Kirby Smart, Georgia Undergo Major NIL Change Before 2025 Season
The Georgia Bulldogs are undergoing changes within the NIL space ahead of the 2025 season, per an announcement on Monday.
Classic City Collective, tasked with navigating NIL deals with players, will look differently moving forward after the departure of former CEO Matt Hibbs, who has served at the forefront of Georgia’s NIL negotiations while partnered with the university.
Hibbs’ replacement is Tanner Potts, who recently served as assistant athletic director of NIL in the UGA athletic departement, according to a release from Class City Collective.
This move places Potts in a key role, as Georgia attempts to compete with the major NIL spenders in college football while the university also supports other sports.
According to a report from Benjamin Wolk of 247Sports, Hibbs is leaving the collective for Pathway Sports & Entertainment to focus on monetizing NIL rights for athletes, specifically in negotiating video-games rights deals for college football players with EA Sports.
In replacement, Potts will have the challenge of helping Georgia transition its NIL space as the House settlement looms. Collective-based negotiations will remain separate from the school until July 1, when revenue-sharing begins.
Programs are expected to be allotted approximately $21 million per year for NIL efforts, and the collective will help distribute those funds with focus on football.
Georgia’s collective ranks among the top-five largest in the nation, coming in at fourth overall ($18.3 million), according to a review by the NCAA. And the Bulldogs have recruited extremely well under Smart, signing the nation’s No. 1 class in 2024 and the No. 2 class this cycle.
The Bulldogs will kickoff the 2025 season against Marshall at home on Aug. 30.
