Nico Iamaleava just dropped a massive stone into the world of college football, and the full ramifications are unlikely to be felt for quite some time.
Earlier this week, reports began to drop that the starting quarterback at Tennessee was seeking an increase to his NIL package in Knoxville. On Saturday morning, the Vols made their move with head coach Josh Heupel reportedly telling his team that the program was letting Iamaleava walk.
As a result, Iamaleava is expected to finalize the process of entering the transfer portal when things open for the spring window next week. If that happens as expected, it will just about bring the closing chapter to the first major, public holdout in college football.
So, where does the sport go from here? It’s unclear with the current era still evolving, but prominent NIL expert and sports attorney Darren Heitner has some ideas.
According to Heitner, this entire saga could be avoided if programs got behind the idea of a collective bargaining agreement that acknowledged athletes as employees of the university. During the reign of the NCAA, schools have fought such a system, but Heitner believes it is the one thing that could make it tougher for situations like the one involving Iamaleava.
Under a bargaining agreement, schools could bargain for the power to fine players who do not report, similar to NFL players receiving fines for holding out during contract disputes. Such a CBA could also further enable schools to limit how and when a player is eligible to transfer and other items.
Heitner concluded by saying it “boggles my mind” that programs have fought such a system.
A union would likely negotiate on behalf of the players and also serve as a body to license the agents who seek to represent those players, enforcing regulations to ensure agent are acting responsibly and professionally. This is a concern many have expressed in the #NIL industry.
— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) April 12, 2025So, what will come of the latest evolution of college athletics? We’ll find out down the road, but it is entirely possible the Iamaleava holdout and transfer begins to change the perception of a CBA in college football.
NIL expert suggests ways to prevent Nico Iamaleava situation from happening again Saturday Down South.
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