🏟️ A $4M NIL Deal Is Holding Up the Transfer Portal

Welcome to this week’s edition of Sports Industry Weekly.
We’re breaking down the biggest headlines, boldest moves, and emerging trends shaping the business of sports. From major deals to industry shifts, here’s what you need to know. Let’s dive in.

Demond Williams Jr.’s decision to enter the transfer portal has escalated into a high-stakes legal and business dispute, after his agent dropped him and Washington moved to enforce a reported mid–$4M revenue-sharing agreement tied to his return for the 2026 season. The situation places NIL contracts and portal freedom on a direct collision course.

Washington has refused to submit Williams’ name into the transfer portal, citing language in the agreement that restricts portal entry once signed and limits other schools’ ability to use NIL to recruit him. The school is reportedly prepared to pursue legal action, signaling that these agreements are no longer viewed as informal arrangements but binding contracts with real consequences.

This case represents a pivotal moment in the evolving power dynamics of college football. As revenue-sharing models become more sophisticated and financially significant, schools are increasingly asserting control through contractual enforcement, while athletes test the limits of mobility and leverage. The outcome could help define how binding NIL and revenue-share agreements are, and how freely players can move, in the next era of the sport. (read more)

We are always looking for helpful tools that can support your growth in the sports industry. We are excited to share that we have collaborated with CleanKonnect to offer our community access to a free version of their NIL education course. This version includes three core modules that introduce the fundamentals of NIL, athlete branding, and deal structure.

FREE VERSION LINK

This is extremely helpful for anyone looking to work in or around NIL or college athletics in any capacity. CleanKonnect updates their curriculum daily to reflect the constant changes in the NIL landscape, which makes it a reliable resource for staying current.

If you want to go deeper, their full NIL Certification is available at a discounted rate for our community with the code SBV2025. The certification gives you access to their complete curriculum, additional case studies, and expanded training modules that can help you stand out when pursuing roles connected to NIL, athlete marketing, or college athletics. (LINK).

Check it out ASAP!

💸 Miami keeps every CFP dollar under the ACC’s payout model.

💰 Mark Cuban is backing Indiana’s 2026 transfer portal push in a big way.

💼 LSU locks in GM Billy Glasscock with one of college football’s richest front-office deals.

🏈 Miami Dolphins’s coaching reset pushes the NFL to eight head coach openings, 25% of the league.

👟 Jordan Brand adds sack-record breaker Myles Garrett to its athlete roster.

📺 MLB’s streaming future may funnel more teams directly into the MLB app in 2026.

🏷️ The A’s ran into trouble after trademark bids for “Las Vegas Athletics” were denied.

📈 Unrivaled Basketball is scaling fast, turning social buzz into real business growth.

🏌️ The PGA of America is searching for a new CEO after a short-lived tenure.

🏁 NASCAR heads toward 2026 without a commissioner in place.

🤝 Atrium Health enters NASCAR with a major Hendrick Motorsports partnership.

👀 A Lightning lease extension debate could reshape Tampa Bay’s stadium future.

⚽ Indianapolis is still firmly in the MLS expansion conversation heading into 2026.

CLICK BEFORE YOU GO