FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) collective has taken the unprecedented step of hiring an attorney to pursue and enforce a buyout clause in former quarterback Madden Iamaleava’s agreement, CBS Sports has learned.
In a first for the NIL era of college athletics, the parent company behind the Arkansas Edge collective has retained prominent sports attorney Tom Mars to uphold buyout provisions in NIL contracts. Blueprint Sports CEO Rob Sine confirmed to CBS Sports on Saturday that the move comes at the direction of Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek, who ordered the collective to recover buyout money from players who break their agreements. The announcement came just two hours after Iamaleava entered the transfer portal on Tuesday.
Sources told CBS Sports that initial legal action will target Iamaleava and former wide receiver Dazmin James. A meeting between Iamaleava’s representatives and Blueprint Sports’ legal team is expected early this week.
Iamaleava reportedly signed a one-year deal with Arkansas in January worth approximately $500,000. The contract included a clause requiring him to pay back 50% of the remaining value if he left the school early. With $400,000 still outstanding, the buyout would total $200,000, according to a source familiar with the deal.
James, meanwhile, made a splash with a breakout performance at the Liberty Bowl, hauling in three catches for 137 yards and a touchdown, including a school-record 94-yard reception, during Arkansas’ 39-26 win over Texas Tech. Four days later, he entered the portal and eventually transferred to Cal in January.
Mars, based in Arkansas, has been involved in several high-profile NCAA legal battles over the past decade. Most recently, he represented Tennessee’s NIL collective in its dispute with the NCAA regarding alleged violations tied to Nico Iamaleava in early 2024.
Although it has become common for players to enroll in January and transfer before playing a game, Arkansas’ aggressive pursuit of buyout payments signals a major shift. Schools and collectives are beginning to enforce newly added buyout clauses in NIL contracts — a development that could reshape the college sports landscape as it moves further toward a professionalized model.
Until now, hundreds of players and their former schools have largely ignored buyout language, anticipating revenue-sharing changes following the House v. NCAA settlement set to take effect on July 1. Legal questions surrounding the enforceability of NIL contracts have made schools wary of litigation.
However, the recent controversies involving the Iamaleava brothers have prompted a rethinking across the college sports world. Sources tell CBS Sports that multiple schools are now seriously considering legal action against former players who breach NIL deals.
Earlier this month, Nico Iamaleava became the first high-profile player to sit out team activities over a contract dispute, leading Tennessee to move on from its starting quarterback — just months after he guided the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff.
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