Can we, within the boundaries of Michigan law and U of M / NCAA policy, get money to Ronnie Bell?
I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. I'm also a person who missed two seasons of football due to an injury, which spiraled me in to a depression and made my life miserable in a bunch of other ways. I want to help Ronnie Bell, because what happened to him is soul crushing, albeit a risk to the game. So I'd like to find a way to get him cash without violating federal law, Michigan law, University of Michigan or U of M athletics policies, or NCAA regulations. Let's put our heads together to figure out how.
For a start, read the State of Michigan NIL law, keeping in mind that it's not effective until 2022. That's available here.
Next, read the University of Michigan Athletic Department's policy on this subject. That's available here.
Based on the two above documents, here's how I think we could structure some method of getting group-sourced financial contributions to Ronnie:
- The NIL law doesn't seem to impose very many restrictions. So I've mostly ignored that.
- Michigan's policy looks like we need to get a little more specific. One sticky restriction: "[S]tudent-athletes may not receive compensation which is conditioned or contingent on enrolling at, or continuing enrollment at any specific collegiate institution, or on any specific athletic performance or achievement." Although it's a bit of a stretch to refer to receiving an injury as a "performance" or "achievement," I think this means we might have trouble providing a straight dump of cash attributable to the injury. Then again, "conditioned or contingent" appears to anticipate some sort of quid-pro-quo system - and there ain't no quid because we didn't set up this fund prior to the injury. Thoughts from the crowd are appreciated, but overall I think we have to give the money for something reasonable in exchange.
With that being said, what about this:
- A partner organization, like MGoBlog or perhaps one of its sponsors (Peak Wealth Management?) sets up a Kickstarter. It should be somebody trusted so that 100% of the proceeds go directly to Ronnie and it doesn't turn into a Steve Bannon-style scam.
- Members of the Michigan fandom community donate to it.
- The host of the Kickstarter, upon the donation period's closing, approaches Bell or Bell's representative and offers to trade the balance of the account for an advertisement or likeness video, maybe even something very simple thanking the fan community.
- We reduce that to a contract/agreement, and give Bell the 7-day period to clear it through the athletics department.
- Pending approval, the money is exchanged for the advertisement or likeness video.
Thoughts?
September 8th, 2021 at 2:28 PM ^
Offer him x amount of dollars for his autograph. I don't think it needs to be more complicated than that.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:39 PM ^
Occam's Razor.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:39 PM ^
He gets money from sales of Ronnie Bell jerseys at M-Den right?
September 8th, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
I think only $10 per jersey
September 8th, 2021 at 3:03 PM ^
Just confirmed with MDen that Ronnie Bell is signed up to get proceeds from jerseys in his name. Just ordered one. LFG people
September 8th, 2021 at 6:26 PM ^
At $10 a pop that's not really going to help accomplish the goal of this thread.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:40 PM ^
I've been waiting for someone to organize something like this. I'm in. A simple thank you video would be great.
As for autographs, that would mean each person paying at least a certain amount to reach that threshold. If someone wants to contribute $4 that's not really gonna get an autograph so who takes that $4 and gives it to him?
September 8th, 2021 at 2:40 PM ^
If anyone is in the printing game could just make some cheap Ronnie Bell memorabilia to spread around and pay him for his likeness.
September 8th, 2021 at 5:20 PM ^
https://twitter.com/DC4LCustomTees/status/1435081692914454534
This guy created a very cool Ronnie Bell t-shirt and Bell is getting 50% of the profits. As good an option as any.
September 8th, 2021 at 5:22 PM ^
http://www.dc4lcustomtees.com/product/gb8/
You can buy it directly here.
September 9th, 2021 at 8:59 PM ^
I just ordered one-does that make me a bagman now?
September 8th, 2021 at 2:51 PM ^
I just saw some guy/company is going to pay each MSU football and basketball player $500 per month. I’m sure you can think of some “Ronnie Bell Sponsor” program and pay him whatever you want!
September 8th, 2021 at 3:29 PM ^
Yep, Sparty having no problem lining up "sponsors" willing to pay athletes. Just wait til the Dan Gilbert money starts flowing to their athletes. I'll probably need to change mortgage companies from being guilty by proxy.
Time for us to get serious about this shit.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:37 PM ^
Ronnie Taco Bell. Solved.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:52 PM ^
Apparently he is getting 50/50 split of the profits from this t-shirt
He asked, we delivered! ??
— DC4LCustomTees.com (@DC4LCustomTees) September 7, 2021
When @SportsJimShow asked for this @Ronnieb_8 we had no idea it would blow up the way it did, after speaking with him we are happy to offer it to all #GoBlue fans!
Get yours here: https://t.co/U31FCMKiFK pic.twitter.com/FoP5R1MRml
September 8th, 2021 at 2:55 PM ^
I like the spirit, but 50% of Profit <<< 100% of Revenues, which is what is proposed above.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:06 PM ^
That shirt is so cool! But yes, this. I don’t deserve profits from his misfortune.
September 8th, 2021 at 5:25 PM ^
Sure - but just cutting a kid a check isn't that easy. If you know a way to do that (legally), then go ahead. For those of us who don't, buying a t-shirt that probably puts $5 into his pocket for each one that sells, is more palatable for most fans.
Either way - having a few options is good.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:53 PM ^
it's a good idea. I would contribute.
As far as the quid pro quo, why not pay him to tweet or IG or whatever a short video on what M football means to him.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:16 PM ^
I agree, I am good with this, but also like the idea of one of the M-Go-Blog sponsors (or even the blog itself) doing exactly what the OP stated. Then Ronnie gets 100% of the proceeds and the sponsor or blog gets a little free advertising. Everyone wins! I would chip in for that.
Ronnie Bell: "When I want the best analysis of my awesome one-handed grabs (that get robbed by poor officiating) and really all things Michigan sport related, I turn to the M-GO-BLOG!"
September 8th, 2021 at 2:59 PM ^
1. Start a Kickstarter
2. Collect money
3. DM Ronnie on Twitter and offer to pay him that amount of money in exchange for a Cameo message
4. Give him a script to say "Stop having John O'neil officiate Michigan football games" in front of a camera
5. Give him Kickstarter money
I dont think any of that is illegal
September 8th, 2021 at 3:00 PM ^
What is his Venmo? Set to "private".
Done.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:01 PM ^
First, just to be "that guy," his injury is a risk OF the game, not TO the game. They're not going to stop football because another guy got his knee blown out.
But to the point, your premise, based on personal experience, is that a season-ending injury is "soul crushing," but money will make it better. Maybe just write him a letter, offering emotional support.
I wonder what is more soul crushing, a physical injury or all the people who piled on him after he dropped that pass against Penn State.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:06 PM ^
You’re right re: of/to. Mistyped and didn’t want to revisit to edit.
As for your second point, I don’t get it. We regularly as a society give money to people who suffer misfortune. And he lost money here. His injury resulted, I have little doubt, in long-term earnings loss.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:20 PM ^
At the very least it delayed his ability to earn a pro salary by a year which is pretty significant
September 8th, 2021 at 3:04 PM ^
Not sure how a kickstarter would make sense for your specific idea. KS is intended to fund a product of some sort and reward the participants/investors. We would get... warm fuzzies?
What might work is the autograph idea - each person at the $50 level gets a 3x5 picture autographed, 4x6 for $75, $150 for a letter size, and $250 for a poster - or something like that. Or maybe one of them snazzy shirts with an autograph. It's still not a start-up, but it could work within the constraints laid out by KS.
Then again, why wouldn't a student-athlete just do this him/herself? Man, that's actually not a bad idea. He could do a KS for the art on his t-shirt - put it on other things, sign it, and Kickstart it.
A GoFundMe seems to make more sense in terms of how you're structuring the idea.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:06 PM ^
I will definitely donate to this if a legitimate organization (like Mgoblog) sets this up.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:11 PM ^
I like how so many people on this blog think the answer is always money. It SUCKS that Bell got injured. Hopefully, he’ll fight his way back and be even better than before (i.e. Hutchinson, Chris).
Hard work ahead. Keeping involved with the team all the way. Throwing money at him doesn’t help him. It’s called adversity.
September 8th, 2021 at 5:35 PM ^
C'mon man. He was looking like a potential decent draft pick and now he's gotta rehab and come back and prove himself next year. Unless he's already independently wealthy, of course some extra money will help.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:28 PM ^
Not a lawyer and barely skimmed through the post.
That being said, if he has to “do” something for the NIL money, have him sign a jersey at a private event (ie. him and the person who is funneling the funds to him) to be auctioned off for charity. The business then lists it as a business expense, a charity gets a donation, and Ronnie collects his payday.
Seems like that should work, but I don’t know anything and don’t care to research it’s legality.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:40 PM ^
Mgoblog donations to fund a ad that features him hold a mgoblog sign that they use as a diary headline photo. Boom,done. Used his likeness to promote the diary area.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:43 PM ^
What is this NCAA you speak of????
September 8th, 2021 at 3:43 PM ^
If we organized it through largely MGoBlog fans maybe the money is in exchange or a MGoPodcast interview with Brian or Seth. That would be fun to listen to.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^
I really like this idea. Seth? Mods?
September 8th, 2021 at 4:44 PM ^
Or, in exchange for using his image on the cover of HTTV.
There must be some rule among the maze of IP laws that allows MGoBlog to use the player's image and Universitiy's trademarks to sell a separate product. Possibly because the photographer has copyright to a picture he took? Is there a fair use exception for use in a journalistic publication? I'm not accusing them of doing anything wrong, I'm sure they have everything checked out, I've just always been curious how they can sell the HTTV magazine without the university trying to shut them down
Maybe next year the Kickstarter can include an extra section for people to contribute to a fund to compensate all the players featured in the magazine (so, all of them) for use of their NIL inside. I don't want anything to come out of Brian/Seth's pocket, but I'd gladly have whatever I paid for the T-shirt this year go to the players instead.
September 8th, 2021 at 7:42 PM ^
Ooh. Seth, this is worth a thought I think. Great post.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:43 PM ^
Are college athletes liable for their own healthcare? I’ve never really thought about that before.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:00 PM ^
UM covers 100% of expenses related to injury and rehab.
September 8th, 2021 at 5:06 PM ^
User name checks out.
Thanks for confirming.
September 8th, 2021 at 11:07 PM ^
That’s excellent!
September 8th, 2021 at 3:47 PM ^
Why stop there? Why exclusively to Ronnie Bell?
Why not make it a blanket fund for every Michigan student athlete regardless of sport or gender?
September 8th, 2021 at 4:03 PM ^
Because I’m a busy single dad. I have time to help as I proposed. I don’t have time to help as you proposed.
September 8th, 2021 at 5:58 PM ^
Because no one cares about anything other than men's basketball and football. That's why.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^
What if that money was used to pay Bell to write a weekly column/story for MGoblog? Give us some insights into being a Michigan Man, how surgery and rehab is going if he so chooses, etc. Who knows, he might even be able to get some academic credit for it. I wrote for the A2 News sports section when I was there and used that experience to pick up 2 credits that finished off my degree.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:10 PM ^
Lets get a big bell and have it in the back of the endzone.... everytime Michigan scores a TD at home some one rings the "Ronnie Bell" and $100 is donated to the MGOBLOG foundation which sponsors various players, including Ronnie Bell, the namesake for the TD Bell.
keep in mind, all ideas aren't good ideas.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:23 PM ^
Round up the money. Whatever the amount is, he can be the official endorser of the JDue51 Sunday morning "Low hanging fruit" video review. Every penny raised will go to Ronnie.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
I would rather he become the "Carlos Spicyweiner MgoBlog brand ambassador"
September 8th, 2021 at 4:24 PM ^
-1 for using the word “albeit”
September 9th, 2021 at 2:17 PM ^
Do you also disapprove of words like heretofore, whereby, whereas, insofar, and hitherto?
September 8th, 2021 at 4:30 PM ^
Post the Kickstarter link here, I'll fire the brad money cannon at it.
I'd also suggest the same for a bigger handful of student athletes.