Jim Boeheim Discusses Imbalance of NIL
At ACC Tip-Off on Tuesday, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim gave a thorough response on his thoughts regarding the name, image and likeness (NIL) situation in college athletics.
"I think the biggest problem is the inequity," Boeheim said. "One guy gets stuff and nobody else does or two guys. I don't think people understand the whole experience right now in college. I've tried to ask some writers to write about but nobody wants to. Players are getting a lot of money right now that they never got before. I don't think the average person on the street knows that. I think there's people in college that don't know. Because of the cost of attendance and the way meals are now provided, players can get, I know it's as low as $400 a month and as much as $2,000 a month. And that's without Pell Grants. So there is money flowing to college athletes right now. Has been. And nobody seems to write about that or want to talk about that. I don't know why. It seems like information that should be out there. The problem with the NIL is, obviously, certain players are getting the money. I think our players Buddy had the year he had so he's getting this stuff. Some players are getting a little bit. It's going to change. It'll gradually change over the years. I think companies get more aware of what they can do or what they could do. With NIL, organic growth of it is fine. It won't be that way. It'll be staged in the future. It already is but it will be more so in the future.
"The players understand under the current system," he continued. "I don't have any affect on NIL. So they're not going to come to me and say 'coach, do something about this.' Because they know I can't do something about this. I don't know, Bourama is right here. Are you jealous that Buddy gets more money than you guys? I don't know. I've never asked you that have I? I'm putting you on the spot. I think our players understand. We talk about it. Other players are getting some. It's really unfair with international players not being able to get any of the NIL money. We're waiting for Congress for that. Good luck with that one. That's an unfortunate part, really. That's why the Supreme Court decision with the academic money being available in the future being could go to every player. That would be really welcome, I think. And the international players could get that as well even though they can't get NIL yet. I think the players understand this is the way it is. The difference in pro sports, in pro sports the quarterbacks get $30 million but the best tackles get $15 (million). And I'm sure those tackles are not that jealous of quarterbacks, they're getting $15 (million). But when one guy is gets $100,000 and the other guy gets nothing, that's problematical to me."
