Lane Kiffin Reacts to NIL Agency Fees: A Growing Concern for College Football
The rapidly evolving world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in college athletics has brought both opportunities and challenges for student-athletes. While many celebrate the financial benefits now available to college athletes, a pressing issue is beginning to overshadow the progress: the exorbitant fees charged by NIL agencies.
During an interview with Be In The Kneaux on YouTube, NIL agent Noah Reisenfeld shed light on a significant disparity in agency fees. Reisenfeld noted that most NIL agencies charge a 20% commission on contracts, while agents for professional athletes in the NBA and NFL typically charge only 3-5%. He highlighted the impact of this disparity, explaining that a professional agent would earn $300,000 on a $10 million contract, whereas an NIL agent makes $200,000 on a $1 million deal. His rationale was that NIL percentages are higher due to smaller overall deals.
This revelation drew criticism from many in the college football community, including Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. In response to CBS Sports’ Josh Pate, who called out the exploitative nature of these fees, Kiffin succinctly summarized his feelings with two words: “Really sad .”
The issue of NIL exploitation has sparked broader discussions about the lack of safeguards for student-athletes. One fan, responding to Kiffin’s comment, pointed out, “The grift of student-athletes has taken a different shade, with agents taking large percentages from negotiated NIL deals. Universities have entire law schools and colleges of business to provide sound financial and legal advice. Yet, they have built no structures to protect these students, bringing in large sums of revenue.”
The financial stakes in NIL deals are enormous. For example, incoming Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood recently secured one of the largest NIL contracts in history, valued at $10.5 million. Deals of this magnitude underscore the urgent need for oversight to prevent predatory practices.
Lane Kiffin, a vocal critic of the current state of NIL, has consistently called for reform. In a March 2024 interview with On3Sports, Kiffin described NIL as a “disaster.” Despite Ole Miss being a major beneficiary of NIL, Kiffin expressed concerns about its long-term impact on college sports.
“It probably sounds strange to a lot of people for me to call it a disaster when we’re out there—some would say—maximizing it as well as anyone,” Kiffin said. “But to me, that tells you how much of a disaster it is. Even though it benefits us at Ole Miss a lot, I’m still telling you it’s a disaster.”
The current state of NIL, while transformative, has exposed student-athletes to new risks, particularly from agents who prioritize profits over players’ best interests. Universities, despite their vast resources and legal expertise, have yet to establish comprehensive systems to protect their athletes from these pitfalls.
As NIL continues to reshape the landscape of college sports, the calls for reform grow louder. Coaches like Lane Kiffin and advocates across the industry are urging institutions, lawmakers, and governing bodies to implement the “guardrails” that many have long discussed but failed to deliver. For now, the challenge remains balancing the opportunities NIL brings with the protections athletes need to thrive in this new era of college athletics.
