I started donating like $25 a month when Pope was hired to 'help'. Obviously it's not a lot - but if this is what my money purchased, I'll use it to go to dinner or something.
Cancelling my NIL contributions
- Thread starter SBKY
- Start date
I’ll tell you a secret. Don’t tell anyone — once the JMI deal was signed, your $25 a month wasn’t actually going to the team anyway. It was going to JMI to recoup money that JMI gave to the school. It’s actually part of why you haven’t heard more about the JMI issues publicly — the administration likely doesn’t want to draw attention to this fact as it would cause people to stop contributing. UK already got their money.
I’m not spending a dime on anything UK until we get a coach that can right the program. I won’t even give the new coach a honeymoon period. He has to come in and immediately make an impact or I won’t support the program until the new coach is successful both in conference and the tournament. No more excuses. No more waiting to see how things turn out. We’ve waited too long for this crap to be figured out.
It is $25 more than I am giving.
Good luck
I'm giving to DISH, so I can watch this s.hit., and after this year, I may have a cheaper DISH bill
It sucks! I could imagine a scenario where someone wins the lottery. They might want to make major contributions to bring in a stud for the basketball program. Yet, there's not really a path to do that now if they aren't a business...is that how you interpret that?
Once Pope got hired I started sticking my finger in my butt and holding it in the air, but ever since JMI got involved and no recruits., NO MORE!
Well, it’s interesting. You’d still be helping UK indirectly. It’s just a little more complicated now. Basically the deal gave UK a big wad of cash and the money is now recoup to JMI. I didn’t understand the legal mumbo jumbo of how it still indirectly helps (because I’m an idiot) but here’s a video that breaks it all down:
OK, so you could still give them a big contribution...but ultimately JMI have the say so on how it was distributed. Basically you could help the NIL budget, but probably wouldn't be able to directly contribute 4 million specifically for the #1 hs player for example. If I win the lottery, this is really going to mess up my plans...lol!
I’m not an attorney, but my understanding is, as of this very moment, if you won the lottery and gave your money to the school, it goes directly to JMI to recoup the on-campus project money that JMI has forked over to the university. If you won the lottery, idk, 5 years from now, where would I go then? I haven’t the slightest clue lol.
Appreciate the information.
Small contributions from working class fans is a suckers bet.
I agree with OP, take the money and do something more useful for yourself.
The one main reason why I don't contribute is the kids really don't appreciate it, they think they are entitled to it.
The players pimp their merchandise online, ask crazy dollar amounts for personal appearances.
I like Reed as a player and really could care less about the whole " t shirt gate" but him putting on the "Reed Sheppard Experience" kinda rubbed me the wrong way.
It's like someone whispered in Reed's ear that there's a sucker born every minute so take as much of the fans money on your way out the door as possible.
I agree with OP, take the money and do something more useful for yourself.
The one main reason why I don't contribute is the kids really don't appreciate it, they think they are entitled to it.
The players pimp their merchandise online, ask crazy dollar amounts for personal appearances.
I like Reed as a player and really could care less about the whole " t shirt gate" but him putting on the "Reed Sheppard Experience" kinda rubbed me the wrong way.
It's like someone whispered in Reed's ear that there's a sucker born every minute so take as much of the fans money on your way out the door as possible.
JMI is a multimedia rights company,
they’re paying $465 million over the next 15 years for the rights to handle and sell a bunch of the university’s sports marketing and sponsorship opportunities. JMI might sell advertising space, sponsorship deals, licensing agreements, naming rights for athletic facilities, radio broadcast rights, and things like that on behalf of UK. They’ll then take a 20% cut of the revenue from those deals. It’s a way for the university to outsource that whole commercial operation to a company that specializes in it. So JMI makes their money from sharing the revenue from those ventures. JMI doesn’t take part of that NIL donations to recoup the money that they pay the school, they take part to recoup the expenses of doing the NIL deal.
Here’s the template, read the contract for yourself and make your own determinations.
Email: [email protected].
Subject: Open Records Request – UK and JMI Sports Contract
Dear Public Records Officer,
Pursuant to the Kentucky Open Records Act (KRS 61.870 to 61.884), I am requesting a copy of the current contract between the University of Kentucky and JMI Sports.
If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me if the cost will exceed [your amount, e.g., $20] before proceeding.
I prefer the document in electronic format if possible. Please send it to [your email address]. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at [your phone number].
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
they’re paying $465 million over the next 15 years for the rights to handle and sell a bunch of the university’s sports marketing and sponsorship opportunities. JMI might sell advertising space, sponsorship deals, licensing agreements, naming rights for athletic facilities, radio broadcast rights, and things like that on behalf of UK. They’ll then take a 20% cut of the revenue from those deals. It’s a way for the university to outsource that whole commercial operation to a company that specializes in it. So JMI makes their money from sharing the revenue from those ventures. JMI doesn’t take part of that NIL donations to recoup the money that they pay the school, they take part to recoup the expenses of doing the NIL deal.
Here’s the template, read the contract for yourself and make your own determinations.
Email: [email protected].
Subject: Open Records Request – UK and JMI Sports Contract
Dear Public Records Officer,
Pursuant to the Kentucky Open Records Act (KRS 61.870 to 61.884), I am requesting a copy of the current contract between the University of Kentucky and JMI Sports.
If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me if the cost will exceed [your amount, e.g., $20] before proceeding.
I prefer the document in electronic format if possible. Please send it to [your email address]. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at [your phone number].
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Yep. That money us going wherever jmi says it goes. Now im sure someone in the school gets to direct traffic which, between that and the weird rev share, is why our women's sports are killing it in recruiting.
Under no circumstances would I give much nil anyway, but I dam sure won't give a penny when I know 1) jmi is in control of where it goes and 2) the big issue with deals that oppose university partners is driven by Mitch. That means he is siphoning nil potential into athletic department coffers.
And for what? So a handful of people keep a cushy do very little job. The athletics department outsources basically everything. Instead of keeping prices down and nil up, Mitch will keep his minions employed.
No thanks to all of it.
I would wager with all the “passionate” fans that post here that ensure we are the best program in the land, less than 1% contribute anything to NIL.
Kentucky basketball consistently draws massive TV ratings, with recent regular season highlights including a December 2025 game against Indiana pulling 2 million viewers on ESPN (their most-watched December game in 5 years) and a December 2016 game against Louisville reaching 2.7 million viewers, marking a season-high on cable that year. Historically, their games rank among the top college basketball broadcasts, often dominating viewership for the most-watched games of the season, showcasing the huge national appeal of the program.
Fan NIL contributions mean little I'm afraid, you want to get the attention, there has to be a grass roots effort to stop watching
Fan NIL contributions mean little I'm afraid, you want to get the attention, there has to be a grass roots effort to stop watching
Agreed. What value is placed on the free education, board and tuition? Some of these clowns are being paid more in one year that most fans make in a lifetime and don't value the education ... AT ALL. NIL is killing college sports and there nothing the average fan can do to stop it. Just turn it off. Anyone who gives anything to NIL is throwing money away, IMO. Take care of family, friends and those in need.