Prominent Louisiana Lawyer Reveals Amount Of NIL Money His Firm Pumped Into LSU Football In 2022

LSU football, like every program in the country, needs a large financial backing to compete in the modern era of the game. Recruiting, more than ever, revolves around money.

While it remains illegal to offer a dollar figure in exchange for a commitment, NIL opportunities are a large selling point during the process. Some players may even make their entire decision around how much money is available to them once they commit.

The Bayou Bengals down in Baton Rouge are well aware of that notion.

To help with the NIL efforts, Louisiana lawyer Gordon McKernan has opened his checkbook. He recently revealed the amount of money that he has channeled into LSU football and the number lands somwhere in the high six, low seven-figure range.

McKernan, a Baton-Rouge based attorney, has a relentless marketing campaign across the entire state and is extremely well-known by those who live there. His face and his firm is everywhere and anywhere— from billboards, to bus stops, to hand sanitizer dispensers at the local grocery store.

Anything worth doing is worth overdoing. It’s kind of a mantra I live my life by.

In addition to overdoing his marketing efforts, McKernan overdid his involvement with LSU football and its NIL efforts. He nearly tripled his initial plans.

It started at one figure, where I was thinking we would do it, maybe $250,000-$500,000. We quickly blew through that $500,000 mark. I haven’t tallied it all up, but it’ll probably be three-quarters of a million to a million total.

Where did the money go?

Gordon McKernan signed 15 LSU players to NIL deals during the 2022 season

He pays them out through various channels. The majority of athletes are signed to rolling, repeated contracts, but he also gives out spot bonuses for various items and appearances.

It is not a recruiting inducement. It is a partnership with athletes who are good for McKernan's brand.

It's creating a brand, hopefully. Top-of-mind awareness that people will think of us. Like, 'hey, that's that lawyer!' Not even for personal injury, just kind of as a landmark in people's minds. I like the ubiquity of it, just being everywhere.

McKernan says that his investment into football players has more than paid off. And that number doesn't even include his partnerships with other LSU athletes. Cha-ching!