Miami booster defends big deals

The NCAA gave notice recently that penalties could be coming for universities whose boosters use endorsement deals to coax recruits or transfers to enroll amid the evolving rules of amateurism in college sports.

One high-profile booster who’s not worried about the enforcement staff ’s scrutiny is Miami graduate John H. Ruiz, a billionaire entrepreneur and lawyer who has pledged to spend at least $10 million on athletes he believes can help promote his businesses.

Roughly 10 months after the NCAA allowed college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness largely in response to a Supreme Court ruling, Ruiz says he is more than halfway to his goal, having signed or reached the final stage of contracts with more than 100 athletes — most of whom play football, baseball or basketball for the Hurricanes.

Lifewallet, his company that deals with medical records, accounts for roughly $5 million in NIL deals, Ruiz said in a recent telephone interview, while his niche company, Cigarette Racing, accounts for $300,000 to $400,000.

Ruiz, who was characterized as “the Knight in Shining Armor for Hurricanes fans” in a recent Miami Herald profile, insists the work the athletes do in exchange for their compensation, which generally consists of filming commercials or promoting the brands on social media, has generated a significant return for his companies.

Yet he also believes the still-evolving NIL landscape is riddled with unfairness, putting universities in states with restrictive rules at a competitive disadvantage to those in states with no rules while leaving students and their families vulnerable to exploitation, given the fact that few are experienced in contract negotiations.

“It seems to me it’s in disarray,” Ruiz said, adding he has offered to consult with the NCAA on remedies. “I just don’t think the people that were putting NIL deals together really thought through the real purpose.”

That said, Ruiz has seized this new commercial opportunity with unrivaled zeal. He insists he is doing so in full compliance with NCAA rules.