Aaliyah & Adidas NIL

[cancontent]

adidas Canada adds UConn Huskies forward, Aaliyah Edwards, to its roster of female athletes, furthering commitment to women in sport

/CNW/ - Today, adidas Canada announced the signing of Aaliyah Edwards to the brand's incredibly talented roster of athletes, furthering adidas' continued focus...

www.newswire.ca

This is awesome to see. One thing to note is that it's with the Canadian arm of Adidas. Wonder if it's something Adidas can leverage in the US as well.

 

[darrell]

 

[uconnfan68]

She plays for a Nike school.

 

[psconn]

I wonder how this is worked out with UConn using all Nike unis. Maybe shoes are individual choices? In team photos it looks like Nike from head to socks, but there's some variation in footwear. Paige and Aaliyah might be wearing Adidas sneakers.

EDIT: Upon further photo review, those sneaks I thought were Adidas probably were Nikes after all. Oops.

In any case, good for her she deserves to cash in as much as anyone. The company couldn't have a better representative.

 

[HuskyNan]

She plays for a Nike school.

Azzi reps the Curry Brand shoes

 

[BRS24]

She plays for a Nike school.

I wonder how this is worked out with UConn using all Nike unis. Maybe shoes are individual choices? In team photos it looks like Nike from head to socks, but there's some variation in footwear. Paige and Aaliyah might be wearing Adidas sneakers.

EDIT: Upon further photo review, those sneaks I thought were Adidas probably were Nikes after all. Oops.

In any case, good for her she deserves to cash in as much as anyone. The company couldn't have a better representative.

The players are required to wear Nike while representing the school. As we've seen with Azzi, when she'd doing work with the Curry brand, outside of UConn, she wears UnderArmor. The NIL and school activities are completely separate for now.

 

[Kaizen]

Azzi reps the Curry Brand shoes

 

[Rowdy831]

Aaliyah has been playing excellent ball the last two seasons and is still getting better. She deserves any and all recognition and money opportunities she gets. She has demonstrated what hard work and determination can get you in WCBB and I expect her to be a force at the next level as well.

 

[Patty Bailey]

I think all team stuff needs to be Nike, but on her own time she can wear whatever.

 

[Bigboote]

She'll be a great ambassador -- maybe we'll see some Aaliyah/Caroline peace-sign ads.

I hope Nika signs with them too when she graduates. I can see some humorous potential in Nika/Nike wordplay. (How many have been bit by autocorrect?) Nobody does exasperated like Nika.

 

[cancontent]

She'll be a great ambassador -- maybe we'll see some Aaliyah/Caroline peace-sign ads.

I hope Nika signs with them too when she graduates. I can see some humorous potential in Nika/Nike wordplay. (How many have been bit by autocorrect?) Nobody does exasperated like Nika.

All depends on how the deal is structured since it's with Adidas Canada. Haven't seen any details as to how this is structured. Hopefully it's with Adidas Canada for the financial/payment portion of the agreement and she can leverage it throughout North America in some form. That's still the confusing part for international students.

 

[oldude]

Aaliyah’s deal with Adidas may be a major factor relative to Aaliyah’s decision to turn pro or return to UConn for a 5th year. Stay tuned……

 

[hoopsfan22]

Aaliyah’s deal with Adidas may be a major factor relative to Aaliyah’s decision to turn pro or return to UConn for a 5th year. Stay tuned……

Why? It's not like the deal goes away if she turns pro, and if she does she can actually go live life as an adult and not a student.

 

[oldude]

Why? It's not like the deal goes away if she turns pro, and if she does she can actually go live life as an adult and not a student.

The discussion about top WBB players remaining in college for a 5th year or going to the WNBA has been raging for several years now. NIL has been a critical factor, with a number of players rumored to be earning 7 figure incomes in college. As of right now, Paige has committed to return. Clark, Brink and Reese have all been noncommittal. But it would not surprise me if all 3 returned for a 5th season.

Foreign born players face a much different situation. They are in the US on student visas, which significantly limit any potential compensation in the US. Aaliyah’s deal with Adidas Canada means she can be compensated in Canada while playing in the US.

Whatever her deal is with Adidas, we have no idea whether Aaliyah would prefer to “live life as an adult” or spend one more year with her friends and teammates at UConn, making one more run at a national championship, while getting paid to do so.

Whether she’s in college or the pros, Aaliyah will be a member of the Canadian Olympic team this summer. Finally, the 2024 top rookie salary in the WNBA for draft picks 1-4 is $76,000, far less than she’ll make from NIL.

 

[hoopsfan22]

The discussion about top WBB players remaining in college for a 5th year or going to the WNBA has been raging for several years now. NIL has been a critical factor, with a number of players rumored to be earning 7 figure incomes in college. As of right now, Paige has committed to return. Clark, Brink and Reese have all been noncommittal. But it would not surprise me if all 3 returned for a 5th season.

Foreign born players face a much different situation. They are in the US on student visas, which significantly limit any potential compensation in the US. Aaliyah’s deal with Adidas Canada means she can be compensated in Canada while playing in the US.

Whatever her deal is with Adidas, we have no idea whether Aaliyah would prefer to “live life as an adult” or spend one more year with her friends and teammates at UConn, making one more run at a national championship, while getting paid to do so.

Whether she’s in college or the pros, Aaliyah will be a member of the Canadian Olympic team this summer. Finally, the 2024 top rookie salary in the WNBA for draft picks 1-4 is $76,000, far less than she’ll make from NIL.

But your assertion was that this Adidas deal may sway her (as you say "major factor") about staying or going pro, and I am asking why since she'll have the deal whether she plays for UConn or someone else.

 

[Cuango]

Couldn’t happen to a more deserving (and capable) person! She is an absolute dream representative for any company! Skilled, articulate, attractive, hardworking, and outstanding character! What more could you want!

 

[oldude]

But your assertion was that this Adidas deal may sway her (as you say "major factor") about staying or going pro, and I am asking why since she'll have the deal whether she plays for UConn or someone else.

I thought I was pretty clear as to why. If Aaliyah just signed a 6-figure+ NIL deal, she’ll be well paid, and won’t necessarily feel the need to turn pro for the extra $70k or so. You are assuming that Aaliyah would rather be in the W over chasing another championship with her teammates at UConn. I don’t.

Aaliyah is a beloved star at UConn and an All-American. Wherever she ends up as a pro, it will take time for her to earn PT and establish herself with the fan base. As Rodney Dangerfield said to his fellow graduates in the movie Back to School, “It’s a jungle out there! Don’t go!”

 

[psconn]

She'll be a great ambassador -- maybe we'll see some Aaliyah/Caroline peace-sign ads.

I hope Nika signs with them too when she graduates. I can see some humorous potential in Nika/Nike wordplay. (How many have been bit by autocorrect?) Nobody does exasperated like Nika.

Fact.

 

[oldude]

I have been trying to see which other Canadian women athletes have deals with Adidas Canada. So far, the only one I can find is Canadian hockey star, Sarah Nurse, Kia’s sister. Kia is a Nike/Air Jordan promoter. That must create tension at the Nurse household during holiday get togethers…

 

[Skeets]

This whole NIL and student visa problem is a piece of dog poop (not Jonathan's). It needs to be straighten out. Those who created it are the ones I look to for the fix.

 

[cancontent]

I have been trying to see which other Canadian women athletes have deals with Adidas Canada. So far, the only one I can find is Canadian hockey star, Sarah Nurse, Kia’s sister. Kia is a Nike/Air Jordan promoter. That must create tension at the Nurse household during holiday get togethers…

Nah. I think it's a bunch of high fives going around celebrating their ability to help grow their respective sports in Canada. Their impact for girls and women's sports doesn't get talked about enough here in my opinion.

Nurse's deal with Nike not only has made her father's AAU program one of the best in Canada, it's also helped develop some great talents, like Aaliyah, Yvonne Ejim, Toby Fournier, Syla and Savannah Swords, etc.

Sarah's impact on hockey is also amazing and the success the PWHL has had in its initial season has been amazing. We're lucky to have them both as ambassadors for their respective sports.

And correction @olddude, Sarah is Kia's cousin.

 

[cancontent]

This whole NIL and student visa problem is a piece of dog poop (not Jonathan's). It needs to be straighten out. Those who created it are the ones I look to for the fix.

Hold on, you're expecting the NCAA to fix this? Look how long it took for them to even do something about NIL.

Second, how much influence could the NCAA have on something that looks to be a federal issue? Highly doubt anything will happen for some time.

 

[Bluenoser]

Hold on, you're expecting the NCAA to fix this? Look how long it took for them to even do something about NIL.

Second, how much influence could the NCAA have on something that looks to be a federal issue? Highly doubt anything will happen for some time.

A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the Senate to allow international students to participate in NIL activities; however, the lack of news about it recently suggests that it is moving forward with the speed such legislation gets in an election year.

 

[cancontent]

A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the Senate to allow international students to participate in NIL activities; however, the lack of news about it recently suggests that it is moving forward with the speed such legislation gets in an election year.

Lack of news meaning progress is happening or that it's moving at a snail's pace?