As the momentum shifts towards allowing NCAA football players to profit off their labor in the form of Name, Image and Likeness compensation, a new firm has formed to help advise schools on traversing this new landscape.
Altius Sports Partners was started by Casey Schwab, the NFLPA’s former VP of Business Affairs. Schwab’s experience vouching for player rights will prove invaluable in helping schools chart their course through as things continue to progress.
He’s not alone. The Partners include experts ranging from business, to law and media matters, with Luck and Meyer headlining the group. Oliver Luck has extensive experience that goes beyond his days as the XFL’s Commissioner.
He started his days as an exec as the NFL Europe’s President, but the most key stop on his resume was the time he spent as the NCAA’s Executive Vice President for Regulatory Affairs. His expertise in this field will help schools maintain compliance with all the new regulations that are sure to come out while keeping the player’s interests at heart.
Urban Meyer is a surefire CFB Hall of Famer, and his experience on the ground with teams will also be a key asset for this group.
Per Sports Business Daily, Altius Sports Partners is already contracted with LSU and Texas. I don’t need to tell you how big of a partnership that is.
This appears to be a very lucrative market, and interestingly enough XFL backer RedBird Capital has its own play on the NIL scene. Gerry Cardinale recently seeded OneTeam with $125 Million as they partner with the NFL and MLB players associations.
While their outright goal was not initially to deal with College player licensing, it is a market that Cardinale has stated interest in.
OneTeam and Altius Sports Partners both appear to be ahead of the wave here, as California’s landmark NIL legislation will not go into effect until 2023.
OneTeam is uniquely positioned here with their critical ties to the NFLPA, MLBPA, and NCPA, but bringing Oliver Luck on board was a positive move for Altius as they move forward working with schools.
We wish nothing but the best for the XFL’s first Commissioner in his future endeavors.
