It's still not totally clear to me how certain schools were able to get away with it for so long. I hope someone does a deep dive into it.
I know there is the preferential enforcement argument, but even Ohio State got pinched for free tattoos, and they're a blueblood. Clemson, not exactly a blueblood, was known for raining cash on recruits, and no one batted an eye. Did Nick Saban have an Epstein list for all the NCAA power players or something?
One argument I've heard, specifically regarding Miami, is that we've always had rich boosters, but very few were willing to do the dirty bag game, unlike the Tuscaloosa car dealer. But now that everything is above board, people like Carole Soffer, the Mas Brothers, John Ruiz, etc. can use NIL as a tax write-off and avoid the legal issues.