For the sake of avoiding as many conspiracy theories as doable, let’s assume everybody concerned within the newest twist of the UNLV Matthew Sluka story has the very best intentions.
Let’s assume Sluka was erroneously underneath the impression he was promised a six-figure NIL wage to switch from Holy Cross to the desert for the 2024 season. Let’s assume UNLV had no clue it wanted to provide you with the cash and, hell, let’s assume this complete mess blew up regardless of showings of fine religion.
We all know from, effectively, *gestures in any respect of faculty soccer recruiting historical past* this doubtless isn’t the case. However let’s think about for only one second every thing was on the up and up and all this got here all the way down to was the money lacking from Sluka’s pocket.
It nonetheless would really feel completely gross to see a sportsbook making an attempt to pay the quarterback to remain at UNLV.
Name it an apparent Las Vegas story, snicker it off as simply one other absurd second within the Wild West days of NIL in the event you should, however there isn’t a spin the place this advantages anybody in the long term.
Based on Brett McMurphy of Motion Community, Circa Sports activities vice chairman of operations Mike Palm introduced the thought of paying Sluka $100k to remain at UNLV to his boss, Derek Stevens.
Per McMurphy:
“I informed Derek, ‘Why don’t we take a run at it?’” Palm informed Motion Community. “‘The child’s claiming he’s owed $100,000. Are you keen to make a name to UNLV to assist out?’”
Stevens informed Palm to contact the varsity for extra info. Palm mentioned Stevens and Circa Resort and On line casino in Las Vegas have been ready to supply Sluka a considerable NIL deal earlier than studying he was not with the workforce.
“Mr. Stevens was keen to assist the college get there,” Palm mentioned. “100 thousand {dollars} is a small worth to maintain UNLV’s School Soccer Playoff hopes alive.”
The NCAA prohibits gamers from accepting sports activities gaming or on line casino NIL offers. Nevertheless, Palm mentioned there have been a number of non-gaming choices at Circa Resort and On line casino, resembling Saginaw’s Delicatessen or Legacy Membership.
“He might have even been a lifeguard at Stadium Swim,” Palm mentioned, referring to the resort’s epic six-pool, two-spa amphitheater with a large 143-foot display.
It’s certainly not one of the best signal if you need to preface an NIL supply with the way you’ll get round clear NCAA laws.
Even in a situation the place Stevens and Palm are attempting to assist out the faculty soccer workforce throughout city underneath one of the best of intentions, they hopefully understood affect it will have on a sport the place notion is usually thought of actuality — to say nothing of the Pandora’s field it will open.
If you see Circa Sports activities, you suppose playing. If you see Stadium Swim, you suppose playing by the pool. For as a lot as American sports activities have embraced playing, asking the beginning QB within the playing capital of the nation to work for the trade blurs the strains past recognition.
Nobody is suggesting Stevens and Palm would dare try and affect the end result of any UNLV video games, however you don’t need to look arduous on-line after any sporting occasion to see baseless claims that the end result was rigged by oddsmakers. You’ll be able to look even much less and discover copious situations of school athletes going through abuse from offended bettors on social media.
It’s a part of why some states are actually scaling again the power to wager on school athletes.
Thankfully, you don’t have to fret about Circa signing Sluka to a deal. Based on McMurphy, “a UNLV official informed Palm that Sluka was not with this system and ‘we gained’t be doing enterprise with the Sluka household once more.’”
Circa ought to contemplate this a stroke of fine luck. The worlds of playing and NIL are already too convoluted and sketchy on their very own. We don’t want to mix them weeks after Notre Dame suspended a complete Division I swimming roster for allegedly betting amongst themselves on the efficiency of their teammates.
Even when Circa was capable of get round each NCAA regulation to make an NIL deal work, it nonetheless couldn’t keep away from the odor emanating from such an settlement until it stopped taking bets on UNLV, the Mountain West and most school soccer futures.
Palm admitted to McMurphy he already took UNLV rival Boise State to make the School Soccer Playoff at +460.
Good odds, to make sure. However the chances are high considerably shorter of somebody blaming Circa and Sluka of working in cahoots to assist Palm win his wager.
The Sluka-UNLV state of affairs as an absolute mess. Including playing to the combination would solely make issues worse.
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