The 800lbs Gorilla ...

[dtm1997]

With the way Key is building the football staff and roster, and the same for Stoudamire, I get the feeling GT is headed towards another golden era.

We're laying a foundation, but it has to be supported with NIL dollars also.

You want that golden era, gotta start kicking in.

 

[kg01]

Duly noted as accurate. Twice in one day.

Compliment received. No need to try and butter me up.

 

[Techster]

We're laying a foundation, but it has to be supported with NIL dollars also.

You want that golden era, gotta start kicking in.

100%

I know our NIL efforts have the very top of the Institute involved, and so far the returns are ahead of what they thought we would be this early. I had a discussion with another font in another thread about GT's NIL commitment. There's a reason why we've been getting some of these high level recruits and transfers, and it isn't all because of Stoudamire.

 

[Connell62]

100%

I know our NIL efforts have the very top of the Institute involved, and so far the returns are ahead of what they thought we would be this early. I had a discussion with another font in another thread about GT's NIL commitment. There's a reason why we've been getting some of these high level recruits and transfers, and it isn't all because of Stoudamire.

I'd also argue that the growth in NIL has to do with the in-roads and relationships that Damon has built in the African American business community of Atlanta.

I've seen him on Facebook, Twitter, and even LinkedIn meeting with influential business leaders in the city. James Forrest introduced him to many of the who's who in the ATL.

Damon gets it and has been knocking on doors, shaking hands, etc. to make things happen. Kudos to him for going out and making **** happen, whereas Josh seemed to be reluctant to engage.

 

[Techster]

I'd also argue that the growth in NIL has to do with the in-roads and relationships that Damon has built in the African American business community of Atlanta.

I've seen him on Facebook, Twitter, and even LinkedIn meeting with influential business leaders in the city. James Forrest introduced him to many of the who's who in the ATL.

Damon gets it and has been knocking on doors, shaking hands, etc. to make things happen. Kudos to him for going out and making **** happen, whereas Josh seemed to be reluctant to engage.

That's a very good point. I was alluding specifically to how traditonal fans think of NIL, but NIL can come through various channels and it doesn't all have to come through fan donations. To your point, when NIL started, a LOT of people pointed to GT and how being located in Atlanta can play a HUGE role for our program. GT just didn't have the success to make it get off the ground. Businesses and donors are not going throw money at an athlete if that athlete doesn't have any "pop" in the public consciousness.

Can you imagine the NIL opportunities Lethal Weapon 3 and some of Hewitt's teams would have raked in in Atlanta, and possibly nationally? If Stoudamire continues with the current trajectory of winning and recruiting, I think we GT can finally leverage Atlanta's business opportunities. The beautiful thing about college basketball, especially at a school like GT, is you can have success quicker. Once that success comes, and if GT can leverage Atlanta for NIL opportunities, it becomes a self perpetuating machine. Recruits will see Stoudamire winning and getting NIL opportunities with Atlanta's businesses, and they will want to be part of a winning culture and our program leveraging business opportunities for them. Rinse, repeat.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

That's a very good point. I was alluding specifically to how traditonal fans think of NIL, but NIL can come through various channels and it doesn't all have to come through fan donations. To your point, when NIL started, a LOT of people pointed to GT and how being located in Atlanta can play a HUGE role for our program. GT just didn't have the success to make it get off the ground. Businesses and donors are not going throw money at an athlete if that athlete doesn't have any "pop" in the public consciousness.

Can you imagine the NIL opportunities Lethal Weapon 3 and some of Hewitt's teams would have raked in in Atlanta, and possibly nationally? If Stoudamire continues with the current trajectory of winning and recruiting, I think we GT can finally leverage Atlanta's business opportunities. The beautiful thing about college basketball, especially at a school like GT, is you can have success quicker. Once that success comes, and if GT can leverage Atlanta for NIL opportunities, it becomes a self perpetuating machine. Recruits will see Stoudamire winning and getting NIL opportunities with Atlanta's businesses, and they will want to be part of a winning culture and our program leveraging business opportunities for them. Rinse, repeat.

It occurs to me, however, that if NIL is strictly a business decision in and by the local community there is no intrinsic incentive to support Tech athletes. One could find any high profile player anywhere in the country and piggy back off their fame. Or, if the perceived monetary payoff is equal, one might support an athlete from one’s alma mater. Or, if the uga fan support is strong locally that might be a shorter route for some payoff to a business.

Not trying to talk down the effort to attract NIL money to Tech from the local community, just saying it’s not automatic and requires several several factors working in concert for it to make sense to local businesses.

 

[Techster]

It occurs to me, however, that if NIL is strictly a business decision in and by the local community there is no intrinsic incentive to support Tech athletes. One could find any high profile player anywhere in the country and piggy back off their fame. Or, if the perceived monetary payoff is equal, one might support an athlete from one’s alma mater. Or, if the uga fan support is strong locally that might be a shorter route for some payoff to a business.

Not trying to talk down the effort to attract NIL money to Tech from the local community, just saying it’s not automatic and requires several several factors working in concert for it to make sense to local businesses.

All of what you're saying is happening right now. Companies are using college SAs on the national level (Dr Pepper Heisman House used Caleb Williams), local businesses are using athletes to get their business out (just run through any college town...our own RB Jamie Felix is doing a campaign for a car dealership). You also have to understand that players aren't going to take every deal available (conflict of interest with another company, or they don't want to represent a product). That means opportunities for others.

My point is businesses support players that have name recognition. When Lethal Weapon 3 was going on, the Thriller Dome was packed every night and it wouldn't be surprising to see celebrities and business executives filling the seats. That team had highlights on repeat on ESPN beating some of the best teams in the country. If social media was a thing back then, you don't think businesses would want Kenny Anderson or Dennis Scott splashing their products on their social media?

The point of being in Atlanta is access. As @Connell62 points out, Stoudamire (and our players) has the ability to access businesses and a "who's who" other coaches and players don't. Stoudamire can literally go to breakfast with a prospective NIL business in the morning, go to practice in the afternoon, and meet with another prospective NIL opportunity in the evening over drinks. It's why people move to Hollywood/NY for the TV and movie business. You can apply the same thing to our SAs. There's a distinct advantage to being located in a big city that you don't have in places like Athens/Tuscaloosa/Tallahassee/etc.

It all comes down to success. If GT doesn't have the success, this conversation is moot. If we do have success, GT's situation is uniquely set up for NIL opportunities. Just look at Southern Cal and how they leverage NIL being in the LA market. Caleb Williams has deal unique to the LA Market, a deal with a LA based Real Estate private equity group. That doesn't happen if he's in Tuscaloosa. Malachi Nelson, who was a freshmen and doesn't have the name recognition of Williams, signed a NIL deal with an LA based hospitality group. That doesn't happen if he's in Ann Arbor. Why didn't that group reach out to Michigan's JJ McCarthy to do a deal when he's a bigger name playing for one of the top teams in the country. Because of access.

If GT can win like the Cremins years, businesses will want to be part of it because they know they can leverage a player's social media to give them more exposure.

 

[GaTech4ever]

I know this has been repeated ad nauseam. But I’m still pinching myself that we have a coach who, when I open X, I see doing podcasts with real influential hoopers from the 90s/early 2000s. While a 17 year old kid won’t know who Quentin Richardson and Nick Van Exel are, I guarantee you the people helping the kid make his decision knows. We have some legitimate support now that only comes from the NBA ties.

 

[YlJacket]

All of what you're saying is happening right now. Companies are using college SAs on the national level (Dr Pepper Heisman House used Caleb Williams), local businesses are using athletes to get their business out (just run through any college town...our own RB Jamie Felix is doing a campaign for a car dealership). You also have to understand that players aren't going to take every deal available (conflict of interest with another company, or they don't want to represent a product). That means opportunities for others.

My point is businesses support players that have name recognition. When Lethal Weapon 3 was going on, the Thriller Dome was packed every night and it wouldn't be surprising to see celebrities and business executives filling the seats. That team had highlights on repeat on ESPN beating some of the best teams in the country. If social media was a thing back then, you don't think businesses would want Kenny Anderson or Dennis Scott splashing their products on their social media?

The point of being in Atlanta is access. As @Connell62 points out, Stoudamire (and our players) has the ability to access businesses and a "who's who" other coaches and players don't. Stoudamire can literally go to breakfast with a prospective NIL business in the morning, go to practice in the afternoon, and meet with another prospective NIL opportunity in the evening over drinks. It's why people move to Hollywood/NY for the TV and movie business. You can apply the same thing to our SAs. There's a distinct advantage to being located in a big city that you don't have in places like Athens/Tuscaloosa/Tallahassee/etc.

It all comes down to success. If GT doesn't have the success, this conversation is moot. If we do have success, GT's situation is uniquely set up for NIL opportunities. Just look at Southern Cal and how they leverage NIL being in the LA market. Caleb Williams has deal unique to the LA Market, a deal with a LA based Real Estate private equity group. That doesn't happen if he's in Tuscaloosa. Malachi Nelson, who was a freshmen and doesn't have the name recognition of Williams, signed a NIL deal with an LA based hospitality group. That doesn't happen if he's in Ann Arbor. Why didn't that group reach out to Michigan's JJ McCarthy to do a deal when he's a bigger name playing for one of the top teams in the country. Because of access.

If GT can win like the Cremins years, businesses will want to be part of it because they know they can leverage a player's social media to give them more exposure.

I would point out there is a little bit of chicken/egg in CDS's approach to local NIL opportunities. This isn't or rather shouldn't be a once we get to winning scenario but a tool CDS uses now - obviously at a reduced rate versus Lethal Weapon 3 - to get the recruits he needs to get to winning.

 

[Techster]

I would point out there is a little bit of chicken/egg in CDS's approach to local NIL opportunities. This isn't or rather shouldn't be a once we get to winning scenario but a tool CDS uses now - obviously at a reduced rate versus Lethal Weapon 3 - to get the recruits he needs to get to winning.

That's why sales people get paid a lot of money. Part of being a coach is being a salesperson for the team and college they're coaching for. So far, Stoudamire is doing a pretty good job on the sales side.