New Amazon documentary shows new NIL era in college athletics

Make no mistake about it — The Money Game is an all-access pass to see what it takes to build one of the top programs in the country into a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) powerhouse. We aren’t talking about LSU women’s basketball, football, or even gymnastics; we’re talking about the athletic department’s program itself.

The Amazon Prime Video docuseries (directed by Drea Cooper) takes viewers through a detailed look at the cost of playing The Money Game . A quote that stood out upon watching was LSU Associate Athletic Director of NIL Strategy Initiatives Taylor Jacobs’s, “You don’t have to play the money game, but if you want to capitalize during your time as a student-athlete, you can do that.”

The docuseries, which premieres Tuesday, September 10, shows exactly the cost of playing the game. It can be overwhelming at times for Jayden Daniels, Angel Reese, Livvy Dunne, and Flau’jae Johnson, but it can also be underwhelming for those like Alia Armstrong, a hurdler on the track and field team, who felt she was too big of an athlete and too big of a name at LSU to not be making money.

But there’s a price to pay.

Once those at the university understood Armstrong and other Tigers athletes’ financial circumstances, they were willing to help. Of course, for Jacobs and Mary Claire Logue (LSU Assistant Director of NIL), it would behoove them to support their student-athletes in making as much money as possible. But there’s a game to play, not one they thought would happen overnight.

They (LSU) anticipated this would take 5-10 years. Instead, the floodgates opened up to create The Wild, Wild West, and as they quoted LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward, there’s opportunity in chaos. And on the front, they’ve been forced to re-educate athletes and focus on student-athlete branding to create brand names that match up with the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich.

But as they operate under different state laws, something must be said about the athletic department with a $199 million budget — the only Power Four athletic Department in Louisiana— trying to get a headstart when there are no footsteps to follow.

In this six-part docuseries, Prime Video does its best to find an equal light to shine on Armstrong and LSU men’s basketball transfer (Colorado State) Trace Young. From the get-go, you know the docuseries would focus on the faces of the operation, but there’s an intentional focus on those who don’t have the easiest time landing branding, ones that have had to become social media influencers, and student athletes.

That, in essence, is what Young has become. His honesty throughout was refreshing, admitting that he’s a young college student without a lot of money to be able to partner with local restaurants to help him and his teammates out. It’s not to take away anything from Young, who played just two games during his senior season at Baton Rogue, but he has parlayed his success into doing brand deals with Snickers, Nerf, and Mercedes, among other more prominent brands.

He says his going rate is 10-20k, but he’s not naive. He understands that his brand pales in comparison to that of Dunne and Reese.

There’s no difference between NIL and social media, as Jacobs alluded to, but there is a difference. Only the Jayden Daniels of the world are negotiating with personal injury lawyers, putting up 50k for two months of service. Of course, they can now use your name, image, and likeness, but it goes beyond that. As Daniels’ brand grew, so did his care for the brand(s) he associated himself with.

Daniels’ mother wanted her son to be branded differently, which led to a local Louisiana personal injury attorney, Gordon McKernan, offering his blessing to whatever NFL team has to deal with the mother of the now-former LSU quarterback. She will ensure her son gets him, but isn’t that all part of playing The Money Game ?

Speaking of Daniels, there’s a lot of focus on him and his Baton Rouge journey. The first two episodes of the docuseries focus on the Bedlam in Baton Rouge that happens during his first season in Death Valley, as well as the concussion that appeared to be a death blow to his Heisman odds in season No. 2 — it was not. But the first episode made sure to leave it as ominous as possible, even if we knew how this storybook ending was already foretold.

But after being such a central focus in the first two episodes, Daniels played second fiddle to Reese, Johnson, Dunne, Armstrong and Young. In fact, there wasn’t a mention of him in Part 3, but there was some storytelling to be done and told, as the docuseries looked into how just the image of NIL can get the ball rolling on narratives — true or not — being formulated.

Narratives were shared in Episode 4, as there was one building about Dunne and Reese not attending class or going in person because of NIL constraints. We know Reese has already faced the consequences for academic purposes in the past, but Dunne is taking online courses, which she has had since her sophomore year, because of threats levied against her in her private social media messages.

“Social media has gotten way more toxic and mean than when I first started,” Dunne says. “But, I always say, the more eyes on you and the more you’re doing something right, the more people will try to tear you down. If you’re killing it in something, they’re always people trying to kill you. That’s just how it is.”

There’s not really a good way to transition into it, but a distraught Dunne saying, “Women are not responsible for the actions of men,” only for Part 4 of the series to go into Daniels’ Senior Day festivities made for an awkward moment. The episode was well done, and it eventually delved into Daniels dealing with the trials and tribulations of what he struggled with in his own personal life, losing two grandparents three weeks apart while he was at Arizona State.

In Part 4, the docuseries did a good job of showcasing the pressure faced by each of the Tigers the series highlights. There were some highs that were highlighted, but again, the docuseries honed in on the narratives formulated either due to NIL or these collegiate athletes being in the bullseye of public pressure.

There’s so much work that happens behind the scenes that it’s easy to overlook the incredible effort and dedication put in by everyone involved in the NIL process. But Prime Video does a good job of unveiling the complexities and intricacies of the NIL landscape. At the same time, the series humanizes the athletes while showing the challenges they face beyond the spotlight.

A downside of that newfound fame and NIL opportunities is that student-athletes, including Daniels and Reese, often face limitations on their personal freedom. Reese described this as both a blessing and a curse, recognizing that the increased popularity of women’s basketball and NIL might change her life forever. One negative aspect of this newfound attention is the online harassment and criticism she receives on social media, which the docuseries highlights, including comments from prominent figures like Keith Olbermann, Dave Portnoy, and Doug Gottlieb, as well as anonymous trolls.

And in doing so, the docuseries paints a vivid picture of the ups and downs of NIL for student-athletes. It shows how they struggle to maintain a positive online image, fend off trolls, and meet fans’ expectations. The series makes it clear that NIL isn’t a simple path to success but a rollercoaster ride filled with opportunities and challenges.

Opportunities that Reese lauded as having “to get it how you get it,” knowing that not everyone at LSU — and in women’s college basketball — will make it to the WNBA. One of those opportunities came from Shaq, who said when he purchased Rebook, Reese was the first phone call he made. O’Neal, who has referred to Reese as being “like a daughter,” has praised her abilities and efforts for being able to almost immediately take advantage of her Name, Image, and Likeness.

Not only does the perspective of arguably the most famous LSU athlete of all time provide a glimpse into the life of one of LSU’s most iconic athletes, but the docuseries also provides behind-the-scenes insights into conversations that extend beyond NIL.

It delves into the preparation and strategies of coaching staffs, offering a comprehensive view of the complexities of NIL deals. While these deals have significantly impacted the top 1% of college athletes, the series reminds us that they’re ultimately human beings and student-athletes first.

The docuseries also highlights the dark side of social media for NIL athletes. While social media is essential for building a following and earning more money, it can also expose athletes to harmful comments, sexualization, and even threats. Dunne, for example, has experienced a significant amount of online harassment. These negative consequences aren’t deserved, but they’re a part of the Wild West of social media. Many collegiate athletes, like Reese and Dunne, have learned to use social media as a branding tool, and that doesn’t necessarily minimize its risks, but it certainly helps shield them from the vitriol.

Episode 5 delves into the role of booster collectives in shaping NIL deals. What were once informal, under-the-table payments to athletes have become organized and businesslike as collectives vie for the best talent. Mackenzie Landry, a consultant for Bayou Traditions Collective, admits, “You’re buying a team.” Wealthy alumni now bankroll college sports like never before, with the richest schools having a clear advantage in luring top athletes. Personal injury lawyer Gordon McKernan, a recurring figure in the series, refers to the current NIL landscape as a “bubble,” noting that schools with deep-pocketed boosters — particularly in Texas — will dominate, as it becomes a high-stakes game of poker.

Overall, The Money Game does an impressive job of pulling back the curtain on the complexities and pressures of NIL in collegiate sports, highlighting both the highs and lows that come with this new era. Whether the million-dollar deals for athletes like Jayden Daniels, Angel Reese, and Livvy Dunne or the more understated struggles of athletes like Trace Young and Alia Armstrong, the series paints a full picture of what it means to “play the money game.”

The docuseries doesn’t just focus on the stars— it also sheds light on the broader impact of NIL across the athletic department. It shows how the department, led by figures like Taylor Jacobs and Mary Claire Logue, is navigating uncharted waters in an industry where booster collectives and wealthy alumni are now key players in the recruiting game. Parents, too, are heavily involved in their children’s NIL deals, adding another layer to the complexity of these arrangements.

Prime Video achieves in this six-part series not just a behind-the-scenes look at NIL but a humanizing portrayal of the athletes as they balance newfound fame, financial opportunities, and public scrutiny. The series underscores student-athletes’ challenges — both on and off the field — and how NIL has reshaped the college sports landscape in ways no one fully anticipated.

One underrated aspect of the series is the level of parental involvement in the athletes’ NIL journeys. Nearly every athlete featured, except Trace Young, had significant input from their parents. Whether it was Alia Armstrong, whose mother, a former track star, focused on her own career, or Daniels, whose mother played a key role in shaping his brand, parental guidance was a recurring theme. Armstrong, however, stood out by taking the initiative to secure her own deals, reflecting the individual effort needed to succeed in this new NIL-driven landscape.

The series — Part 6 — ends with Armstrong getting hers.

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