Long Beach State Athletics!: Re: Xfer Portal & NIL - concentrating on the wrong thing

and that's why I brought up NIL in the future is so important to LB, if Murray had a means to know he could make like an extra 20k or so by playing at long beach (i'm just throwing out a number) in addition to the schollie, then that would weigh on a decision. players will want to know now they can build a brand at a university.

take Callie Schwarzenbach who is coming to LB- she maxed out her brand at Nebraska, so part of the equation is building on that by coming to LB. think about it, a MB at NEbraska has as big a following as the Long Beach athletic department! that's why Fee has some real marketing challenges ahead to take advantage of a new wild west. I think the contract with Tyler was part of that - he's banking on a big brand in volleyball to boost the attraction.

now of course, that can't come from the university itself, but...basically the Tarkanian model of 1970 is now reality, with the attendant 'guidelines' that cover NIL now. and it's Fee's job to make the proper 'hints' and connections and staff/marketing focus to make that transition a reality - it's new rules, sink or swim, but an opportunity - and if LB will need to embrace NIL support.

seriously, a number portion of these xfers (not LB's) are probably being associated with NIL in mind, and that will only increase.

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I still worry a little bit about Murray. Given his size and age, the odds are still stacked against him being drafted. There's been (combined) 4 players drafted below 6'2" the last 2 years, and the whole draft in almost exclusively the domain of guys 20 (or less) years old. That said, When you say "take a flyer" I don't think that exclusively means being drafted. I'll guess the feedback he gets would be at his size and age he likely won't get drafted this year or next, unless he flat out explodes. That said, the feedback might be that he'd definitely get invited to play on a summer roster, with the possibility of getting into a pre season camp / invitation to play on a D League roster (large portion of those players weren't drafted). The question with a guy in his circumstance might be what different lanes are available, and what's the best path for his development. Hopefully that includes us, but if he's got supporters among NBA teams (even if not drafted) I don't discount the fact he could still go that direction....as you said, he's a confident player.

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the xfer portal numbers are somewhat meaningless

yeah, if Murray, Jones, Traore entered it, then I'd expect CDM's resignation tommorow

all 3 are coming back, maybe somebody will take a flyer on Murray, he is a damn good confident player

however, teh xfer portal isn't what it's important going forward for LB athletics

it's NIL, NIL, NIL

if LB wants to keep and attrack impact players in all sorts of sports, it's going to have to have a means to have, say, 4-5 athletes each year where there's some demonstrated path to earn some money and/or market themselves (forget baseball, NIL will be meaningless as the draw for college players and the two opportunities to enter the draft to make money is a totally different thing)

more on those metrics later, but just leave it at Long Beach needs to start considering ways to bump up their social media/marketing metrics and business relationship opportunities for athlete's in Long Beach as well as nationally. efforts to increase the numbers/metrics, things that might seem silly to old farts

attracting a few impact players via the new 'payola' is going to be critical within the next few years, and the good news is that it's doable - there can be advantages for athlete's to go to LB in the future to be that big fish in a smaller but media-savvy pond