This week, we explore how people inside the NIL ecosystem actually think about athlete valuations. Is it social media value or is that only part of the story? We walk through why attention-based math breaks down when you look at today’s biggest NIL deals, and what that gap means for college football today!

Recommended Reads:

Substack by Olivia Nuss (Link)

SBJ article on Opendorse's Yearly NIL Report (link)

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Any discussion of NIL or related legal topics reflects personal opinions and general observations, and listeners should consult qualified professionals before making decisions.

In this week’s episode, we unpack the players behind the recent multi-million-dollar NIL deals. What are multimedia rights companies (MMRs), why are they gaining influence, and what does their rise mean for college football?

Recommended Reads:

Fascinating reads from Yahoo Sports, Ross Dellenger (article 1) (article 2)

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Any discussion of NIL or related legal topics reflects personal opinions and general observations, and listeners should consult qualified professionals before making decisions.

This week, we break down CNBC’s Top 75 College Football valuations and examine which of the remaining CFP teams stand to gain the most economically from winning it all. What does a national championship actually do for a programs valuation?

We explain what it all means for College Football Today!

Recommended Reads:

CNBC Top 75 Program Valuations (article link)

Mark Cuban’s timely donation to Indiana (article link)

This week, we break down the first private capital deals in college football history. Why do universities desperately need fresh funding? Why this moment marks the real inflection point for the entire sport? We explain what it all means for College Football Today!

Recommended Reads:

Big 12 Deal (link)

Utah Deal (link 1) (link 2)

In this week's episode, we break down the chaos surrounding the SCORE Act, exploring what it gets right, what it gets wrong and how it could reshape college football. Plus, we shine a light on the shadowy world of NIL agents and their pivotal role in pushing Congress to step in.

Recommended Reads:

McGuire Woods - The Goals of the SCORE Act

FOS = How the SCORE Act Vote Fell Apart

Corrections:

House Settlement was approved June 2025.

Gervon Dexter reported NIL deal was in exchange for 15% of his future NFL earnings for 25 years.

In this week’s episode, we unpack the explosive Participation Agreement, how we arrived at this moment and explore the early implications of the College Sports Commission on the future of college football. We also look at why Texas AG Ken Paxton is taking an interest and what his involvement signals going forward.

Recommended Reads:

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football/breaking-news/article/college-sports-commission-issues-long-awaited-participation-agreement-to-power-conference-schools-201024977.html

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-sends-letters-universities-and-state-ags-oppose-unlawful-csc-agreement-would

This week’s episode breaks down James Franklin’s move to Virginia Tech, why his separation from Penn State became much cleaner thanks to a sharply reduced buyout, and what Virginia Tech’s newly approved $229 million athletics budget means for the future of Hokies football.

This week we dive into the controversial $2.4 Bn equity investment proposed by UC Investments into Big Ten Enterprises, a deal that could reshape the financial and governance structure of college sports. We break down what it means for the conference, the schools and the growing trend of private capital entering collegiate athletics.

In this episode, I discuss the geopolitical importance of the recent shutdown of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. I then tackle today's energy market dynamics and make some sense of the confusing state of the market.

I hope you enjoyed this episode!

Article Links:

https://rigcount.bakerhughes.com/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/europe-girds-for-energy-market-turbulence-after-russian-gas-cut-11662323365

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Large-Crude-Build-Sends-Oil-Prices-Tumbling.html

In this episode, I dive into the deadlock plaguing the EU over a potential Russian oil ban. I then look at windfall profits across the oil and gas industry, particularly Saudi Aramco.

I hope you enjoy this episode!

Article Links:

https://rigcount.bakerhughes.com/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/european-foreign-ministers-push-hungary-to-back-russian-oil-ban-11652699999?mod=Searchresults_pos7&page=1

https://www.wsj.com/articles/saudi-aramco-posts-record-quarterly-profit-on-surging-oil-prices-11652608615?page=1