I'm not sure how to proceed. Maybe I need the board owner's permission to make a push for funds, or announce how this is working in its infancy. I'm not sure. The board owner could call the person I spoke to at U of I baseball and confirm if necessary. I'll wait for someone to reach out about that if they're willing Maybe someone on here knows them and can contact them? That way everyone would know this is legit, and it would be confirmed. If it gets to that point it probably deserves it's own separate thread.
I'll share what I'm comfortable sharing. I did ask, and did receive permission to share, specifically on this board and elsewhere.
This is what I know about Iowa baseball NIL after my conversation today.
There was some talk of a collective, but that's not practical until there is some critical mass. Meaning a pool of money.
What has been going on is that if a player needs money for tuition, individual donors are reached out to, and they collectively try to raise the funds. There is a sample contract being used. That contract, prior to execution I'm assuming, needs to be vetted by U of I compliance. Those donations have been individual donations in the 1000's. At this point the need is so critical, any amount, which obviously would need to be grouped together per player, is better than nothing.
I was told three names. One business owner in Des Moines. I didn't recognize the name, and frankly even though I just got off of the telephone, I can't even remember it. Two business owners in Cedar Rapids, one of the names I recognize, and know. I will be reaching out to that person in Cedar Rapids and I think they will be responsive. That way, especially since they have been involved longer than I, I will have some guidance. I basically have one telephone conversation, and zero experience in this.
For my part, I received permission to make this post, and will be calling some other business owners to gauge interest. I'll also pool my donation with the group of other donors and help at least one player.
At this point, if anyone on here is interested in helping, it's a player by player deal, and if $30,000 is needed, a donation of $50 as an example, would be pooled together with other donations until the one player can be helped.
I'm just gauging interest at this point. This is actually going to take a lot of my time, of which I have little. There is zero profit motive by me. And I suspect if things start to progress, I would be granted permission to put individual donors in direct contact with others, up to and including coaches.
A very frank conversation. A pitcher came up. The DCI came up. The Cape Cod League came up. Again, if it gets to the point someone on here donates, you can have this conversation directly. Although I asked permission to share this, and it was granted, I'm really not comfortable naming a pitcher who just had his tuition handled, spelling out what happened at Cape Cod, what happened with Sam and Maryland, and what we both suspect triggered the DCI situation. I guess if there is a carrot and stick here, maybe you can have this conversation directly.
I have no idea where this is going to go, either on this board, or with me calling other business owners I know and asking if they'd be willing to support Hawkeye baseball NIL.
That's all I know for now. It moved pretty quickly. I reached out this morning, and just got off the telephone. I have mixed emotions, became this is going to cost me some time and money. But I also know just how far behind Iowa baseball NIL is, and just how much the team overperforms despite obstacles. I watched the end of the LSU game last night. One guy on that team gets $1MM. We're struggling between 10-20 guys to cover one player's tuition.
If anyone knows any Iowa Hawkeye baseball fans who might donate, I'm happy to meet with them and you.
