Texas One Fund partners with WME Sports for major NIL collaboration

Texas One, the preferred Texas-focused collective, is partnering with WME Sports in an agreement that is expected to expand NIL opportunities for all Longhorn student-athletes.

WME Sports is a leader in athlete representation, sports media consulting and property solutions. The arrangement is similar to the one struck between WME and Golden Touch, a Notre Dame-affiliated collective, in August.

However, the collaboration makes even more sense because of the Longhorns’ overall strength as an athletic program and the budding NIL marketplace in the Lone Star State.

According to WME, the engagement is designed to uplift and expand Texas One Fund’s ability to provide NIL deals for all Longhorns student-athletes by tapping into the agency’s strong brand relationships and industry expertise.

As a key component of the partnership, WME Sports will have a sales team based in Austin working hand-in-hand with the Texas One Fund ​​​to support its mission to empower Longhorns student-athletes.

Most importantly, the partnership has the blessing of UT’s athletic department.

“The partnership between the Texas One Fund and WME Sports brings together two powerhouses, providing a unique advantage to our enrolled student-athletes,” Longhorns’ athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a news release. “Our student-athletes are best in class, and this partnership will supercharge NIL opportunities available to them.”

WME boosts Texas One Fund’s overall strength

Mark Shapiro, the President and Chief Operating Officer of Endeavor – the parent company of WME – called the arrangement a “best in class.”

“The combination of WME Sports’ industry-leading expertise in the space, the scale of the greater Endeavor portfolio which includes IMG and 160over90, and the attraction of the iconic Longhorns collegiate athletic program, makes for an undeniably compelling offering for student-athletes in Austin,” Shapiro said in the statement.

WME Sports acts as an advisor developing strategies for leading brands and properties throughout collegiate sports and has built NIL businesses for a wide range of student-athletes across multiple sports.

The Texas One Fund was formed in November 2022 after five separate UT NIL collectives combined. It’s developed into one of the most ambitious and successful collectives in the NIL marketplace.

Patrick “Wheels” Smith, President of Texas One Fund, said he’s excited about the news.

“With the city of Austin, the state of Texas, and now adding WME Sports to our team, the sky’s the limit for corporate NIL opportunities for Texas athletes,” Smith said.

WME Sports represents many top college athletes

Since the NIL Era began more than two years ago, WME Sports has sought to support athletes with NIL deals, as well as business, marketing, and content strategy.

WME Sports has previously developed strategies and built NIL businesses for a wide swath of college athletes, including LSU gymnastics star and influencer Oliva Dunne. Many of those names are considered some of the highest earners in NIL outside, especially Dunne. She has the third-highest On3 NIL Valuation at $3.3 million, which ranks No. 2 on the On3 NIL 100.

WME Sports also represents North Carolina women’s basketball star Deja Kelly, Texas track and field’s Sam Hurley and UCLA softball’s Maya Brady. The agency has worked with some football standouts, too, including Evan Stewart and Maason Smith.

The agency was also in the headlines in November when it signed an NIL representation agreement with Class of 2025 five-star offensive tackle David Sanders of Charlotte Providence Day School.