Top College Football Pick Inks Bitcoin Agreement with University of South Carolina

College football star Matai Tagore is set to join football stars like Russell Okung, Odell Beckham Jr. and Trevor Lawrence by getting paid in Bitcoin.

After signing a “name, image and likeness” (NIL) deal with the University of Southern California (USC), the linebacker will be paid a portion of his earnings through the Strike app.

The exact details of his package are unknown, but some college football players, such as Shader Sanders, They received estimated payments of up to $4.7 million to sign similar contracts.

These types of contracts give the organization the right to use the athlete’s likeness as it sees fit — for example, in video games, official merchandise or brand sponsorships.

“It was a game changer for me,” Tagoaie said. “By taking a portion of my NIL earnings in Bitcoin, I’m setting myself up for long-term financial growth.”

Linkachy added that he “wants to be an example to other young athletes.”

Tagore isn’t the only Bitcoin bull in the world of pro football. Odell Beckham Jr. decided to have one of which $750,000 has been paid in full in a Bitcoin In 2021, after signing with the Los Angeles Rams, partnered with Block Inc.’s Cash App.

Beckham later mocked his critics Statement on XBefore Twitter, after Bitcoin price After the presidential election in the United States, he broke the $100,000 barrier.

Some NFL players may be doing well financially by choosing to receive their multi-million dollar salaries in Bitcoin. Former Super Bowl champion Russell Okung became the first big-name NFL star to choose to be paid in Bitcoin when he signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2020. He asked for half of his salary — $6.6 million — in Bitcoin.

Unless Okung decides to liquidate his Bitcoin, his stake could be north of $20 million depending on price movements since then.

Okung wants NFL players to get paid in Bitcoin. In November, he announced that his new flag football league, Bitball, wanted players to be paid in Bitcoin.

“We’re moving away from seeing athletes go broke and lose a generation’s wealth.” he said Deciphering in the interview.

Bitcoin payments are becoming an increasingly common phenomenon in the NFL and other sports. Golfers Rory McIlroy and Scotty Scheffler Recently paid 5 million dollars each after winning a golf tournament sponsored by Crypto.com.

Edited by Stacey Elliott.