Missouri Southern becomes 1st Division II program to join Icon Source NIL platform

Missouri Southern is the first Division II university to partner with Icon Source – a group that connects brands with athletes in a trusted and secure marketplace – to help student-athletes benefit from NIL opportunities.

Missouri Southern athletic director Rob Mallory shared news of the deal with the Joplin Globe. Mallory said all Lions student-athletes can use Icon Suite to connect with brands for NIL endorsements and partnerships.

“I think it’s great we are the first Division II partner for Icon Source and Icon Suite,” Mallory told The Globe. “We didn’t go into this looking, ‘Hey, we have to be the first to do something.’ We were looking for the best fit and the best partner. We knew all along that we were going to need some partnership to help us navigate this new era of college athletics.

 “It’s here to stay. We wanted to make sure we align ourselves with someone who could benefit our department and benefit our student-athletes. I think we found that in Icon Source.”

The deal is another reminder NIL is available for student-athletes at a number of different levels. NIL is not just for major college football or basketball programs. It allows student-athletes at any level to profit off Name, Image and Likeness in their own environment. It can be a beneficial way for them to generate revenue when they’re not on a fully-funded scholarship like they are at Division II programs like Missouri Southern. NIL can also help players in non-revenue sports.

What is Icon Source? How does it help with NIL?

Icon Source says it has helped student-athletes across the country do NIL deals with Boost Mobile, Microsoft, Crocs and Smash Burger and others. The Denver-based company allows businesses to sign up for accounts, search for athletes by sport, interest and more. From there, the company can send an auto-generated contract to the student-athletes after filling out information about the endorsement. Additionally, after negotiations with the student-athlete, companies can use the system to send payment, verify and sign the finalized contract.

The company was founded by Chase Garrett and Drew Butler. Garrett is a former professional athlete and athlete manager for Reb Bull. Butler is an NFL veteran from Georgia. He punted for the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers after earning All-America honors at UGA.

“Icon Source exists to connect athletes and brands,” Garrett said. “Our new Icon Suite software takes that a step further on the collegiate level. It removes the heavy lifting for those involved in student-athlete and local business partnerships.”

Furthermore, the company has agreements with other programs across the country, including Georgia Tech, UCF, Washington State and West Virginia.