Former Colorado Football special teams coordinator Trevor Reilly has come out with details about lobbying Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) while in the Middle East. Since college football players were allowed to be paid for their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), programs have been battling to fundraise to recruit top players.
Reilly told Sports Illustrated: “The arrangement was that, because I did all the NIL work at Jackson and got us through, you guys would pay me a modest salary and make me the Special Teams Coordinator, which should have freed up time for me to handle NIL activities.” Head Coach of Colorado football, Deion Sanders, was previously head coach of Jackson State University.
He spoke about the trip to the Middle East, saying, “I even went to Saudi Arabia and got a meeting with the Saudis, who were interested in pursuing business. I have email receipts to prove it, and you guys let it fall flat on its face.”
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A partnership with Saudi Arabia’s PIF would have been worrying news to other football programs. Being worth nearly one trillion dollars, the PIF is more than capable of giving Colorado football a significant competitive advantage. The PIF is no stranger to American sports, having started LIV golf in 2022, a rival to the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA).
Sports commentator Rich Eisen echoed concerns voiced by many golf fans, saying: “This is Saudi Arabia buying the PGA Tour…How it comes across can be expressed in two words. It stinks. It stinks to high heaven, that’s five words…”
The NCAA officially allowed for players to receive money in June of 2021, substantially changing the dynamics of college football recruiting. For the 2024-2025 year, total NIL is projected to be worth around $1.67 billion.
Shadeur Sanders, starting quarterback for Colorado and son of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, leads college players in NIL income at $4.7 million. Arch Manning, nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning and quarterback at Texas, pulls in around $3.1 million. While notable names make larger sums, NIL money is widespread in college football.
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