re: Tennessee AD Danny White releases statement, goes HAM on NCAA

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A 'booster' (someone who has donated money to a university) can certainly make an NIL agreement with anyone they want (if that in fact actually happened).

And yes, he can certainly fly a recruit in for any reason whatsoever. He can then get the recruit to sign some autographs or something as recompense.

You're thinking like it's still pre-NIL.

As long as the University, itself, didn't fly him in, this is a nothing-burger.

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I am not a lawyer by any stretch but if the booster flew the recruit to Tennessee and already had a contract in place with the recruit there is nothing to that. The issue will be if the contract has any language in it that states the player has to play or sign with UT for the contract to be valid. It may not have any such language, if it exists, but it'd be a damned foolish thing to do if there is any money involved more than the cost of the flight. I have been flown to job interviews by prospective employers...that's legit. That employee somehow expecting that my flying on their dime means we have a contract other than me flying in and interviewing is not legit. I knew when I accepted the interview that there would be compensation IF I were to agree to an employment contract...hard to imagine a scenario where that is not pretty easily established, that the player expected compensation when he accepted the flight if he did indeed sign with Tennessee. If that is the case even a DUI lawyer can make it in court....