120 Michigan athletes join with Michigan Army National Guard for NIL deal

Big NIL things are happening at the Big House and across the fields and courts at Michigan.

The Michigan Army National Guard has partnered with 120 Wolverine student-athletes in a NIL deal. The recruitment campaign deal was arranged by Valiant Management Group. The group operates the Champions Circle collective which is quickly becoming one of the most successful in the country.

The kickoff event takes place Friday at the Grand Ledge Armory in Grand Ledge, Mich. Approximately 120 Michigan student-athletes will be in attendance.

The NIL Army recruitment campaign is part of an effort by the Michigan Army National Guard to connect with young adults. In a news release, the Michigan Army National Guard said the campaign will “highlight the shared values that exist between the MIARNG and these campus and community leaders.”

A small subset of student-athletes selected by the MIARNG will be featured. The players that will be featured weren’t identified. They will leverage their voices and social media reach to share MIARNG messaging with their peer group of 17-24-year-olds. 

“The Michigan Army National Guard steps up and serves Michigan communities every day,” said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “Joining the Guard is a great way to kickstart your career and embark on pathways to higher education, skills training and good-paying jobs.

“I am grateful for the collaboration between these student-athletes and the Michigan National Guard to highlight the Guard’s excellent career options – a partnership made possible by the NIL legislation I signed in 2020.”

Valiant Management is run by former Michigan football player Jared Wangler and former U-M hockey athlete Niko Porikos. They launched the Champions Circle collective in June 2022. Valiant Management is a successful Michigan-based sports marketing agency. The group says it is perfectly positioned to “connect U-M student-athletes with fans and businesses for NIL opportunities.”