. And collectives are the middle entity between donors and student-athletes and athletic departments

 

[HitMeAgainIAmStillMoving]

Informative article. Thats for linking it.

 

[MplsGopher]

The power conferences want collectives banned. Not just the Gophers, but everywhere.

As should fans.


It's not right that fans and boosters be the primary, even sole, source of control over how athletes get paid.

It should be the schools that control it. And indeed, that's what the schools want.


Obviously appreciate the efforts of DTA. They were just trying to make sure the Gophers were on an even playing field with their peers. Commendable.

But I want schools doing the paying. That's the correct and proper way.

 

[Gopheritnow]

The power conferences want collectives banned. Not just the Gophers, but everywhere.

As should fans.


It's not right that fans and boosters be the primary, even sole, source of control over how athletes get paid.

It should be the schools that control it. And indeed, that's what the schools want.


Obviously appreciate the efforts of DTA. They were just trying to make sure the Gophers were on an even playing field with their peers. Commendable.

But I want schools doing the paying. That's the correct and proper way.

Then we are screwed. The U won’t compete!