Blake Lawrence - Understanding NIL

Blake Lawrence - Understanding NIL

Season 6 Episode 8

 

Host: Chris Doelle
Co-Host: Tim Prukop
Guest: Blake Lawrence, CEO & Co-Founder, Opendorse

Opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence — a former starting linebacker at Nebraska whose career ended after four concussions — joins Tim Prukop to break down what Texas high school coaches need to understand about name, image, and likeness. From knowing your state's rules to what questions recruits should ask on campus visits, this is a practical primer on the business side of modern college athletics.

Key Takeaways:
 • What Opendorse Is: A technology platform used by 200,000+ athletes and 200+ campuses to manage NIL deals and endorsements. Started in 2012 working with NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL players associations before expanding into college sports. Processes hundreds of millions of dollars to athletes annually.
• Know Your State Rules First: Can your athletes get paid while still in high school? Can they use school logos or facilities? In Texas, athletes can sign NIL deals with their college commitment but generally can't receive funding until they're on campus. Each state differs — study your state athletic association's rules before talking to athletes.
• Two Buckets of High School NIL: Commercial NIL — athletes with a large social following getting paid by brands to promote products (few and far between, small dollars). Collegiate/Collective NIL — donors pooling funds to pay recruits for signing with a program, essentially a salary (this is where the big money is).
• Know Your Number: The biggest rookie mistake is not knowing what a recruit at your position, in your conference, should command in a rev share deal. Opendorse offers a free Market Intel report — request one for any position at any level to benchmark compensation.
• Questions Recruits Must Ask: What's guaranteed vs. potential? One-year or multi-year deal? Is there a buyout? What happens if the coach leaves or the athlete transfers? What additional deals (car, housing, travel credits) can the school's marketing agency secure beyond the base rev share? Schools prefer recruits who don't ask questions — so ask them.
• NIL Agent Red Flags: There is no such thing as a "certified NIL agent." Anyone can claim the title. For commercial deals (brand partnerships), 20% commission is standard. For rev share contracts, 5–10% is the fair range — anything over 10% is a red flag. Watch out for contracts that sign away marketing rights in perpetuity or that extend beyond college eligibility, which some state laws don't even allow.
• Taxes — The #1 Financial Literacy Lesson: All NIL income is 1099 independent contractor income. No taxes are withheld. Athletes must save 30–40% for the IRS. In-kind value (a $2,000/month car lease = $24,000 taxable income) also triggers a 1099. The IRS will be "the first one to win big from NIL" through fines and interest from athletes who didn't know they had to pay.
• Gloria Materre's Story: A former foster child who lost both parents before her teens, lived in a car with her sisters, became a top volleyball player at Oregon, and earned enough through NIL in her first three months to buy her first car. A reminder that these dollars change lives beyond what shows up on SportsCenter.
• The Big Picture: NIL is projected to be a $5 billion industry by the end of the decade. College athletes will earn more than every pro sports league except the NFL and NBA. Love it or hate it, it's here — coaches need to lean in.

Resources:
• Opendorse — main platform
• Opendorse One — agent referral and representation matching
• Opendorse Market Intel — free reports on position-specific NIL compensation by conference and level

Mentioned in this episode:
• Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA)
• University of Nebraska (Lawrence's playing career)
• Bo Pelini, Ndamukong Suh
• Gloria Materre, Oregon Volleyball
• AnSRS (presenting sponsor)

Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA): www.thsca.com

Texas High School Coaches Association

Twitter:

• @THSCAcoaches
• @ChrisDoelle

Limited sponsorship opportunities are available on the show. Contact Chris Doelle at [phone] or email at [e-mail].

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