National Analysts React To BYU Football’s Groundbreaking NIL Deal

PROVO, Utah – BYU football drew the attention of the college football world on Thursday with their groundbreaking NIL deal. Built Bar is going to endorse the entire BYU football team, and they will be covering the tuition costs for 36 walk-on players.

Here's your eyeball emojis. #BYU lands groundbreaking team-wide endorsement with Built Bar.#BYUFootball @kslsports https://t.co/kO2pmXpb31

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 12, 2021

In essence, no player within BYU’s football program will be paying for their tuition anymore.

It’s a one-of-a-kind deal that drew the attention of around the nation.

BYU football generated a lot of reactions with their team-wide NIL deal

Here are some of the notable reactions to BYU’s NIL deal with Built Bar.

THIS is INCREDIBLE!!!
Watch this video!!! https://t.co/S95s3YaYJn

— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) August 12, 2021

Very, very cool: all 36 @BYUfootball walk-ons have entered into agreements w/Built Brands, manufacturer of a healthy protein bar, & will receive a payment equivalent to cost of tuitionpic.twitter.com/iXOh591ivE

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 12, 2021

Someone asked us on The Audible this week if a company might use NIL to pay a team’s walk ons, and we said, no, that’s completely unrealistic.

… Well, a local protein bar company is doing just that at BYU. https://t.co/SVMFRl1Jqz

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) August 12, 2021

Tuition covered for all 36 #BYU walk-ons from agreements with Built Brands protein bar company. Fun scene in Provo. https://t.co/2hxsgIKf6e

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) August 12, 2021

What just happened at @BYU is going to transform #CFB more than anything else #NIL could possibly do. The rich just got richer and nobody thought this through…

— Tom Luginbill 🇺🇸 (@TomLuginbill) August 12, 2021

Wow. This is a really meaningful deal. https://t.co/dpggBe2Q6r

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 12, 2021

But but NIL is going to ruin college sports! 🤦🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/h59XjOvPD3

— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) August 12, 2021

Now this is one heckuva of an idea https://t.co/bYkxG17pzo

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) August 12, 2021

It would be cool if more NIL deals may for walk on tuition. But I can’t imagine there are many FBS schools with cheaper tuition than BYU. If you’re going to pilot this kind of program, that seems like a good place to do it, no?

— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) August 12, 2021

Built Bar is paying the tuition of all 36 @BYUfootball walk-ons

Incredible 🙏

pic.twitter.com/zCeOt2BLvt

— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 12, 2021

This is tremendous. Awesome idea. What a moment. https://t.co/s1DQIIzryR

— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) August 12, 2021

Today, two companies – Built and Walk-On’s restaurant – have announced deals providing NIL opportunities for walk-on players.

Something that so many thought would ruin college sports is already bringing positive change. https://t.co/Mk47hKaY9F

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 12, 2021

These become de facto scholarships for BYU.

Pretty soon, 85 is going to be just a number. https://t.co/zttXTfvBCc

— Sam McKewon (@swmckewonOWH) August 12, 2021

Wow look at the terrible impact this has on the game I don’t even recognize the sport anymore https://t.co/3hT3bsTgml

— Steven Godfrey (@38Godfrey) August 12, 2021

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.