Drew Brees joins alliance that will offer NIL deals to student-athletes 

Purdue's Super Bowl-winning alumni Drew Brees has officially joined the Boilermaker Alliance, the organization announced this week. The former New Orleans Saints quarterback joins as the newest member of the organization's executive board.

According to their website, Boilermaker Alliance is a non-profit organization tailored towards helping student-athletes at Purdue University. They specialize in aiding students with name, image and likeness (NIL) matters to help them "make a difference through charitable giving."

The university is currently catering to 385 student athletes. The organization was founded earlier this year and plans to raise $6 million every year to contribute to athletes’ NIL earnings.

At a press conference on Thursday, Brees announced his appointment to the board:

"I can't tell you how much I love being a Boilermaker. I have so much pride in that. I can tell you it was the last place I ever thought I would end up, if you would ask the 18-year-old kid from Austin, Texas, back in 1997 where he would end up."

He continued:

"But it was by far the greatest thing that ever happened to me, was having the chance to come here and be a part of this great university, to be a part of our athletic program, but more importantly, to be a part of this community - the Purdue community and the Purdue network."

The Boilermaker Alliance will essentially compensate athletes under the NIL rules through any donations it receives.

Jeff McKean, CEO and President of the organization, said that the organization will not solely focus on major revenue-generating sports at Purdue, instead including athletes from all sports to stand out from similar initiatives.

What is a NIL deal?

As mentioned above, NIL stands for name, image and likeness. It's a deal that, as per the NCAA v. Alston case, allows NCAA athletes to monetize their name, image, and likenesses. The landmark ruling from the Supreme Court now legally allows student-athletes to sign endorsement deals and obtain sponsorships.

This has been a controversial issue for many of the sport's top coaches and former athletes. Many are concerned about the potential problems that could stem from giving young athletes large amounts of money. However, it seems that putting in safeguards such as financial and budgeting education could prevent future problems. This seems preferable to denying athletes financial rewards for their work due to perceived immaturity or problems that might never manifest.

There is also some concern that some colleges will have an advantage in recruitment compared to others. This could spell disaster for some proud footballing universities, as they can't provide the same financial benefits as some of the others.

Drew Brees in the NIL space

Drew Brees - Washington Redskins v New Orleans Saints

This, however, isn't Drew Brees' first foray into the NIL space. In August last year, the Saints icon awarded Purdue softball star Emilee Cox with a NIL deal, courtesy of Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux.

Brees is very enthusiastic about his new role and will doubtless be a great success.

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