The Bulldog Initiative - Mississippi State Bulldogs Collective

The Bulldog Initiative was officially unveiled in May 2022 by founder Charlie Winfield. Winfield is a life-loyal Bulldog and 1994 graduate of Mississippi State. During his 25-year career as an attorney, Winfield devoted a significant part of his practice to advising clients on issues related to intercollegiate athletics, including NCAA compliance matters. According to the collective’s website, Winfield founded The Bulldog Initiative with the goal of helping MSU athletes promote the university and the surrounding area through NIL opportunities. The Bulldog Initiative has the support of the MSU athletic department, including from athletic director John Cohen. At a Starkville Rotary Club in August 2022, Cohen shared contact information for Winfield and The Bulldog Initiative. “The bottom line is, our collective needs money,” Cohen told the club. “It can’t come in $5 at a time, although we’ll never push that aside. Our collectives need money. They do. That’s how we’re going to survive this thing.”