UNLV Rebels QB Matthew Sluka departs team amid NIL deal controversy

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.

“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.