‘One of the greatest sports schools in the country’ | Vol to testify in NCAA lawsuit

“Like any other type of student, student-athletes consider a variety of variables while selecting a school. Some e

xamples include academic prestige and programs, campus setting, proximity to home, program strength and

tradition, coaching staff, style of play, program and campus culture, fan support, opportunity for early playing time,

NFL track record, and post-football career opportunities. During the recruiting process, schools and coaches

emphasize their relative strengths and advantages, particularly in terms of facilities, coaching, championship

opportunities, academic support, team culture, and the level of fan support for their teams. And, like any other

student, I thought about the long-term athletic, economic, and professional consequences of where I wanted to

attend. All

“In early 2022, independent of the University of Tennessee or anyone associated with its athletics program, Spyre

Sports entered into a mutually beneficial contractual relationship with Nico Iamaleava that involved a limited

assignment of his NIL rights, no matter which school he chose to attend. Such “representation agreements” have

become increasingly common. The parties agreed that their contractual rights and obligations would be governed by

California law, which freely allows prospective college athletes to enter into such agreements. The commercial

reasonableness of the agreement between Spyre and Nico was evidenced by a recitation that Spyre anticipated Nico

would eventually be drafted by an NFL team. The agreement also specifically acknowledged the restrictions

prohibiting the use of any school’s or team’s “logo or insignia.” The agreement required Spyre to protect the value of

Nico’s NIL rights and specifically stated that “nothing in the agreement constitutes any form of inducement to

ATHLETE to enroll at any school and/or join any athletic team.” In short, the agreement was fully consistent with

then existing NCAA NIL “guidelines” and had nothing to with recruiting Nico to the University of Tennessee or any

other school. Spyre Sports and the Vol Club currently represent more than 100 college athletes and are proud to have

helped them maximize the value of their legally protected name, image, and likeness.” – Spyre Sports attorney Tom Mars

The NCAA has initiated an inquiry into the University of Tennessee, with the charges centered on the recruitment of

starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Since contesting the charges and upholding the athletic department’s stance,

the institution has issued a statement, stating that they think no one at the school violated any NIL laws. Spyre

Sports, headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, manages the Vol Club, Tennessee’s NIL collective. Spyre Sports’

attorney, Tom Mars, made a statement on Tuesday night.

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