SMU alumni to contribute over $1 million annually to NIL program

Name, image and likeness opportunities continue to pop up across college football programs in Texas, and now a prominent Group of Five team will reap the benefits of their alums.

Paul Loyd, an SMU graduate and businessman for whom the Loyd All-Sports Center is named at SMU, announced on Tuesday he will lead an alumni NIL effort tied to SMU football. Former players Eric Dickerson, Luke Crossland, Dick Anderson, Kevin Beachum and Richie Butler will join Loyd in his efforts. The group plans to give in excess of $1 million every year to the “PonyUp” program.

“One of SMU’s biggest assets is the success and connectivity of SMU alums, of Dallas, and in combination the support for SMU student athletes,” Loyd said in a statement, via the Dallas Morning News. “SMU is Dallas’s team and has made huge progress in every aspect of the program, so businesses stepping up for SMU NIL’s is yet another signal that SMU football is continuing the momentum and ready to take another huge step.”

The program will include “NIL Learnships,” which will provide individual counseling for players from business leaders on how to monetize themselves in the NIL space. They also hope to prepare the student-athletes for business and life after college.

“The program will have several elements including Professional Development, Community, and as Clearing House/Matchmaker for businesses and players,” the PonyUp Supporters said in a press release. “For example, the Professional Development program called ‘NIL Learnships,’ an innovative twist on the paid internship, whereas players are connected to successful entrepreneurs and develop a 1 to 1 mutual mentorship, with both parties exchanging ideas and different perspectives, and the athlete getting enhanced mentoring in areas such as financial management and other business skills.”

The hope for the initiative is that it will expand quickly and earn the attention of high-level prospects looking to profit from their NIL. The Texas markets are already huge into this space, as there is already a similar program at Texas called “Horns With Heart.” The program will pay $50,000 to every scholarship offensive each season. Just after the program was announced, Texas earned commitments from high-level offensive linemen Kelvin Banks and Cameron Williams.

According to Business Wire, Dallas is a top-three market in the United States for brand media spending in college football with sponsorships like AT&T, Southwest Airlines, Toyota, Charles Schwab, Pepsi/Frito Lay, American Airlines and Exxon.