At least two NIL collectives have begun to pay players before the submitted deals have been approved in the clearinghouse
Multiple major power conference collectives are giving up on trying to work through the NIL Go clearinghouse and within the bounds of the new rules set up by the House v. NCAA settlement, Front Office Sports has learned.
At least two collectives have begun to pay players before the submitted deals have been approved, and are aware of instances where players haven’t logged deals at all, sources tell FOS. The inefficiencies of the system have created an unsustainable landscape, they said.
“I have deep concerns as to the longevity of this system,” a source from an ACC collective said, adding that many across the industry desperately wanted the system to work but now feel like they have no choice but to violate the rules.
“The rules created by the House settlement around third-party NIL deals are actively in place and enforceable and apply to all current NCAA Division I student-athletes,” a College Sports Commission spokesperson told FOS in response. “Pay-for-play deals are not allowed under the rules and will not be approved in NIL Go. There is no safe harbor for breaking these rules and there will be eligibility consequences for student-athletes who do not follow them.”