Washington State Cougars are behind in NIL
Ed Stein
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Now that college athletes can cash in on their Name, Image, and Likeness, the overall game has changed. The Washington State Cougars are struggling in the new world of NIL.
Name Image and Likeness money has literally changed the game. Some college athletes are making millions of dollars a year before they even turn pro. The Washington State Cougars haven’t reached those heights.
Most of the NIL money comes from collectives. A group of boosters and local businesses get together and offer the athletes promotional opportunities.
They also help the players market themselves. It might be selling their own t-shirts (my favorite is Houston basketball player Jamal Shead’s “Shead Happens”). Athletes might have side business ventures like podcasts or real estate.
Some of the money comes from the schools. For example, if a Washington State Cougars number 1 jersey gets sold, Cameron Ward gets a small piece of it.
Wazzu’s big collective is the Cougar Collective. According to their webpage:
“The Cougar Collective was founded by Cougs, for Cougs. The mission simple: help WSU student-athletes navigate the “Name, Image, and Likeness” landscape. The Collective provides resources, education, and assistance to student-athletes by empowering them to “build their brand.” The Cougar Collective also collaborates with athletes to facilitate deal negotiation and ensures they are complying with relevant laws and regulations.”
When Ward transferred from Incarnate Word to WSU, he received a $90K package from the Cougar Collective. Several players, including Ron Stone Jr. and bookend mate Brennan Jackson, have deals with the Flatstick Pub.
Unfortunately, facts are facts. The Washington State Cougars play in Pullman, Washington, which is the 67th largest media market in the country. Additionally, Washington State’s alumni base isn’t as big as many Power 5 schools, so local opportunities are harder to come by.
This is where the Cougs are falling short. According to On3, Wazzu’s top five NIL valuations are (as of 5/23):
Shau Smith-Wade, CB – $295K
Brennan Jackson, Edge – $131K
Leon Neal, RB – $92K
JP Zamora, QB – $69K
Cameron Ward, QB – $63K
The Lag Explained
To show the disadvantage Wazzu faces, the combined valuation of their top 5, $650K, is less than UCLA’s second highest, Laiatu Latu, who comes in at $825K and slightly more than former Bruins basketball standout Jaime Jaquez, who last year was at $585K.
Intrastate rival, UW’s second and third-highest valuations, Bralen Trice ($788K) and Rome Odunze ($697K), are also behind Washington State’s combined top 5.
Last October, Washington State Cougars Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kamie Ethridge acknowledged the disparity in a NIL town hall. According to On3, Ethridge said:
“We’re in a different arena in the sense of people in our league are wildly ahead of us in what they are providing for their student-athletes in our respective sports. And we can either engage or try to continue to compete or maybe not compete at the level that we are right now. And I think that’s a real struggle for all of us at this point.
“It may not even be, ‘Level the playing field.’ We might not be able to ever do that with what some of the schools are doing that we compete against. … We’ve got to make people understand that this is the difference of signing recruits and not. Or getting high-level recruits and not. It’s not a comfortable place to be in.”
The NIL Deal
Combine the Washington State Cougars NIL deficiencies combined with the transfer portal, and there is a recipe for chaos. Head football coach Jake Dickert laid it out for the media last December.
Not out yet
Just because the Washington State Cougars are behind the 8-ball now doesn’t mean it has to continue. It’s taken longer for WSU to build its NIL base, but it’s an ever-evolving situation. If Ward were to break out and become a Heisman front-runner, his value and money-making opportunities would explode. With more eyes on the Cougs’ other players also see their exposure increase.
Louisville’s starting offensive tackles, Renato Brown and Michael Gonzalez, have a combined valuation of $456K. That’s at a basketball school with a smaller enrollment. Washington State should be able to do just as well for its athletes and recruits. Unfortunately, the clock is ticking down in Pullman.
Do you think the Washington State Cougars can eventually compete in the NIL marketplace?