Mike Gundy pitched Oklahoma State QR codes on helmets as 'GoFundMe' opportunity for players
Oklahoma State‘s football program made headlines on Tuesday when they announced that players will wear helmets with QR codes linked to the team’s general NIL fund this football season. Giving fans the opportunity to scan and donate when watching their games this season no matter where they are.
Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy joined the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday and spoke about the inspiration behind the QR codes. Pulling back the curtain on how the idea came about and what it could mean for one of Oklahoma State’s biggest stars in particular.
“We were sitting around in my office with my assistant Danielle and our Director of Business Finance, Kenyatta Wright. Used to play in the NFL and now we hired to be our Director of Business and Finance. I said, ‘How can we get people across the country to be able to give NIL money for our players and set up them being able to orchestrate things to make the NIL money if I’m in Los Angeles, or London, or Tokyo, or New York City?'” Gundy asked.
“I kind of thought about a GoFundMe, you see people that are in need and they set up a GoFundMe and the people in this country come together and they help them,” Gundy added. “And all of a sudden if they’ve had a terrible incident, they have an opportunity to get out of it. So I thought, why don’t we set this up for NIL and give the Oklahoma State people a chance that when they’re sitting there and they see a player make a great play, they’re going to pull that up on social media and bang that money.”
Gundy also revealed that the bars and restaurants in Stillwater will have the QR codes available on game days. Giving fans locally the opportunity to donate to the program’s NIL collective or players individually as well this season.
Star running back Ollie Gordon has the highest NIL valuation of any player on Oklahoma State’s team after leading the country in rushing last season and taking home the Doak Walker Award. As Gundy also opened up on how the QR code could specifically impact Gordon this season.
“He’s very intelligent, he’s got an unbelievably magnetic personality,” Gundy said. “I mean people love to be around Ollie, and the branding and the NIL market is huge for him because of his personality and the way people are drawn to him … People can be at a bar in London, or New York City, or LA, or Tokyo and having a watch party, get fired up, and they can go online to our social media and they can bang money to him through the QR code or to our team.”
“Hey, enjoy beer tonight on me. Enjoy beer tonight on me, Ollie,” McAfee replied as a hypothetical.
“Pat instead of getting fired up, guy makes a big play, instead of a round on everybody from me it’s okay no, pull up and send some money and QR codes,” Gundy responded back to McAfee.
The hypothetical might not have been ideal given Gordon’s recent history after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI earlier this year. It was an incident that Gundy responded to with some interesting comments that suggested he himself has driven under the influence before saying he’d had “two or three beers, or four” before getting behind the wheel “1,000 times.”
Gundy stood up for Gordon following the incident and Gordon himself even appeared at Big 12 Media Days shortly after and took full responsibility for his actions. Whether his play on the field results in any free beers is yet to be seen, but Gordon is motivated to repeat his impressive season last year and generate some NIL dollars in the process with football season right around the corner.