To quote Bob, this is what we're up against. Very candid interview with the folks behind the Vols big NIL collective. I think what is helping drive the more successful 'fan funded' NIL collectives is that you're not just an alum or fan whose donation will go to the school to do with as they wish (upgrade stadium bathrooms, install better chairbacks, etc.); you're taking real 'ownership' of investment knowing the money you contribute is actually helping to recruit players and build a roster. Penn State is at a big disadvantage here IMO becuase a lot of fans are in the 'you will never see one red pfenning from me for XXX reason...' and the fan base is still really divided and/or apathetic (like me for the most part). Read 'em and weep.
"We had a lot of people, through social media, in particular, engaging us about how they could get involved, whether it be a donation to the NIL war chest or provide in-kind opportunities," Baddour said of this. "A car dealership getting involved is a great example or restaurants wanting to provide a free place where student-athletes can eat for free. There was so much interest in being involved from the fan standpoint, we thought we needed to create some membership society, and we chose the 1951 Club to let fans be a part of this movement and pay homage to the past. Arguably the greatest football season in the history of Tennessee, right up there with 1938 and 1998, the 1951 Club is essentially a donor tier system named after famous Tennessee coaches, in the past, Majors, Pat Summit, General Neyland, for example. Depending on the donation, there are things that members will get, whether it's newsletters, signed memorabilia, access to information before it goes public, or access to meet and engage with current student-athletes in multiple sports. It just depends on the commitment level and involvement.
Paywall - but...
“If you would have asked us four to five months ago, we might have said we want to try and raise $3 (million), $4 (million), $5 million annually. Now, the goal is $25 million annually. Or more. And we think that goal is absolutely attainable,” said Hunter Baddour, president and co-founder of Spyre Sports, a Tennessee-centric college sports collective. “We’ll have to work hard, which we will. If this is how the game is played, then game on.”
theathletic.com
www.si.com
Vols are currently ranked #17 in the 247 composite for 2023.
"We had a lot of people, through social media, in particular, engaging us about how they could get involved, whether it be a donation to the NIL war chest or provide in-kind opportunities," Baddour said of this. "A car dealership getting involved is a great example or restaurants wanting to provide a free place where student-athletes can eat for free. There was so much interest in being involved from the fan standpoint, we thought we needed to create some membership society, and we chose the 1951 Club to let fans be a part of this movement and pay homage to the past. Arguably the greatest football season in the history of Tennessee, right up there with 1938 and 1998, the 1951 Club is essentially a donor tier system named after famous Tennessee coaches, in the past, Majors, Pat Summit, General Neyland, for example. Depending on the donation, there are things that members will get, whether it's newsletters, signed memorabilia, access to information before it goes public, or access to meet and engage with current student-athletes in multiple sports. It just depends on the commitment level and involvement.
Paywall - but...
“If you would have asked us four to five months ago, we might have said we want to try and raise $3 (million), $4 (million), $5 million annually. Now, the goal is $25 million annually. Or more. And we think that goal is absolutely attainable,” said Hunter Baddour, president and co-founder of Spyre Sports, a Tennessee-centric college sports collective. “We’ll have to work hard, which we will. If this is how the game is played, then game on.”
Cars, apartments and 'six-figure packages': Inside the new, money-fueled frontier of the college football arms race
While money has always fueled college football, that fuel is now going in a brand-new engine. And the price is only going to rise.
theathletic.com
From Understanding to Enthusiasm: Spyre Sports Execs Detail NIL Approach, Tennessee Goals and How They Plan to Support Vols
On July 1st, 2021, the NIL era officially arrived, and it has shaped the world of college athletics since. The change signaled the opportunity for players to
www.si.com
Vols are currently ranked #17 in the 247 composite for 2023.
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