For decades, the National Collegiate Athletic Association maintained that athletes should be allowed to receive scholarships and stipends, but not much else. However, Iowa players may soon be able to profit from their names, images and likenesses.
On this episode of River to River, host Ben Kieffer talks with three reporters who are covering the topic closely.
"A lot of it is going to come down to the athlete's own individual brand on their own social platforms," said Hawkeye reporter Kennington Lloyd Smith III of Hawk Central. "You can be a three-star recruit or a five-star recruit and have 100,000 followers on Tik Tok. Well, it really wouldn't matter if you went to Alabama or if you went to Iowa because your social engagement is so strong that you might have more earning potential than somebody at Alabama who may be a big-time recruit but doesn't have the same social following that you do."
"Iowa is the professional team of this state, right? Because Iowa doesn't have a pro team," said Leah Vann of the Gazette. "When we talked to the players, none of them are going to be against making more money, right? Or making money, period."
Guests:
- Kennington Lloyd Smith III, Hawkeye reporter for Hawk Central and Des Moines Register
- Leah Vann, Hawkeye reporter for The Gazette
- David Eickholt, reporter for Hawkeye Insider (247 Sports)
