• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 5, 2025

The NIL Reality for One HBCU Conference

  • MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas sat down with FOS to discuss the conference’s NIL strategy.
  • Thomas also addressed where he thinks athletes’ economic rights may go next.
Photo: David Sierra-Howard Athletics/Design: Alex Brooks

Both before and after July 1, countless college sports officials have called the NIL era “the wild west.” They’ve described scrambling to research it and put together programs for athletes. They’ve almost acted as if the NIL era — an inevitability since at least 2019 — were a surprise.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Commissioner Dennis Thomas agrees it’s “uncharted territory.” But unlike other officials, he and his conference were prepared.

“The MEAC has been talking about this for several years now and how that will impact [us], and what we needed to do to chart our course for our student-athletes that would not only be advantageous for them but also for our institutions,” Thomas told FOS. 

The MEAC is made up of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who play in Division I FCS. Thomas has known that NIL deals may not come as easily to his athletes as they would to those at Power 5 schools.

The conference has built an NIL strategy aimed at setting athletes up for life and showing recruits that MEAC schools have the tools to make NIL ventures successful. 

Facing Challenges

Norfolk State running back Rayquan Smith has inked at least 15 NIL deals so far, according to HBCU Gameday. Smith is an example of what’s possible. But right now, he’s an exception. 

“The biggest challenge is the communication of informing our student-athletes that it’s a lot of work involved in building your brand,” Thomas said. “Corporate America is not going to come up and be beating your door down.” 

That’s because the MEAC’s main issue is one common among FCS teams: exposure.

The conference’s football games are broadcast on ESPN platforms. But their audiences aren’t as large as those of Power 5 programs, who have billion-dollar deals with major broadcasters, Thomas noted. 

It’s not just that brands might be less interested in partnering with athletes who play for smaller audiences. It’s also that HBCUs — and their fans — have historically been overlooked.

“If Corporate America is perceptive enough … they will realize that African Americans spend money too,” Thomas said. “And if they see student-athletes of African American culture, then that’s a worthy investment. And they’ll get a good return on investment.”

A Forward-Looking Strategy

Most NIL consulting partnerships are school-specific. But a few conferences have signed conference-wide deals.

After MEAC schools did their own research, they inked a conference-wide partnership with INFLCR that will help with brand building, compliance and NIL education.

The goal is to go from “zero to hopefully millions of followers,” Thomas said. 

The partnership can help the schools, too. Thomas hopes it will entice recruits who are “already out there trying to build their brand,” and show them that as MEAC athletes, they’ll be “exposed to the top-level companies that will assist them.”

In a moment when so much of the focus is getting the flashiest NIL deals as quickly as possible, the commissioner is one of the few thinking about the “long-term investment in our student-athletes” and their lifelong brand-building skills. 

His hope is that “when they leave us, they will have the foundational architecture that is needed to continue once they graduate — whether they go professionally in their sports or whether they go professionally into their academic field,” Thomas said. “And that’s for your whole life.”

What About Salaries?

Thomas was enthusiastic about athletes getting their payday in the NIL era. In the future, he believes their economic rights will expand, and that NIL “is the first step.” 

But he said the conference was “not on board” with the NLRB’s recent memo suggesting athletes should be considered employees. 

The vast majority of NCAA athletic departments don’t turn a profit, so it doesn’t make sense to pay athletes, he said. Getting “a full scholarship, cost of attendance, NIL revenue” is “a pretty good deal” for athletes in departments that don’t turn profits.

“The [Power 5s] who have these billion-dollar contracts, now, that’s a different issue for their student-athletes.”

Tips? Comments? Reach out to Amanda Christovich at amanda@fos.company or on Twitter.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
Ohio State

Collectives Funnel $20 Million to College Athletes on Last Day Before Revenue..

Collectives frontloaded payments just before the revenue sharing era begins July 1.

Featured Today

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.

Everything You Need to Know About EA’s Return to College Basketball Video..

There hasn’t been a college basketball game in more than 15 years.
June 30, 2025

College Sports Revenue-Sharing Underway As More Changes Loom

July 1 marks the first day schools can directly pay players.
July 1, 2025

Big Ten Commish Still Pushes for 4 Auto CFP Bids in 16-Team..

The conference wants four guaranteed spots in the Playoff.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 30, 2025

Pac-12 Hits Football Membership Threshold With Texas State Entry

The school is paying $5 million to leave the Sun Belt Conference.
Mar 23, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears guard Jeremy Roach (3) reacts after a play during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center.
June 26, 2025

Power Four Put Finishing Touches on How Revenue Sharing Era Will Work

The agreement stipulates that schools can’t sue to challenge any terms of the settlement.
June 26, 2025

Pac-12 Rebuild Nears Completion With 2026 Texas State Addition

The Sun Belt school is likely joining the Pac-12 in 2026.
Sep 16, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Sacramento State Hornets running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver (25) celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium.
June 25, 2025

Sacramento State ‘Full Steam Ahead’ for FBS Despite Not Receiving NCAA Waiver

The Hornets launched a public campaign to join the FBS last fall.