Mark Bennett: NIL part of modern college hoops, even for mid-majors like ISU

Mar. 22—Grainy clips of Wooden, Bird and Magic, Smart's corner jumper and Valvano looking for a hug. Nostalgic visions of college basketball abound.

Many elements of the game remain unchanged since those days.

But one new twist in March 2024 is reshaping the structure of college hoops. It's known as NIL, which stands for "name, image and likeness." NIL involves the ability of college student-athletes to receive compensation for endorsements and their athletic success, beyond the scholarships and benefits provided by their schools.

NIL emerged from a unanimous ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2021 that the NCAA couldn't restrict athletes' education-related benefits. The ruling spawned the NIL system now present in college athletics.

Some college sports fans lament the new landscape in which the size of a school's NIL funding pool affects that college's ability to attract and retain student-athletes. And, the ability of those athletes to switch schools has been eased by the NCAA's transfer portal, which took effect in 2018 but in 2021 expanded to allow athletes to move from one college to another without sitting out a year, as in the past.

John Newton understands that many fans dislike those dramatic changes.

"And that's just fine," Newton said this month, "but it's the law of the land. And that's what we've got to do."

Newton is the 77-year-old former Indiana State University administrator and ISU Alumni Association leader who came out of retirement, for a second time, to take the volunteer job of chairman of the Crossroad of Champions NIL collective. It assists student-athletes in meeting NIL requirements and raises funds to attract and retain such talent.

That task can be a tall order for a "mid-major" school such as ISU. Power-conference colleges have NIL collectives capable of compensating athletes with six- and in a few cases seven-figure funding totals, according to On3, a college sports and NIL publication. At a mid-major like ISU, NIL funds are far, far more modest.

About 85% of Crossroad of Champions NIL funds go toward ISU men's basketball student-athletes, with smaller slices for those on other Sycamore sports teams. The NIL funds for men's hoops players this year totaled more than $90,000, said Newton, an ISU alum who's been involved with his alma mater for 47 years. He believes that could increase to $300,000 for the 2024-25 season, a rise necessary to help keep together the talented core of third-year Sycamore coach Josh Schertz's team.

Crossroad of Champions began two years ago, but the NIL impact has been spotlighted this winter as the ISU men's basketball team vaulted into national prominence. Schertz's team now has a 29-6 record — more victories than any ISU basketball team since Larry Bird and the 1978-79 legends — and has advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament, after being snubbed by the NCAA Tournament despite a No. 28 NET national ranking and a brief AP Top 25 ranking.

Sycamore fans like what they see in Schertz's team, the atmosphere and community pride. Those backers worry bigger schools could lure away the Sycamores players and coach.

Such concerns aren't baseless.

It's part of 2020s college sports, and the players and coaches shouldn't be faulted for listening to the interest they're attracting.

Saint Louis University has approached Schertz about its vacant head coaching position, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported. SLU let go eighth-year coach Travis Ford, who's contract was $2.45 million in 2021-22, according to Post Dispatch research.

SLU's interest appears strong enough that the Post Dispatch sent its SLU beat writer, Stu Durando, to Terre Haute this week to interview Schertz — the coach didn't comment on the SLU situation — and to chronicle Indiana State's NIT opener against SMU on Wednesday in Hulman Center. ISU won 101-92.

NIL funds support student-athletes, but not coaches. Local fundraising in support of supplementing Schertz's university-paid contract separately goes through the ISU Foundation.

Mike Alley — a former ISU Board of Trustees president, alum and donor along with his wife Amy — is upbeat about the chances of keeping Schertz, whose $365,000 contract (plus incentive bonuses) was enhanced last October and extended through 2028. Alley served as board president a decade ago, but continues to back ISU and its athletics through his company, Patriot Investments.

"I continue to remain very optimistic that we will be able to keep Coach Schertz," Alley said Thursday. "He greatly appreciates the outstanding support from Terre Haute and the local fans as evidenced by our game [Wednesday] night and continues to see much upside in the program at Indiana State."

Newton shares Alley's optimism, given the local fundraising efforts to significantly increase Schertz's contract — modest in comparison to other Missouri Valley Conference coaches — and because of contributions to the Crossroad of Champions NIL collective. The NIL increase could help retain Schertz's players, who want to be where he is.

"I'm optimistic," Newton said Thursday, while acknowledging his outlook on the topic has been on a "rollercoaster ride" this month. "I've talked to people who are in the middle of the process, and they're optimistic," he added.

ISU has not responded to requests for comment on efforts to renegotiate the coach's contract.

Retaining Schertz and the bulk of his roster — highlighted by potential returnees Robbie Avila, Ryan Conwell, Jayson Kent, Julian Larry and Isaiah Swope — would not only create the possibility of an even bigger 2024-25 season but also be a huge step toward stability for the entire university. ISU is in the midst of finding a new president to replace Deborah Curtis, whose retirement takes effect in July. Enrollment has fallen below 8,000, since topping 13,000 as recently as 2017. And the university abruptly parted ways with former Athletic Director Sherard Clinkscales before New Year's Day, explaining only that he resigned to "pursue other opportunities."

The success of Schertz's team, coupled with continued excellence from the ISU baseball and track programs, has kept up hopes for the university's future among the Terre Haute community and alums.

Successful athletics programs represent the university's "front door" to the public, Alley said. That also can boost enrollment, which Alley believes is ISU's most important need.

"With increased enrollment, the financial health of the university is better," Alley said. "It lifts all boats in the process."

Avila's popularity exemplifies the potential strength of the public's connection with ISU.

The begoggled, 6-foot-10 Avila is labeled a "point forward" in Schertz's offense. From the court's key spot, Avila handles the ball with options to shoot a 3-pointer, drive to a short jumper or layup, pass to another 3-point shooter or pass to a teammate breaking toward the basket. He's ISU leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, and finished second in the MVC Player of the Year voting.

Avila has appeared on national sports talk shows and podcasts, has his profile painted on local businesses and has attracted interest from eyewear companies such as Oakley. His deceptively less-muscular build and fundamentals-based style has an everyman appeal, said Joe Nery, a Chicago attorney who serves as Avila's marketing agent.

"We can appreciate his game," Nery said by phone this month. "He doesn't have to have a 40-inch vertical jump to accomplish what he's accomplishing. It's effective."

The Oak Forest, Ill., sophomore has become "maybe a viral sensation, if you will," Nery said.

Avila appeared on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday in Indianapolis. Besides winning a one-on-one game on the show, Avila also conversed with the outspoken retired Indianapolis Colts punter. McAfee even offered Avila and his teammates $10,000 scholarships if ISU won the NIT, and then recast the offer once told it couldn't happen that way. As ISU interim Athletic Director Angie Lansing pointed out, McAfee's offer can only happen within the NCAA's NIL rules.

"[McAfee] would have to give that amount to our collective, so proper NIL contract terms could be agreed upon with each individual student-athlete," Lansing said Friday via email.

Players making the kind of impact Avila has made at a mid-major school draw attention from larger conference schools, which of course have bigger NIL opportunities.

"In this day and age, any athlete, when they know these options are out there, why wouldn't you at least look at them?" Nery said.

Efforts to increase donations to ISU's Crossroad of Champions NIL collective can help retain standouts such as Avila. (Not all student-athletes get NIL funds, nor do those who get NIL receive the same amounts.) "I think that bodes really well for Indiana State," Nery said of the NIL push.

He added, with emphasis, "Robbie and his family absolutely love Indiana State. He loves Coach Schertz and Indiana State, and its style fits his game."

Schertz himself spoke about the importance of expanding NIL funds at a March 4 gathering of community members, alums and donors in Hulman Center.

Last week, Schertz explained his outlook to the Tribune-Star. "I think players are the lifeblood of any program, and in today's climate your ability to provide competitive NIL opportunities to your student athletes is paramount to retention, recruiting and overall success," he said.

"I think you can have a lot of NIL money and be a bad team," Schertz added. "I don't think you can be a consistently good program in these times though without a significant commitment to NIL. As for the [March 4 event], I thought it was great. It was an opportunity for me to help educate our supporters on the NIL, how it works and why we need to pull together to position ourselves to retain and recruit at the highest level possible."

Newton believes the invigorated contributions toward the NIL collective (non-tax deductible) and the foundation (tax deductible), in hopes of keeping Schertz and his players, complements another plus ISU holds — the close-knit spirit within its sports teams.

"So, it's more than money," Newton said. "It's family and atmosphere at Indiana State University. Some people might say that's not enough, but that's what we've got."

Mark Bennett can be reached at 812-231-4377 or mark.bennett@tribstar.com.