LSU's Bayou Traditions NIL collective enters agreement with Tiger Athletic Foundation
As the NIL landscape prepares for the implications of the House settlement, LSU is strategically outsourcing its fundraising.
In an unprecedented move in the college sports space, the Tiger Athletic Foundation created a new subsidiary, TAF Services Corporation (TAFSC), which entered a paid services agreement with the LSU-driven NIL collective Bayou Traditions. Through the agreement, TAFSC provides fundraising services for the official LSU athletes collective.
According to a release from Tiger Athletic Foundation, the partnership between TAFSC and Bayou Traditions comes after consultation from LSU compliance, donors and key stakeholders. Notably, donors will now be able to receive priority points through the Tiger Athletic Foundation. LSU boosters can now log in to their Tiger Athletic Foundation/LSU ticket account and contribute directly to Bayou Traditions.
“This partnership allows Bayou Traditions access to first-class fundraising, events and stewardship services,” Tiger Athletic Foundation president and CEO Matt Borman said in a statement. “LSU student-athletes will benefit greatly from Bayou Traditions’ focus on enhanced NIL opportunities while achieving greater efficiency and fundraising success through resources made available by TAFSC.”
To start the partnership between the collective and Tiger Athletic Foundation, all contributions to Bayou Traditions through the Give 100 campaign commemorating the 100th anniversary of Tiger Stadium will receive four priority points per $1,000 contributed. According to the release, Give 100 will also directly impact NIL opportunities for LSU football athletes.
Donors will have the opportunity to receive corresponding membership benefits and Tiger Athletic Foundation priority points. This does not mean that contributions to Bayou Traditions are charitable donations.
LSU not first NIL collective to tap into priority points
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 2804 in June 2023. The revised NIL legislation provides cover for state schools from being punished by the NCAA for any NIL activity. Collectives at Texas and Texas A&M moved to allow boosters to earn priority points for donations but have since walked back those measures.
Boosters receiving priority points in exchange for dollars is one way for collectives to combat donor fatigue. The top-spending NIL collectives have annual budgets of more than $15 million.
But with the schools preparing for the impact of the multibillion-dollar House settlement, some collectives will move in-house while others will become even more imperative to create an advantage. Schools can opt-in to a revenue-sharing agreement, with the option to share roughly $20 to $22 million per year with players.
LSU’s decision to keep Bayou Traditions separate but provide support shows what the Tigers plan to do. Of the $2.77 billion expected to be paid in back damages to former athletes as part of the House settlement, the NCAA is expected to be responsible for 40% of the payout. The other 60% will come from a reduction in school distributions.