Report: UC Adds On-Campus NIL General Manager Position

Things are getting more structure concerning NIL as we head into Year Two.

© Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats athletic department took another step up in the NIL field this week. Altius Sports Partners announced they signed deals with Cincinnati, LSU, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, and Virginia to be a part of their "GM" program.

"Each of those schools is expected to open football season with an Altius general manager on campus who will have the benefit of being plugged in to the national landscape, rather than a school official who has the perspective of just one institution. That includes the ability to connect athletes with brands," Sports Business Journal's Michael Smith wrote about the partnership.

This deal is the next step for UC to establish itself as a beacon for NIL deals and make sure no student or prominent program gets left behind in the space.

“One of the things we’ve heard time and time again is that schools want to be more involved, especially when it comes to educating and protecting their athletes,” Altius’ CEO and founding partner Casey Schwab said to SBJ. “They’re in a much different place than they were a year ago when it comes to NIL. This is the evolution of the space and the evolution of schools deciding that they needed to get more involved.”

All in all, this move means Cincinnati will now have a defined administrative position filled by an on-campus NIL expert that can help athletes find deals—while also keeping a pulse on the national movement Altius is pursuing.

"We, as an athletic department, embraced Name, Image and Likeness last year and our student-athletes benefittedsignificantly from our IMPACT program," UC Director of Athletics John Cunningham said in a press release. "We will continue to invest in NIL resources to educate and assist our student-athletes, and maximize their earning potential. Our new partnerships with Altius and INFLCR will set our teams up for success and keep Cincinnati as a leader in the NIL space." 

UPDATE: John Peterson will work alongside the Bearcats "GM" as Director of NIL & High School Relations. He holds over 30 years of experience coaching and mentoring at schools like Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Youngstown State, Miami (Ohio) and Cincinnati.

"I'm thrilled to join the University of Cincinnati," Peterson said in press release. "College athletics is going through a generational change. UC is building the foundation to support and educate the current and future Bearcats."

The school has not announced who is filling the "GM" role.

NIL is still the wild west, but things are getting structured a little bit more in Year Two.

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