Northwestern becomes last Big Ten program with NIL collective

After watching rival Big Ten programs make big waves on the NIL front, the Northwestern Wildcats finally have a collective supporting its student-athletes.

With the launch of TrueNU, Northwestern is the last Big Ten athletic program to have a collective.

Collectives are often founded by prominent alumni and influential supporters that pool funds from a wide swath of donors to help create NIL deals for student-athletes through an array of activities.

Northwestern fans have been clamoring for answers to help support its student-athletes while watching conference rivals lead the way with their collectives. TrueNU leaders are hopeful its formation will create ways to help the Wildcats on the recruiting trail and retain top talent currently on rosters across a number of different sports.

According to a report from the Wildcat Report, TrueNU has compensated Northwestern student-athletes in three sports.

Yet, collective leaders say the group is not fully operational at this point. TrueNU will focus on supporting charitable and community organizations. The collective aims to be designated as a 501(c)(3) charity. Outside of “pay-for-play” implications in recruiting, the question of whether a collective can actually be a charity has been the most widely debated topic by NIL experts.

TrueNU will do NIL the ‘Northwestern way’

Nonetheless, Executive Director Jacob Schmidt – a former Wildcat star running back and Director of Football Operations under Pat Fitzgerald – said TrueNU hopes to unveil its full website in January to help others become more involved.

“Northwestern is not the most flashy program when it comes to NIL, but we have some great avenues for support,” Schmidt told The Wildcat Report.

TrueNU has also already gotten support from Fitzgerald. But the longtime Wildcat coach also pointed out that Northwestern isn’t going to get caught up in “pay-for-play” that’s significantly impacting the recruiting trail and the Transfer Portal.

“We’re not going to be part of that,” Fitzgerald recently on National Signing Day. “I understand what’s being said out there. We’re going to follow the rules. We’re going to do the things that fit Northwestern and the expectations we have here as a university and as a community.”

Even with the launch, NIL observers say Northwestern and TrueNU have a tough road ahead to catch up with others in the Big Ten.

“Northwestern has a lot of catching up to do to compete for top talent,” NIL expert and attorney Darren Heitner said Thursday morning on social media.

But Schmidt and Wildcat fans say it’s a good step forward for Northwestern on the NIL front.