Arkansas NIL collective calls on prominent lawyer to enforce Madden Iamaleava buyout clause amid transfer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas’ name, image and likeness collective has hired an attorney to pursue and enforce a buyout clause in former quarterback Madden Iamaleava’s agreement, CBS Sports has learned.

In an unprecedented move in the NIL era of college sports, the parent company overseeing the Arkansas Edge collective has hired noted sports attorney Tom Mars to enforce buyout provisions in NIL contracts at Arkansas, Blueprint Sports CEO Rob Sine confirmed Saturday to CBS Sports. The collective is following the orders of Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek, who directed the collective to pursue buyout money in contracts broken by players in an insistent statement released Tuesday, just two hours after Iamaleava entered the transfer portal.

The two former Arkansas players targeted in the initial legal efforts are Iamaleava and former receiver Dazmin James, sources told CBS Sports. A meeting between Iamaleava’s representatives and Blueprint Sports’ legal team is expected early this week.

Iamaleava signed a one-year contract with Arkansas worth roughly $500,000 in January, according to people familiar with the deal. The contract included a provision requiring Iamaleava to pay the collective 50% of the money remaining on the agreement should he leave the school. He was due $400,000 in remaining payments, which amounts to a buyout of $200,000, a source told CBS Sports.

James didn’t record a catch at Arkansas until a breakout performance in the Liberty Bowl, where he caught three passes for 137 yards and a touchdown — a 94-yard reception and school record — in the Hogs’ 39-26 victory against Texas Tech. James entered the portal four days later and transferred to Cal in January.

Mars, who is based in Arkansas, has been at the…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/arkansas-nil-collective-calls-on-prominent-lawyer-to-enforce-madden-iamaleava-buyout-clause-amid-transfer/

Author : Brandon Marcello

Publish date : 2025-04-27 03:39:00

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