Ole Miss-driven The Grove NIL Collective launches 'March to Victory' bracket challenge

The Ole Miss-focused NIL entity The Grove Collective is back to creating innovative fundraising tactics.

The donor-funded organization launched its “March to Victory Bracket Challenge” on Monday. Powered by the sporting goods manufacturer Realtree, the month-long initiative aims to raise $10 million and surpass 10,000 Grove Collective members by the end of March.

Opposed to a traditional marketing campaign, The Grove is leaning into the idea of March Madness. And taking advantage of its university alignment, the collective is working hand-in-hand with Ole Miss Athletics, the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation and the Ole Miss Alumni Association.

Splitting the Ole Miss fanbase up into 16 regions, the bracket-style tourney will determine which area of the country raises the most dollars for the Rebels’ NIL operations. Realtree has already offered to match $500,000 in donations.

Grove Collective executive director Walker Jones told On3 that the $10 million goal is “attainable.”

“The March To Victory initiative underscores the immense power that comes from the shared efforts of the entire Ole Miss community,” he said. “This unprecedented level of collaboration and alignment between our university stakeholders and The Grove Collective enables Ole Miss and our athletes to continue to lead at the forefront of name, image and likeness. We challenge all of our national alumni, fans and students to activate your region in this first-of-its-kind fundraising campaign that will help us continue the momentum and upward trajectory of our great university.”

How does NIL bracket challenge work?

The first round will establish seeds before the top eight regions advance to a bracket-style format. Ole Miss fans have until March 18 to make contributions until the Elite 8 begins. Here is the full schedule breakdown:

• Seeding Round – March 4 through March 18
• Elite 8 Round – March 19 through March 25
• Final 4 Round – March 26  through April 1
• Championship Round – April 2 through April 8

According to a news release, the winning region will receive prizes and have the opportunity to vote on a charity of choice in their area. Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin and Grove Collective athletes will host an event for the selected charity.

“We can’t wait to get this new campaign underway and celebrate the spirit of March Madness in a fun and innovative way,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said. “We are grateful for the unyielding support of The Grove Collective, and we know the Ole Miss family will step up and contribute in a big way for this creative initiative.”

Ole Miss’ The Grove Collective leader in NIL space

When Jones took over as executive director of the collective in September 2022, he had some heavy lifting to do. Ole Miss was playing catch-up in NIL, a position no collective wants to be in. 

By late November 2022, the collective topped the $10 million mark in fundraising. It remains one of the top reported totals in the NIL collective market. While Jones hammered home the importance of donors contributing to The Grove, he made sure the collective was locating revenue outside of the fan base through deals with local and national brands.

When On3 released its top 20 ambitious NIL collective rankings at the end of June 2023, The Grove clocked in at No. 9 on the list. At the time the collective had contracts with 165 athletes with at least one player from each varsity sport.

“Their school has really gotten behind Walker and his team,” a source told On3 at the time.

Before the start of the 2023 season, the collective ran a seven-day NIL fundraising campaign. The organization raised more than $3 million in roughly 10 days. Adding more than $3 million to the bank account made a strong statement before Ole Miss even started its football season.

The Grove Collective’s success has surely made an impact on the roster. Ole Miss finished this recent transfer portal cycle with the No. 3 class, per On3. Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen and South Carolina wide receiver Juice Wells are the headliners.

Launching another major fundraising campaign comes at crucial time, as a preliminary injunction in Tennessee now allows collectives to openly negotiate deals with high school and portal recruits. The NCAA has halted all NIL investigations involving collectives, too.

Having cash in the bank has arguably never been more important.