Podcast

How March Madness Became a ‘Tryout for NIL’

LAST UPDATED March 29, 2024 | 04:05 pm— PUBLISHED March 25, 2024 | 06:21 am

Blake Lawrence of NIL marketplace Opendorse discusses how the biggest stage in college sports is changing the way athletes get paid.
He also says that schools and conferences may be the ultimate benefactors of collective bargaining efforts.

Mar 27, 2023; Seattle, WA, USA; A detailed view of the March Madness center court logo during the first quarter between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Dartmouth athletes are fighting to unionize, but Blake Lawrence, CEO of Opendorse, feels that schools and conferences may be the ultimate benefactors of collective bargaining efforts. He joins the show to give his perspective on that topic, and also talks about how NIL has impacted the earning potential for college athletes during March Madness.

Plus, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey threatens to sue the Washington Post, March Madness posts its best viewership numbers in years, and we look into the murky past of Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.