Phil Knight, former Nike executives launch NIL company — with a caveat

Phil Knight, a co-founder of Nike worth over $50 billion, is joining forces with fellow prominent University of Oregon alumni — Pat Kilkenny, Ed Maletis, Jim Morse and the Papé Family — as well as former Nike executives Rosemary St. Clair and Rudy Chapa to create Division Street, Inc., a company dedicated to connecting student-athletes with the resources necessary to secure NIL deals.

There is, however, one caveat of this new venture: it will serve as aid to solely Oregon student-athletes.

“Student-athletes have a full plate, and figuring out how to monetize their brands is an incredible challenge,” St. Clair said to Forbes. “Our team has spent decades building the brands of the world’s best athletes, and we will use that experience to elevate NIL opportunities by bringing in leading expertise across brand, marketing, sponsorship, digital and creative to support all Oregon student-athletes, inclusive of every sport and across gender.”

St. Clair, Nike’s former vice president and GM of Nike Women, will serve as the CEO of the new entity. Chapa, St. Clair’s former coworker and Nike vice president of sports marketing, will serve as chairman of the board.

In addition to the Oregon donors and former Nike execs, Knight has brought on former Oregon women’s basketball star Sabrina Ionescu, who was selected by the New York Liberty with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft. Ionescu will serve as the chief athlete officer, a role that Forbes says is dedicated to advising the Division Street team and sharing portfolio and partnership tips with Oregon student-athletes.

“As an athlete navigating the world of brand and partnerships myself, I see a real opportunity to provide today’s college players more professional counsel as they grapple with the new NIL landscape,” Ionescu said. “I’m excited that Division Street also sees that need and is bringing together an all-star team to address this for Oregon. I’m also very passionate about ensuring diversity in gender and sport, and that will be part of my focus in this new role.”

Division Street will assist student-athletes in monetizing their NIL by consulting with student-athletes, as well as connecting them with suitable brands. The company includes Adopt, too, a brand and creative company focused on athletes and co-founded by Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul. Other Adopt co-founders include a number of Nike and Jordan executives Nicole Graham, David Creech and Josh Moore, to name a few.

“To truly build their brands to help them prepare for what’s next, [student-athletes] need access to professional counsel across brand, marketing, sponsorship, digital and creative to ensure they get real value,” St. Clair said. “That’s why we’re here.”