I respectfully disagree. IBM does not provide an academic scholarship in return for services rendered. Built Brands clearly has. This is not about academic or athletic ability. It’s using a player for promotional purposes which is clearly outlined There is a clear distinction there.
You're not seeing it. If a person gets a $20k scholarship to apply it to their schooling, it's up to them to apply it where they want, and if there's money left over, do with it as they want. Only a portion of that money is deductible, and that's what's directly for specifics related to education. Anything above that figure is actually taxable. It would fall into the category of income, and applicable to taxes accordingly. Here's the Turbo Tax info regarding it.
Taxable Money
Private companies can write off scholarship money. To do it, they basically create a Scholarship Foundation, and fund it. The foundation would determine who gets the scholarships, and reasoning. Once again, the rules of scholarship taxation apply.
Let's assume you want to use an end run around the issue of deductible donor money to the foundation. The foundation simply states they are going to issue scholarships at a specific school for young athletes who are looking to potentially become professional athletes, and or go into coaching. You don't like that rule? Then you should also object to someone who tells another foundation that they want scholarship assistance to become a doctor. It's essentially the same thing. An occupational level that is achieved from education, and also practicing the profession at various levels, and preparing to be able to coach, from experience.
No matter where the scholarship comes from, there are tax implications. Rest assured, the funneling of money will be done above board. They will not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Now, for the athlete getting huge amounts of extra cash through NIL, they can expect to pay taxes on it just like any other stiff working for a buck, and why shouldn't they? If you give $50k to the kid with a scholarship for sports, he's going to pay a healthy share. If you take a non-scholarship kid, and give him $50k, he's going to be able to pay for school, have a few bucks left, and not be saddled with as near as high a tax figure. It all works out fairly.
Next, the issue of "out of state tuition." It's waived for so many students. It will be waived for those kids they want on their teams. Count on it. It's already being done, isn't it? As for the walk-on, he only needs the waiver for one year, because he can become a citizen of the state where the school is, and in year two be automatically granted state residency, as long as he or she does something as simple as getting a drivers license.
Services rendered. Those appearances are nothing more than to show appreciation and gratitude for the money they're getting.