Below are the top NIL headlines from Wednesday, March 12th:

March Madness and the Sweet Taste of NIL: Mondelēz's Star-Studded Campaign

March Madness isn't just about buzzer-beaters and bracket busters anymore; it's also a prime stage for athletes to shine in the NIL arena. This year, Mondelēz International, a major player in the snack world, has launched a comprehensive campaign, "drafting" a roster of top college basketball stars to promote their iconic brands.

A Lineup of Stars

The campaign features a diverse and dynamic group of athletes, each representing a different Mondelēz brand. Arizona's Caleb Love, partnered with RITZ, Oregon's Jackson Shelstad, repping Chips Ahoy!, the lineup is designed to capture the excitement and energy of the tournament. The roster also includes standout players like LSU's Flau'jae Johnson, South Carolina's Chloe Kitts, North Carolina's RJ Davis, Miami’s Jalil Bethea, Florida Gulf Coast’s Brandon Dwyer, and WNBA star Breanna Stewart. 

Caleb Love: From Court to Commercial

Caleb Love's partnership with RITZ is a perfect example of how NIL deals can align with an athlete's personal brand. With a substantial social media following, including 310,000 on Instagram, Love has the platform to effectively promote the RITZ brand. "I’m excited for it," Love shared. "I’m excited for partnering with RITZ, specifically RITZ toasted chips. RITZ has always been one of my go-to snacks." 

Love’s journey from North Carolina to Arizona has been marked by both on-court success and off-court business acumen. Repped by Priority Sports, he's built an impressive NIL portfolio, including deals with Powerade and The NIL Store. His re-upping with the UA-focused collective Arizona Assist to release new merchandise, featuring a newly announced jersey number, shows his ability to capitalize on his changing career. 

Jackson Shelstad's First Commercial Experience

For Jackson Shelstad, the Mondelēz campaign marks his first foray into television commercials. Partnered with Chips Ahoy!, Shelstad found himself on set in Los Angeles, filming a 30-second spot alongside JuJu Watkins and professional actors. "It was my first commercial," Shelstad told On3. "But just learning from everyone that was there on set, it was a great experience."

Shelstad's partnership with Mondelēz is the latest addition to his growing NIL portfolio, which also includes a deal with Settlemier's Jackets. The opportunity to star in a commercial during March Madness, when college basketball is in the spotlight, made the deal even more significant. 

Mondelēz's Strategic Approach

Mondelēz's campaign isn't just about slapping a logo on a jersey. It's a strategic effort to connect with consumers on a personal level, leveraging the popularity and relatability of college athletes. By partnering with these stars, Mondelēz is tapping into the passion and excitement of March Madness, creating a memorable and engaging experience for fans. Mondelēz's approach highlights the power of NIL in creating mutually beneficial partnerships between brands and athletes, adding a new dimension to the March Madness experience.

A New Era: Power Conferences Take Control of Athlete Compensation

Power conference administrators are creating a new entity to govern the professionalized aspects of college athletics, marking a historic moment. This new structure will significantly impact how athletes are compensated, especially concerning NIL deals and revenue sharing.

The Birth of a New Governing Body

A "transition team," comprised of athletic directors from the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12, is working to establish a new LLC to oversee athlete compensation for all of NCAA Division I. This entity will operate alongside the NCAA, focusing on enforcing a new salary cap system and revenue-sharing policies. Essentially, the power conferences are taking control, moving away from the NCAA's traditional enforcement model.

Key Features of the New System

The new structure will feature a three-pronged approach:

• Cap Management System: Software, similar to the NBA's contract management system, will be used to enforce the new salary cap.
• NIL Clearinghouse: Operated by Deloitte, this will determine the fair market value of NIL deals. Deals involving boosters or school-affiliated entities will face stricter scrutiny.
• Investigative and Infractions Unit: This unit will police violations of the revenue-sharing system, including exceeding the cap or tampering.

NIL's Role in the New Landscape

The NIL clearinghouse is a critical component of this new system. It aims to ensure that NIL deals are legitimate and reflect fair market value. This is particularly important as schools and collectives explore ways to maximize athlete compensation. Any NIL deals found to be below fair market value risk the athlete's eligibility.

Revenue Sharing and Its Challenges

The new system allows schools to share revenue with athletes under a capped system. The cap is projected to be $20.5 million in the first year,   have the power to enforce rules and impose penalties. These penalties could include school fines, revenue-share pool reductions, and coach/administrator suspensions. Athletes with NIL deals below fair market value could be ruled ineligible. An arbitration system will be in place for athletes to appeal these decisions.

NIL and Title IX: A Battle Over Fairness

There has been a big argument about how NIL deals should be handled in college sports. Essentially, NIL allows college athletes to get paid for things like endorsements. The question is: does Title IX, a law ensuring gender equality in education, apply to these payments?

The Trump administration, through the Department of Education, said Title IX doesn't cover NIL. They argued that the law doesn't say anything about how money should be divided among athletes. This means, in their view, schools don't have to worry about equal pay for male and female athletes when it comes to NIL.

But, three former officials from the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) strongly disagree. They wrote a letter saying the Trump administration's stance is wrong. These officials, who helped create and enforce Title IX, believe the law definitely applies to athlete compensation.

Valerie Bonnette, one of the former officials, said the OCR's policy has always been clear: money, including direct payments to athletes, must be handled fairly. She argued that ignoring this would lead to discrimination, where the richest people or companies could unfairly influence sports. This is a crucial point, as it speaks to the fundamental goal of Title IX.

The officials pointed to historical documents to back up their claims. For example, a 1975 memo from the OCR stated that all funding, regardless of where it comes from (like ticket sales or donations), falls under Title IX. This shows that the law was always meant to ensure fairness across all aspects of college sports. 

This debate is important because it impacts how female athletes are treated. If Title IX doesn't apply to NIL, women could miss out on significant financial opportunities. This could widen the gap between men's and women's sports.

This issue will likely be a major topic in upcoming court cases. One case, House v. NCAA, will have a hearing where lawyers representing female athletes will argue that a proposed settlement is unfair. Another lawsuit, against the University of Oregon, is the first to directly challenge NIL's gender equity under Title IX. This case could set a precedent for future disputes.

Ultimately, this fight is about ensuring that female athletes have the same opportunities as male athletes. The outcome of these legal battles will shape the future of college sports and the enforcement of gender equity in the world of NIL.