College Watch Thread Belichick and Lombardi Investigated by CSC for UNC NIL

[rkarp1]

the issues appear 2-fold
NIL issues, which may be much ado about nothing/SOP in the NIL age....and HR issues with complaints filed by a former front office employee
Bill is going to have to perform some magic to escape a 1-4 start, with TCU, Clemson, ND and Pitt up early

 

[neuronet]

The early word is that UNC football concealed NIL payments which is the core of the "College Sports Commission" oversight role. The CSC does not have subpoena power which makes reporting voluntary at worst unless the Commission can bring down a hammer that genuinely affects the revenue from college sports. Knowing what we all know about Mike Lombardi, he probably saw an opportunity to mess around in the gray areas of the NIL and CSC in the first year of the attempt to put some guardrails on the mess that NIL has become. There are no signs that the other revenue sports skirted the rules at UNC.

You know what team isn't plagued by scandal?

 

[203Pat]

I wish BB and Brady went off in the sunset. They both are becoming a horse and pony show

I don’t know which one is more sad at this point. Bill is at some second rate school in the south clinging onto the only crappy job he was able to get. Brady is a huckster who is tying himself to some of the biggest weasels out there. From his crypto nonsense, to being the ringleader of Michael Rubin's nonsense, and then the latest publicity stunt, slapping a YouTuber.

It really is pathetic to see the franchise's two biggest stars out there embarrassing themselves like this.

 

[203Pat]

You know what team isn't plagued by scandal?

 

[upstater1]

The early word is that UNC football concealed NIL payments which is the core of the "College Sports Commission" oversight role. The CSC does not have subpoena power which makes reporting voluntary at worst unless the Commission can bring down a hammer that genuinely affects the revenue from college sports. Knowing what we all know about Mike Lombardi, he probably saw an opportunity to mess around in the gray areas of the NIL and CSC in the first year of the attempt to put some guardrails on the mess that NIL has become. There are no signs that the other revenue sports skirted the rules at UNC.

My point: this has already happened at numerous schools and the CSC could do nothing about it. There's a $20m cap on athlete payments, but when the CSC has gone after schools for exceeding it, they've been sued and meekly stood down. In fact, there is litigation about their enforcement right now.

As for other revenue sports skirting the rules, it's $20m for the entire athletic department, not for football. I guarantee you the other schools are skirting the rules. Top basketball schools are paying $15m-$20m for their payroll right now.

You're telling me football at UNC gives no money?\

Here's an article backing what I'm saying: College basketball rosters now start at $10 million. And one league is spending 3 times that

$30 million dollar rosters for basketball alone!

You're saying that one of the bluebloods of college basketball 9s deliberately deemphasizing their program?

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

I don’t know which one is more sad at this point. Bill is at some second rate school in the south clinging onto the only crappy job he was able to get. Brady is a huckster who is tying himself to some of the biggest weasels out there. From his crypto nonsense, to being the ringleader of Michael Rubin's nonsense, and then the latest publicity stunt, slapping a YouTuber.

It really is pathetic to see the franchise's two biggest stars out there embarrassing themselves like this.

Next thing is they are both going to wrestle against each other in Wrestlemania. Imagine the outfit Jordan comes up with for Bill and herself

 

[UGAPatsfan]

My point: this has already happened at numerous schools and the CSC could do nothing about it. There's a $20m cap on athlete payments, but when the CSC has gone after schools for exceeding it, they've been sued and meekly stood down. In fact, there is litigation about their enforcement right now.

As for other revenue sports skirting the rules, it's $20m for the entire athletic department, not for football. I guarantee you the other schools are skirting the rules. Top basketball schools are paying $15m-$20m for their payroll right now.

You're telling me football at UNC gives no money?\

Here's an article backing what I'm saying: College basketball rosters now start at $10 million. And one league is spending 3 times that

$30 million dollar rosters for basketball alone!

You're saying that one of the bluebloods of college basketball 9s deliberately deemphasizing their program?

Texas and Texas A&M reportedly both spend double that amount. It’s been a topic as Kirby Smart has taken an oddly firm stance on excessive NIL deals. He prefers to spread the wealth as it were and pay players who have been in the system. Lot of grumbling about that from GA faithful as we seem to lose out on blue chips a lot these days.

 

[upstater1]

Texas and Texas A&M reportedly both spend double that amount. It’s been a topic as Kirby Smart has taken an oddly firm stance on excessive NIL deals. He prefers to spread the wealth as it were and pay players who have been in the system. Lot of grumbling about that from GA faithful as we seem to lose out on blue chips a lot these days.

It's really crazy to see this sort of article when the NY times is blaring in telling you that schools are paying $30m for basketball alone. And it's no surprise that SEC football would be at $40m. Some of these schools are at $70m! And I'm supposed to care that UNC football is somehow over it's $20m allotment?!?!

 

[Rob0729]

Next thing is they are both going to wrestle against each other in Wrestlemania. Imagine the outfit Jordan comes up with for Bill and herself

Gronk already unsuccessfully went the WWE route. That category of post career embarrassment has already been checked off by a Patriots dynasty legend.

 

[203Pat]

Gronk already unsuccessfully went the WWE route. That category of post career embarrassment has already been checked off by a Patriots dynasty legend.

WWE meathead type stuff was always Gronk's brand at least. Brady's brand has shifted so far over the years from where he started (granted some of that is warranted). He started as the beer chugging, underdog then during the early Giselle era started as a luxury brand ambassador for Aston Martin, IWC, Tag Heuer etc and then late-Patriot era started his snake oil persona.

This version of him now is sad. Shilling for FTX and doing Subway and Pizza Hut commercials after playing the "I never ate a strawberry" health nut for a decade was bad enough but he is embarrassing himself now. I think Kyle Brandt said it the other day after the PR stunt slap thing, "This is like Daniel Day-Lewis going on Love Island". Michael Jordan hasn't stuck the landing on everything he has done since retiring but Jordan always to take the "Leave them wanting more" approach for Brady is past the saturation point with the commercials, Fox job, Fanatics crap, and now whatever wrestling nonsense he is getting into.

 

[sb1]

Gronk didn't have the right kind of charisma for WWE. Hard to imagine Brady would be any different in that forum. Some athletes can pull it off. Mongo McMichael, Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman and LT did all right IIRC.

Tbh I wish Tom wouldn't but if that's what he wants to do then good luck to him

 

[goheels22002]

My point: this has already happened at numerous schools and the CSC could do nothing about it. There's a $20m cap on athlete payments, but when the CSC has gone after schools for exceeding it, they've been sued and meekly stood down. In fact, there is litigation about their enforcement right now.

As for other revenue sports skirting the rules, it's $20m for the entire athletic department, not for football. I guarantee you the other schools are skirting the rules. Top basketball schools are paying $15m-$20m for their payroll right now.

You're telling me football at UNC gives no money?\

Here's an article backing what I'm saying: College basketball rosters now start at $10 million. And one league is spending 3 times that

$30 million dollar rosters for basketball alone!

You're saying that one of the bluebloods of college basketball 9s deliberately deemphasizing their program?

NIL caps governed by the CSC only apply to revenue share dollars in school athletic department budgets coming from contracts negotiated by the NCAA (March Madness TV dollars) or TV revenue share dollars negotiated by conferences. It does not include the money from these deals that pay for travel, coaches, facilities, etc. NIL dollars from local boosters and alumni "collectives" or "syndicates", and from local business "commercial collectives" operate independently of the universities.

It is fairly standard in 2026 for the big state schools and places like Notre Dame to pay out somewhere between $40 million to $50 million across all sports to "student athletes." In the 2025-2026 academic year, UNC paid out an estimated $34.5 million in NIL money per Sports Illustrated.

The CSC is supposed to be collecting information on any athlete receiving more than $600. Athletic Directors are under pressure to raise these funds and steer clear of scandals.

 

[goheels22002]

It's really crazy to see this sort of article when the NY times is blaring in telling you that schools are paying $30m for basketball alone. And it's no surprise that SEC football would be at $40m. Some of these schools are at $70m! And I'm supposed to care that UNC football is somehow over it's $20m allotment?!?!

It's truly important that you understand what revenue is included in the capped amount. Many schools have more independent dollars in their NIL pool than revenue-share dollars.

 

[goheels22002]

One of the good things to come out of the NIL situation is that college football players are staying in school longer due to multi-year NIL deals that are guaranteed like their athletic scholarships if the meet basic conditions. Many fewer kids left school early for the NFL draft in 2026 because their chance of being drafted in the top three are four rounds are not a sure bet, and then making a team is even more risky. For many kids, getting a spot on an NFL "practice squad" pays way less than their NIL money and is a lot less fun than staying in school.

 

[upstater1]

NIL caps governed by the CSC only apply to revenue share dollars in school athletic department budgets coming from contracts negotiated by the NCAA (March Madness TV dollars) or TV revenue share dollars negotiated by conferences. It does not include the money from these deals that pay for travel, coaches, facilities, etc. NIL dollars from local boosters and alumni "collectives" or "syndicates", and from local business "commercial collectives" operate independently of the universities.

It is fairly standard in 2026 for the big state schools and places like Notre Dame to pay out somewhere between $40 million to $50 million across all sports to "student athletes." In the 2025-2026 academic year, UNC paid out an estimated $34.5 million in NIL money per Sports Illustrated.

The CSC is supposed to be collecting information on any athlete receiving more than $600. Athletic Directors are under pressure to raise these funds and steer clear of scandals.

How many links do you want of the exact same thing happening and CSC running for the hills because they know it's a joke.

I also think you have the rules wrong. The NIL deal negotiated expressly forbids booster involvement.

 

[upstater1]

It's truly important that you understand what revenue is included in the capped amount. Many schools have more independent dollars in their NIL pool than revenue-share dollars.

I think you're really really confused on this. Booster involvement outside the school is forbidden. I know the use independent collectives, some take out loans, but the fact is, this is the wild west, there are practically no rules because boosters can't be ringfenced, some ad deals are rejected by the CSC only to see them go through regardless. The CSC is being ignored. The schools thumbed their noses at them and hired "Media rights" firms that are just fronts for boosters. It's a joke.

You have some states attorney generals that are just laughing at the sort of thing the CSC is trying to do here with North Carolina.

Read this: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/pr/2025/pr25-58-letter.pdf

 

[rkarp1]

I don’t know which one is more sad at this point. Bill is at some second rate school in the south clinging onto the only crappy job he was able to get. Brady is a huckster who is tying himself to some of the biggest weasels out there. From his crypto nonsense, to being the ringleader of Michael Rubin's nonsense, and then the latest publicity stunt, slapping a YouTuber.

It really is pathetic to see the franchise's two biggest stars out there embarrassing themselves like this.

I wouldn't say they are embarrassing themselves
they are staying in the game
they are doing what they love
they are making a ton of money
I would say that Bill is hurting his rep as the best HC in all of football of all time.
I would also opine that fans are mixed with his dating choice, with some saying "disgusting" and others saying "atta boy"

I think Tom is doing a very good job as the lead analyst. I believe he is a great listen.
he is also a minority owner with a voice in personnel
half of his public optics are with his kids and the other half with hot models.

 

[h0c2000]

Katie Nolan absolutely destroys 3 Rings lmaooooo

Still funny.

 

[Boomer B]

I wouldn't say they are embarrassing themselves
they are staying in the game
they are doing what they love
they are making a ton of money
I would say that Bill is hurting his rep as the best HC in all of football of all time.
I would also opine that fans are mixed with his dating choice, with some saying "disgusting" and others saying "atta boy"

I think Tom is doing a very good job as the lead analyst. I believe he is a great listen.
he is also a minority owner with a voice in personnel
half of his public optics are with his kids and the other half with hot models.

I’m the biggest Tom Brady defender out there, but he’s overexposed right now. He’s Tom ****ing Brady, in the same rarified realm as Jordan, Ali, Ruth, etc.. doing WWE with Jake Paul of all people is way beneath his status. Same with a lot of the stuff he’s doing now. He’s on every podcast/youtube channel out there.

Do the playcalling, be an owner, the odd commercial endeavour, but don’t lower yourself to shucking anything thats put in front of you.

 

[Rob0729]

Gronk didn't have the right kind of charisma for WWE. Hard to imagine Brady would be any different in that forum. Some athletes can pull it off. Mongo McMichael, Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman and LT did all right IIRC.

Tbh I wish Tom wouldn't but if that's what he wants to do then good luck to him

I love Gronk, but he is stiff as hell when he is on camera. He cannot act. He does have natural charisma, but he is one of those guys who just turns it off when the camera turns on. He does well on the Dudes on Dudes podcast because I don't think he is as aware of the cameras when he is shooting the crap with Jules and a guest. Put him in a structured environment like having to do a promo for the WWE or on Fox's broadcast and he is stiff as a board.