Vols OL Cade Mays Announces First NIL Deal
Midnight signaled the dawn of a new era for the world of college athletics and college recruiting as players across the country can now make money from their name, image, and likeness. Shortly after the clock moved us into July, players were immediately taking advantage of the opportunities, and Tennessee's Cade Mays was one of the first.
On his Instagram account, Mays announced a deal with Spyre Sports to host their NIL Open House on July 8th. The event is centered around providing businesses with information about utilizing Tennessee players with NIL opportunites.
Below is a statement from Spyre Sports about what they provide:
"We are a sports marketing & creative agency that specializes in professional representation, athlete marketing, community initiatives, and media & entertainment. We accomplish this by brining together our three pillars- athletes, creative, and experiences."
"Led by sports marketing veterans, Hunter Baddour, James Clawson, and Sheridan Gannon the team at Spyre takes a personalized approach to creating meaningful partnerships and brand growth for our clients."
Mays is one of the prominent faces left on Tennessee's team, and he will certainly be one of the more successful players utilizing the NIL opportunities in the coming months.
Tennessee has remained proactive in its approach to setting their athletes up for success with new world. Below is a general rule from the University discussing their efforts.
“Effective July 1, 2021, based on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors’ approval of an interim name, image and likeness (NIL) policy(PDF), student-athletes may use their NIL for compensation. This interim policy and the institutional policies and procedures contained herein remain applicable until such time that either federal legislation or new NCAA rules are adopted.
Tennessee Athletics has initiated multiple strategic partnerships aimed at proactively equipping its student-athletes with the most comprehensive collection of resources to capitalize on and maximize their NIL opportunities in a responsible and effective manner.”
