The University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Rebels’ promising 2024 college football season may have just been derailed only three games into the campaign. Following an undefeated 3-0 start, the team will now have to finish the year without their starting quarterback, Matthew Sluka, who decided to leave the program on Tuesday, Sept. 24, over a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) dispute.
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“I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled,” Sluka said in a statement posted to his X account. “Despite discussions, it became clear that these commitments would not be fulfilled in the future. I wish my teammates the best of luck this season and hope for the continued success of the program.”
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Sluka, a senior transfer from Holy Cross, left the Rebels after the university reportedly failed to fulfill its financial obligations in an NIL deal.
According to reports, Sluka had been verbally promised a minimum of $100,000 as part of the NIL agreement to join UNLV. However, his father told ESPN that the university deferred payments multiple times, before ultimately telling the player’s agent last week the school would only be paying out $3,000 in relocation costs instead of the full amount initially agreed upon.
This led Sluka to announce he would no longer play for the team this season. Instead, he plans to take a redshirt year to preserve his college eligibility, leaving the Rebels without their star quarterback for the remainder of the season.
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This incident highlights the growing impact of NIL deals in college sports, which allow athletes to earn compensation for their name, image, and likeness. As these agreements become more common, disputes over payments could become a recurring issue, potentially affecting team rosters and season outcomes across various sports.
[JACK AYLMER]
A COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM MAY HAVE JUST HAD THEIR SEASON DERAILED-
ALL OVER A NIL DEAL.
AFTER AN UNDEFEATED THREE AND O START TO THEIR 20-24 CAMPAIGN, THE UNLV REBELS ARE GOING TO BE WITHOUT THEIR STARTING QUARTERBACK MATTHEW SLUKA FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
THE RECENT HOLY CROSS TRANSFER DECIDING TO WALK AWAY FROM HIS NEW TEAM BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO FULFILL THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS WITHIN THE NIL DEAL HE ORIGINALLY AGREED TO.
SLUKA WAS REPORTEDLY OFFERED A MINIMUM OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BY UNLV TO JOIN THEIR PROGRAM-
WHICH THE SENIOR QUARTERBACK IS SAID TO HAVE AGREED TO BACK IN FEBRUARY.
HOWEVER, SLUKA’S FATHER TOLD ESPN THAT THE SCHOOL THEN DEFERRED MULTIPLE TIMES ON WHEN PAYMENTS WOULD START BEING MADE-
BEFORE ULTIMATELY TELLING THE PLAYER’S AGENT LAST WEEK THAT UNLV WOULD NOT PAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN RELOCATION COSTS.
THIS THEN LED SLUKA TO ANNOUNCE HE WOULDN’T BE SUITING UP FOR THE TEAM AGAIN IN 20-24-
ELECTING TO TAKE REDSHIRT YEAR IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A SEASON OF COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY.
OPINIONS ABOUT SLUKA’S DECISION HAVE BEEN DIVIDED AMONG COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS.
WITH SOME SAYING HE SHOULDN’T HAVE ABANDONED HIS TEAMMATES-
WHILE OTHERS ARGUE THAT IF A JOB DOESN’T PAY WHAT IT PROMISED, YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO LEAVE.
AS NIL DEALS HAVE RAPIDLY BECOME A MAJOR PART OF THE COLLEGE ATHLETICS RECRUITING PROCESS-
WE COULD SEE MORE SITUATIONS LIKE THIS ACROSS A NUMBER OF SPORTS IN THE FUTURE.
JACK AYLMER – STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
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