John Wildhack Discusses NIL Situation at Syracuse
At Director of Athletics John Wildhack's press conference wrapping up the 2022-2023 scholastic year on Tuesday, NIL, the all-encompassing buzz word that has dominated any significant discussion around collegiate sports the past few years, was once again front and center. Wildhack addressed NIL directives in wake of Jesse Edwards’ departure to West Virginia, stating that “efforts and significant process” were made to open up NIL opportunities to Edwards, seemingly assuring media that the program went out swinging in their pursuit to keep productive center. Besides that recruitment (infinitely more murky following Bob Huggins’ departure), several questions regarding Adam Weitsman and his public severance from the program were posed, and Wildhack reiterated multiple times that SU is not in a worse position in the NIL space without the millionaire CEO.
“We’ve had a number of people step up in significant ways, and they’ve done so quietly," Wildhack said. "We're thankful for Adam for his support, but we’ve had others step up, and I think we’re in a better place with NIL than we were ninety days ago.”
With the NIL space still in its infancy stages, it can look like the Wild Wild West at times, and Wildhack expressed a wanting for more clarity and disclosure in NIL dealings. Even suggesting a national database where NIL deals and the information around them sits. When asked about what potential revenue-sharing ideals and what tagging student-athletes as employees could potentially look like at SU, Wildhack pointed towards Olympics sports and hinted at how serious an undertaking it would be divvying up profits and determining percentages amongst all sports.
Wildhack affirmed votes of confidence in both Dino Babers (head football coach) and Adrian Autry (head men's basketball coach), expressing pleasure on the recruitment front for both staffs. He brushed off any questions about a possible extension with Babers stating the leader of the football program has multiple years left on his deal.
As for housekeeping notes, construction and renovations on the new John A. Lally Center should be complete by summer 2025. A new “Cuse Gameday” lounge is slated as the next big upgrade to the Dome, offering fans a VIP sports-bar type of experience.
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