RealDawg.com has learned that Washington Husky All-American edge rusher, Zion Tupuola-Fetui, has received a reported “upper four-figure appearance fee” for a 4-hour appearance Friday night, at the Windemere-sponsored Party on the Cut.

UPDATE:  All of the Husky football players received the same amount, $7,500, as Tupuold-Fetui.

The event celebrated Saturday’s Windemere Cup and kicked off the opening of boating season in Seattle, but it also fully ushered in a new era of college athletics at Washington.

Tupuola-Fetui is often known by three letters ZTF but he received a four-figure compensation in the range of $7,500.

While other other organizations at other schools are putting up hefty sums of money to incoming players, headed up by former Washington head coach Chris Petersen, Montake Futures’ approach appears to be focused on compensating current Washington players.

Washington’s approach makes a lot of sense.

“I’m not sure that it’s a sustainable business model to pay one person who’s never seen a snap of college football far more than they’re paying players who have already given their blood sweat and tears for his teammates,” said RealDawg.com’s Roman Tomashoff.  “That could lead to a fractured locker room, in the long run.”

In the short term it makes dollars for a growing number of Husky players.

With the clear division between the school’s ability to compensate its own players, each player’s ability to leverage their own name, image and likeness.  Tupuola-Fetui is most often referred to as “ZTF”.  In a game in 2020 on the radio Washington play-by-play announce made an iconic call, “ZTF is a monster”.  Since that time ZTF has become a household name.  He is also easily recognizable for his likeness, as well, with a broad smile and frequent hair color change most commonly blonde.

“Clearly Washington is a player but I think that this is just the beginning,” Tomashoff said.  “I expect that the high school talent-acquisition module will be included in order to compete for talent on a national level, and retaining the best talent in the state.

The NCAA’s adoption of name, image and likeness laws which allow athletes to benefit from their image via autograph sales, sponsored social-media posts or ads, personal YouTube/Twitch streaming channels, training lessons and camps, speaking engagements, personal merchandising, endorsement deals, etc. on June 30, 2021.

Over the past several months Montlake Futures has assembled “a rather an impressive war chest”.  Although Washington’s approach has been heavily criticized on social media, but the approach is beginning to show fruits.

Also appearing at Friday night’s event were defensive back Alex Cook, quarterback transfer from Indiana Michael Penix, jr, offensive lineman Corey Luciano, and former UC Davis cornerback Jordan Perryman.  It’s unclear how much the other four players received for the 4-hour event.  Their compensation is likely quite similar.  Other events where current Husky football players will appear:

• Sam Huard and Carson Brunner are expected to earn a similar appearance fee at a football camp presented by Montlake Futures
• Huard, will team up with fellow QB Dylan Morris, Alex Cool and Julius Irvin presented by Montlake Players Camps, LLC.  Their compensation is unknown.
• Devin Culp will host a youth football camp on June 11th at his high school alma mater, presented by Steinberg Sports and Entertainment.  His compensation is unknown.  The camp is affiliated with HuskyFootballNIL.com
• Incoming freshman Lance “Showtime” Holtzclaw has secured his own NIL deal as a brand ambassador for the sports drink Body Armor

While new NCAA guideline come out next week, this single-event compensation is right within the parameters of the existing NIL rules.  The current guidelines give athletes the right to profit from the use of their own name, image and likeness such as their autograph, modeling athletic apparel, promoting products and services, and making personal appearances.

Follow Mike Martin on twitter @howlinhusky

Follow RealDawg.com on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/realdawgrecruiting/