PHOENIX (AP) — Sponsorship deals weren’t on Jonny Bottorff’s mind when he transferred to Northern Arizona University. football scholarship. While money-making opportunities for college athletes have skyrocketed since then, one offensive lineman earned several hundred dollars doing so. name, image and likeness He made deals but nothing changed his life.

Bottorff, 23, earned a bachelor’s degree and is currently working on a master’s degree at a Division I school in Flagstaff, Arizona. He transferred from Missouri Western State University, a small Division II school in Saint Joseph, Missouri.

“I think the reality for most college athletes is that things haven’t changed all that much. “There’s probably some extra cash in our pockets that needs to happen,” Bottorff said.

For some players, the money from NIL deals has changed what it means to be a college athlete. But aside from the most high-profile athletes, who can earn millions of dollars while still in school, many players say a college degree is the ultimate prize.

College athletes graduate at rates comparable to, and often higher than, non-athletes. For Division I schools, the NCAA reported data showing a record last year 91 percent of athletes graduate.

Before the Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that U.S.-born athletes could make money from advertising, signings and college incentives, college athletes were under a simple agreement with their institutions: to compete in exchange for a degree.

Money received through NIL deals changed the equation for athletes like the Washington Commanders quarterback jayden daniels and Chicago Sky forward Angel ReeseLeveraging his personal brands while he was still in college, he secured endorsement deals with brands such as Reebok, Powerade and Beats by Dre.

Priority rates for academics vary for each individual. But some Division I athletes said in interviews that the money available to them through the NIL was a minor consideration compared to earning a degree and competing in the sport they love.

Anthony Leal, guard Indiana University basketball teamAlthough he received his bachelor’s degree last year, he said he will be returning to the 5th grade as a senior due to school reasons. He said pursuing a master’s degree in business administration was always the goal.

“I have completed about 70% of the program at the Kelley School of Business,” he said. “I wanted to get this diploma.”

NCAA eligibility rules allow athletes to compete athletically for four seasons over five years. Under the redshirt eligibility rule, many individuals receive athletic scholarships and practice during their freshman year, but do not compete in games or matches. The NCAA also allowed athletes to extend their eligibility by one year if their team was affected by the pandemic.

For some athletes, NIL money is an incentive to go to and stay in college, but Leal said it’s not often that athletes become completely disinterested in school.

“Every student knows at some level that they have to be a piece of the puzzle. So everyone kind of understands the value of the school,” Leal said. “But yes, of course some people may have other goals. There are a lot of people, maybe not in Indiana but in college basketball, who don’t care because you have the NIL (money) and the transfer portal.”

The transfer portal has become a plug-and-play method for rebuilding both powerhouses and programs. This made it easier for athletes to change colleges and play the next season, rather than waiting a year under previous rules. And it has become a way for top athletes to shop for more lucrative opportunities. UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka, especially walked away The team had a disagreement about something He was promised a $100,000 NIL payment, his manager said but I never paid.

According to a forecast by NIL platform Opendorse, the NIL market is expected to reach $1.67 billion in the 2024-2025 school year. The highest earnings go to the top men’s basketball and football players.

Although the NCAA now allows players to transfer without waiting, the academic transition can be more complicated.

Ray Harrison started at Presbyterian College in 2020 but transferred in 2022. Grand Canyon UniversityIt is a private Christian university located in Phoenix and he serves as a senior guard on the basketball team. He said NIL money was not a factor. It was about finding what was a better fit for him.

“I just came out here because this is where God led my heart. Of course, we won two (conference) championships and that changes things,” he said. But it wasn’t a smooth transition; a lot of his course credits were not transferred. “I had some catching up to do when I got here.”

Another student who transferred to Grand Canyon, Trinity San Antonio, previously attended California Baptist, a private university in Riverside, California. Finding a school that would accept most of the college credits he had previously earned was more difficult than he expected.

“It’s not ideal to be a freshman when you’re actually a junior,” said San Antonio, who played basketball in Puerto Rico at the Paris Olympics last summer.

Getting a university education continues to be the dream of many young athletes.

Tavarius Covington, a wide receiver on his high school football team in Chicago, has ambitions of playing in college. But he said his priority was school. He hopes to get a business degree.

Covington took a break from football but returned to it last year, which he said he hoped would help him become the first in his family to go to college and earn a degree.

“I was watching my little brother play. We were going to his games and the family was excited for him. “This made me interested in the game again,” he said. “Part of that is hopefully trying to build a foundation for him as a first-generation college student as well. I want him to know that there is a lot to look forward to coming out of high school.

Marot reported from Indianapolis.

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