Syracuse went into this summer with a white-hot football team after going 10-3 and winning the Holiday Bowl, a revamped basketball roster featuring a mix of star incoming freshman and top transfers from the portal, and a lacrosse team that made the Final Four for the first time since 2013. Instead of resting on their laurels, Syracuse worked hard this summer to fix a clear hole that was preventing success in today’s college sports: They had to get stronger in terms of NIL.
On July 1st, when a court settlement allowed a $20.5 million yearly allowance for schools to directly pay athletes, Athletic Director John Wildhack quickly announced his intention to spend right up to the cap every year. This strong proclamation was followed by the initial work to streamline Syracuse’s multiple NIL collectives into a stronger, singular body. While this is an ongoing process that will take time to fully sort out, Orange fans want to see proactive moves to maximize NIL potential. The main Syracuse NIL collective, Orange United, introduced a more cost-friendly membership plan for Syracuse students to be able to support their teams.
After getting the financial backing from the university, the individual teams did their part. Syracuse football made headlines by getting commitments from top targets such as 2026 athlete Ibn Muhammad and 2026 cornerback Chase Geter. The Orange staff went on the recruiting trail and simply picked up the players they wanted; they were never forced to settle for less.
These recruiting wins all had a ripple effect. Syracuse was beginning to gain legitimate national attention, both for their recruiting work and also the amazing culture that Head Coach Fran Brown has built. All of this hype and positive momentum solidified itself into truth with 2026 five star wide receiver Calvin Russell III committing to the Orange over a global football brand in Michigan. The commitment itself is a colossal gain; Russell’s commitment makes a statement that Syracuse is a powerhouse program with the fans and alumni base able to support it.
Syracuse basketball recently hosted a SummerSlam event, inviting alumni and donors to a night featuring meet-and-greets with the team, a dunk contest, and a three point contest. This event is another example of proactive work to increase NIL support; by drumming up engagement, the funds will take care of themselves. These small wins in the NIL game stack up.
Yesterday’s data from The NIL Store, a company that manages and sells NIL player merchandise for over 115 Division 1 colleges, listed Syracuse as the 7th-best selling school for the month of June. That’s right: Syracuse landed higher than schools such as LSU, Florida, and Ohio State. The fans and the students are holding up their end of the bargain by supporting their favorite athletes. Freshman forward Kiyan Anthony, the son of Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony and top player in New York for the 2025 recruiting class, was the 6th highest selling athlete. Transfer quarterback Steve Angeli also made this list as the 9th best seller. Goaltender James “Jimmy” McCool, transfer big man William Kyle III, and transfer sharpshooter Nate Kingz finished the list of June’s highest selling Orangemen. This is extremely encouraging data for a growing NIL powerhouse.
Like other schools, Syracuse has begun to employ general managers to handle NIL operations in addition to recruiting and transfer portal work. Coach Alex Kline (Basketball GM), and Coach Tommy Caporale (Football GM), have stacked up NIL wins in just one calendar year. With the start of college sports just eight weeks away, Syracuse fans should be extremely excited about the school’s dedication and commitment to building winning programs.
