When Auburn HC Bruce Pearl made his feelings clear about NIL: “We’re all looking for guidelines”

In 2022, Auburn head coach, Bruce Pearl, shared his thoughts on NIL in the NCAA. A lot has happened since then but Pearl's remarks are still quite insightful.

Speaking to WVTM 13 News at SEC Spring Meetings, Pearl spoke about his belief that students who are involved in sports that generate profit should be able to make a profit for themselves as well.

"Kids that are in sports that are able to be profit-making should be able to benefit from part of the profit," Pearl said. "We're all looking for guidelines and looking for, you know, trying to figure out what's the best way to do it, what's the right way to do it," he said. (From 0:19)

"Bottom line is, you know, for the kids being able to benefit from the Name, Image, and Likeness is a really good thing... Just trying to figure out how to navigate that properly and equitably is a challenge we're all facing," he added. (From 0:37)

Watch the full interview here:

The NCAA prohibited college athletes from profiting from their name, image and likeness for over a century before lifting the ban in 2021, As such, NIL is still in its infancy.

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Bruce Pearl has his say on college athletes monetizing their publicity

Bruce Pearl, the three-time SEC Coach of the Year, is in his 11th season at Auburn and currently ranks No. 12 among active NCAA Division I head coaches in career wins with 662 victories to his credit.

Since arriving at Auburn in 2014, Pearl has produced one of the biggest turnarounds in the college basketball world. When NIL was introduced in 2021, he embraced it and praised its benefits, especially for athletes and their families.

“They’re able to do things for themselves, their families and their communities that they never dreamed of doing while they were still in college,” Pearl told Sports Illustrated in Oct. 2024. “I can just tell you that our players are grateful, they really are.”

So far, under Coach Pearl, the Tigers have maintained their success in the NIL era. Auburn has reached the NCAA tournament every year since 2021.

As of November 2024, Pearl sits at the top of the list as Auburn's winningest coach of all time with a total of 218 wins in his time with the Tigers, a record that solidifies his legendary status on "the Plains."