Chad Courrier: Officials might be next to cash in on NIL

Chad Courrier, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·2 min read

Jul. 1—Athletes are starting to cash in on their financial impact on college athletics.

Some high-school athletes are joining the fun, working out deals to use their talents to make some quick money through Name, Image and Likeness deals.

It seems out of control at this point, with the highest bidders buying the best players, but athletes deserve the money more than college administrators.

Who's next?

High school basketball officials?

Why not?

I know of a couple rather large grey officials shirts that have plenty of space for some company's logo. The shirts generally don't move that fast so everybody would be able to read the corporation's message and make their product or service seem more interesting to consumers.

There's a small suitcase or travel bag that goes to every event, with more than enough space to accommodate any promotional material.

But which companies would be best served by working out an NIL deal with a basketball official?

Shoe companies quickly come to mind. Working 60 or more events each season puts a lot of stress on the feet, even more so when the offseason conditioning program comes up a bit short again.

Brooks is the shoe of choice now, but if Nike or Reebok or another company can put up some cash, and have an all-black shoe, maybe something can be worked out.

Deodorant? Body spray?

Of course, nobody likes a basketball official who reeks.

Great Clips or Fantastic Sam's? You rarely see a shaggy basketball official at a varsity game.

Vision Works or Carlson-Tillisch? Seems like a natural fit. "C'mon ref, you're missing a good game." Not anymore.

Miracle Ear? Scratch that. Basketball officials are generally trying to tune out any noise coming from the bleachers.

Schell's? A cold Firebrick after officiating a varsity doubleheader is enticing, but let's pass on connecting alcohol to high-school athletics.

Atkins or Weight Watchers? There's probably better options for those companies.

Same goes for Planet Fitness.

These ideas are all silly, with almost zero chance of happening, even for an official with almost 3,600 followers on Twitter.

But who would have ever thought of high-school athletes using their talents to secure endorsement money, and that there were companies out there who believed that it would be a wise investment.

The NIL market is exploding, and everyone is trying to cash in.

It might be the best call all season.

Chad Courrier is the Free Press sports editor. He's at 507-344-6353, ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com or on Twitter @ChadCourrier.