Arkansas NIL Collective Engages Lawyer to Enforce Buyout Clause for Madden Iamaleava Following Transfer
The collective is pursuing $200,000 from the quarterback who transferred to UCLA.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas’ name, image, and likeness collective has engaged an attorney to pursue and uphold a buyout clause regarding former quarterback Madden Iamaleava’s contract, as reported by CBS Sports.
In a groundbreaking step within the NIL landscape of college athletics, the organization overseeing the Arkansas Edge collective has retained noted sports attorney Tom Mars to enforce provisions in NIL agreements at Arkansas, as confirmed by Blueprint Sports CEO Rob Sine on Saturday.
This action follows directives from Arkansas’ athletics director Hunter Yurachek, who made a public statement encouraging the collective to pursue compensation from student-athletes who break contractual agreements. These developments came swiftly after Iamaleava entered the transfer portal.
The initial legal pursuits focus on Iamaleava and Dazmin James, a former receiver, with discussions expected to commence soon between Iamaleava’s representatives and Blueprint Sports’ legal team.
Iamaleava’s one-year contract with Arkansas, worth approximately $500,000, included a clause stipulating that leaving the university would require repayment of 50% of the remaining funds. With $400,000 in residual payments, this results in a buyout of $200,000.
James previously recorded a stellar performance during the Liberty Bowl, leading to his transfer to Cal soon after.
Mars has been involved in notable NCAA legal matters in the past, including representing Tennessee’s NIL collective in a recent case concerning potential violations related to Iamaleava. The evolving dynamics of college athletics may now see a rise in legal actions between institutions and former players over unpaid NIL obligations.
This unprecedented move by the University of Arkansas reflects a growing trend where educational institutions are taking more aggressive stances in enforcing buyout clauses in player contracts amid uncertainties in NIL agreements.
As players continue to navigate the transfer portal and NIL agreements, cases like this one highlight the challenges and potential litigation arising from the changing structure of college sports.
