Name, Image and Likeness changed the entire landscape of college football and Florida’s parking lot is the perfect example. It is a direct representation of the new era.
There is an overwhelming amount of Dodge vehicles.
Michael Hickernell, a Gators alum, recently walked through campus and took a video of the lot outside of the Heavener Football Training Center. There were no less than 10 Dodge cars parked right in front!
The Florida football parking lot 😅 @UFBarstool pic.twitter.com/a25lumc9bT
— Barstool U (@BarstoolU) April 1, 2024
The assumption here is that all of them were presented to the athletes as part of an NIL deal. That may not apply to every vehicle in the lot, but it would certainly explain the abundance of Dodge cars.
Gainesville Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram has partnered with multiple football players in the past, so there is a basis for the assumption. Should this be true, the lot (and the associated video) serves as a remarkable marketing tool for the local dealership. Everybody on that team is, apparently, driving in style!
Now, let’s also be clear that this is not uncommon these days. Many NIL collectives across the country work closely with local dealerships. A lot of athletes at the same school are driving the same brand.
Heck, Shedeur Sanders has four cars worth no less than $100,000 and Alabama football players were driving Chargers long before Name, Image and Likeness came to exist. This is not an earth-shattering revelation.
However, the video of the Gators’ parking lot really puts things into perspective!
These athletes are practically expected to get the keys to a new car upon arrival to campus at this point. They are driving on the dealership’s dime for as long as they are enrolled with a specific program, in this case Florida, and their teammates are doing the exact same.
People will debate whether this is a good thing or ruining college sports. Those who say the latter care far too much about a college kid’s car. They are capitalizing on their worth! That’s the American Dream!