NAACP's call for Black athletes' boycott of southern schools hits an NIL wall

Civil rights groups have called on Black college athletes to boycott schools in states that are rolling back voting rights. But highly paid NIL-era athletes are proving to be unwilling protesters.Why it matters: It's exposing a disconnect between advocates who rely on 1960s-style protest tactics, and prominent athletes in today's $3 billion NIL economy who have different views of activism — and who are unwilling to sacrifice unprecedented financial opportunities.The big picture: NIL (name, image, likeness) was championed as a tool to end the systemic exploitation of Black college athletes in big-revenue sports.Irony has taken hold: Those NIL funds can now shield southern institutions from some political pressure, even as state legislatures in those states reduce Black voting power through voting restrictions, political gerrymandering and other actions.Catch up quick: The NAACP in May launched its "Out of Bounds" campaign — a national call for Black athletes, families, fans and alumni to withhold support from public universities in states that the groups say have weakened Black voting rights.The move came after the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which essentially gutted the remaining protections in the Voting Rights Act.The NAACP identified eight priority states: Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Georgia — home to many of the nation's largest and best-funded college athletic programs.The civil rights group said that together, those states' popular collegiate athletic programs generate billions in annual revenue using thousands of Black athletes while their state governments dismantle the political power of Black communities.Yes, but: The first weeks of the NAACP's campaign have produced little visible disruption in recruiting, alumni support or financial repercussions.The boycott asks athletes — high school recruits and college players who may transfer — to turn down schools that can offer scholarships, national exposure, lucrative NIL opportunities and top coaching.The most prominent athletes — particularly in football and men's basketball — now can be paid into seven figures a year. For some, what they're paid in college could be more than they'd ever make as professional athletes."It does affect a generational wealth opportunity, especially since (NIL) is now paying college students at a rate unlike ever been seen before," Shuwaski Young, a Republican candidate for secretary of state in Mississippi, told Mississippi Public Broadcasting.By the numbers: Black student-athletes made up 16% of all NCAA athletes and 20% of Division I athletes in the 2023-24 academic year, according to NCAA data.In the major revenue sports, the share is much higher: Black athletes make up a major portion of Division I football and men's basketball rosters.What they're saying: Derrick Johnson, NAACP national president and CEO, said in a statement that the targeted states are racing to "erase Black politi