College sports are at a crossroads, with college programs depending on investors and business support like never before. Nationwide, the third year of the name, image, and likeness (NIL) era was expected to generate a market of up to $1.17 billion, according to a projection last year from NIL company Opendorse. And the NCAA itself made nearly $1.3 billion in revenue in 2023.
Dayton’s favorite college basketball team, the University of Dayton Flyers, is not exempt from the new demands.
‘Survival of the fittest fan base’ — UD’s NIL collective adapting to new landscape
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
What NIL means: “I think the future of college basketball is survival of the fittest fan base,” said Matt Farrell, a Carroll High School and UD graduate who worked on Brian Gregory’s staff and now serves as the director of Dayton 6th.
Why it matters: In this case, fittest also means richest. Fans can contribute in any number of ways to Dayton 6th — buying Fly Light Lager from Warped Wing, collectible trading cards with the players’ names and faces on them and sandwiches from All The Best Deli in Dayton or just donating cash — and every dollar counts, Farrell said.
Read David Jablonski’s interview with Farrell.
Miamisburg to celebrate grand opening of $5.5M Riverfront Park project
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
A year of physical work — but more than two decades of preparation — went into what Miamisburg is gearing up to celebrate Friday: The $5.5 million revamp of Riverfront Park.
What it is: This involves a “complete transformation” of some 7.5 acres of property between the Main Street business strip and the Great Miami River, according to Parks and Recreation Director Ryan Davis.
Why it matters: The park was originally envisioned to be an anchor tenant of a thriving downtown Miamisburg, Davis said. “Its purpose is to increase the amount of time residents, visitors and event attendees spend in downtown, visiting our diverse selection of retailers and restaurants.”
Read Eric Schwartzberg’s story.
Some of Dayton’s top jobs don’t pay living wage; see top 10 local occupations
Wages have risen in the Dayton region, but some of the most common local jobs often do not pay a “living wage” that can support workers’ basic needs, according to recent research that analyzed new federal survey data.
Bottom line: “I think we’ve had a strong recovery from the COVID recession, and it has helped working people to bargain for wages that kept pace with inflation,” said Michael Shields, an economist and senior researcher with liberal-leaning Policy Matters Ohio. “I still think too many jobs pay too little.”
Please read Cory Frolik’s story.
How safe are our hospitals?
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
About 45% of hospitals in the Dayton-Kettering metro region received an “A” on safety, according to the national nonprofit Leapfrog, which represented the region doing better than about 70% of the US metro areas the nonprofit ranked.
Why it matters: “Preventable medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections in hospitals kill upwards of 200‚000 people every year,” said Katie Stewart, Leapfrog’s director of health care ratings.
Please read Samantha Wildow’s story.
Hilltop Homes, DeSoto Bass apartments in West Dayton slated for 2024 demolition
Greater Dayton Premier Management, the local public housing authority, hopes to demolish all of the Hilltop Homes apartment complex and some of the DeSoto Bass housing development in West Dayton later this year.
The proposal: The 150-unit Hilltop Homes site could become something similar to a natural park, while GDPM plans to replace the 84 DeSoto Bass units it knocks down with new flats and townhomes.
One reason it matters: Hilltop Homes apartments are outdated and have “inefficient” layouts and floor plans that do not meet the modern needs of residents, says the Renew Miami Chapel plan, which is a vision for multiple West Dayton neighborhoods, including Lakeview.
Before you go ...
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