On July 1, 2021, the NCAA changed its long-standing policy, officially allowing players to monetize their own name, image and likeness (NIL). Florida Atlantic’s men’s basketball team forward Tre Carroll announced an NIL deal of his own on Aug. 14 via Instagram with VI Coffee Bar, a quirky cafe located in downtown Boca Raton, Fla.
Opinions on NIL deals and their impact on collegiate sports have been heavily debated long before its official inception.
“I think it’s a chance for us athletes to get rewarded for putting our bodies on the line each and every day,” said Tre Carroll, FAU’s men’s basketball team forward.
Those who are anti-NIL say that it takes away from the team spirit of the game and note that these players are on scholarships that grant them free tuition as well as any other necessary amenities.
On the other hand, pro-NIL individuals contest that colleges and universities make a gargantuan amount of money off these student-athletes and believe that they should be properly compensated for it.
“I wanted to support him,” said Sarah Mark, FAU alum and owner of VI Coffee Bar. “They should 100% be getting compensated for everything… People love school spirit, so supporting the athletes who push that school spirit is totally worth it.”
Mark connected with Carroll through her longtime friend Bryan Rammel. Rammel is the founder of the Owl Collective, an organization that was created to help facilitate NIL deals for FAU student-athletes. Through that collective, Mark got to know Carroll and ultimately decided that he would be a great fit for their brand.
Along with the typical responsibilities that come with being a student-athlete, Carroll also has a wedding planned for next year. “I’m super excited about it… Thankfully, NIL has helped me pay some bills like car payments and rent. I’m just blessed that I have two more years of eligibility to really just try and make the most out of it,” he said.
VI Coffee Bar is relatively new to the area as Mark opened its doors in June of 2023. Mark is no stranger to supporting FAU as she regularly works with the Owl Collective on promoting student-athletes. “I like to give back as much as I can, especially to FAU,” she said.
That sentiment of giving back to FAU seemed to be shared amongst the collective’s staff, a good amount of whom are made up of former FAU students.
“It’s really cool to be able to work with Tre and give back to the community,” said Bailey Luciani, FAU alum and employee at VI Coffee Bar.
Luciani also said that she thinks the coffee bar is already benefiting from the deal with Carroll, as she has noticed a small increase in customers from FAU curious to try the place out. “Even something as simple as people being able to see the FAU logo on our social media has brought in an influx of students eager to see what we’re all about.”
Even though it is technically a coffee shop, Mark and Luciana were quick to point out all of the things that make VI Coffee Bar special compared to others.
“We’re so much more than just a coffee bar,” said Mark. “It’s fun, it’s unique, it’s a hangout spot, it’s a vibe, plus we have the best breakfast sandwiches in town. We make everything in house and we put our heart and soul into all of it.”
The coffee bar is also known for their unique specialty drinks. Customers can choose from a wide variety of options ranging from ‘Purple Haze’ all the way down to ‘Satan’s Mistress.’
“One of the biggest things that makes us so special is the creativity of the staff,” said Luciana, praising Mark for being collaborative with the employees and giving them freedom to assist in creating new ideas. “Sarah has been working for a long time at this and she knew her whole life that she wanted this and you can tell she really loves what she does.”
Mark expressed her happiness about being able to settle a deal with Carroll, describing it as a win-win for both sides.
“We wanted to support him and work together to benefit each other,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of stuff with a lot of different athletes… He was just someone who was so easy to talk to and communicate with, so it was really easy to want to support him.”
Carroll reciprocated that same level of respect, expressing his satisfaction with the collaboration.
“Sarah is a really good person, super sincere and super determined to make the best coffee possible,” he said. “Honestly if you want coffee or some great food, I’d recommend going there. I feel like it’s one of the best coffee shops in Boca.”
Carroll also expressed optimism about the upcoming basketball season as the Owls attempt to make their third straight NCAA tournament appearance. He has been impressed with the team not only on the court, but off it as well. “The family environment that we have with this team is something that I’ve never experienced before. I love these guys and I’d do anything for them.”
This season will be the first year for new head coach John Jakus following the surprising departure of former head coach Dusty May, who left the Owls to become the head coach at the University of Michigan. Carroll says the team hasn’t skipped a beat, however.
“I love how this offseason is going,” Carroll said. “I can guarantee that you will get 100% out of us this season and I look forward to making ‘The Elly’ as loud as possible just like last year. Boca, let’s get it rocking.”
John Burke is a contributing writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email him at [email protected].
