Nebraska’s Ty Robinson talks with reporters during Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
As the legitimacy of NIL deals drops in college sports, we’ve been robbed of the clever partnerships between student-athletes and local businesses.
Agreements like former Nebraska player DeColdest Crawford had with a Lincoln air conditioning company made national headlines in Aug. 2022. The viral clip was a perfect example of what many envisioned when NIL into effect a year earlier.
Since then, the NIL model has largely gravitated toward being a loophole for pay-for-play nationally.
It’s a hot-button issue that has cropped up as conferences conduct media days. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said Tuesday there is a need for “a process to evaluate true NIL deals.”
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Those kind of fun, light-hearted NIL deals do still exist, even if you have to look a little harder now. Nebraska’s Ty Robinson and Lincoln company ACTION have a brilliant “Sack Your Old Water Heater” campaign going.
The pitch: If you purchase a Bradford White water heater from ACTION from July to November, the company will reimburse you if Nebraska wins the Big Ten football championship. Talk about NIL gold.
Robinson, with a smile on his face, spoke about the partnership at Big Ten Media Days on a show with Andy Staples of On3.
Nebraska currently has 55/1 odds to lift the conference trophy, per DraftKings. That’s a 1.1% implied probability. So what? It’s fun anyway.
Photos: Sights from Day 2 of Big Ten football media days — July 24
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule speaks during Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule speaks during Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Nebraska’s Ty Robinson talks with reporters during Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Nebraska’s Isaac Gifford talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Nebraska’s Ben Scott talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
College Football Playoff Executive Director Rich Clark talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Penn State’s Tyler Warren talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Michigan State’s Dillon Tatum talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Iowa’s Jay Higgins talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Players and coaches talk with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Players and coaches talk with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Southern California’s Miller Moss talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Penn State head coach James Franklin talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Southern California head coach Lincoln Riley talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
UCLA’s Ethan Garbers talks with reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
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