Top KU Jayhawk athletes sign NIL deals with local Wendy’s franchise owners

Mass St. Collective, a Kansas Jayhawk-focused collective, continues to firmly establish itself as one of the most ambitious and successful groups in the NIL market.

The organization has already executed significant NIL deals with a number of top players from the Jayhawks’ basketball and football teams, along with other partnerships in a number of other sports. Yet, Mass St. turned heads again by facilitating a NIL deal between five KU student-athletes and the Legacy Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Wendy’s franchises in Kansas and Missouri.

Legacy Restaurant Group’s owners Felix Tollinche and Kirk Williams were early movers in the NIL space, helping KU student-athletes develop and monetize their personal brands with the nationally recognized Wendy’s brand. Now they’ve partnered with a new group of Jayhawks:

• Volleyball player Caroline Bien
• Quarterback Jalon Daniels
• Point guard Dajuan Harris
• Guard Holly Kersgieter
• Forward Jalen Wilson

Daniels was a central reason why KU reached bowl eligibility for the first time since 2008. Harris and Wilson are key members of the Jayhawks’ defending national championship men’s basketball squad. Bien was the 2021 Big 12 Freshman of the Year. And Kersgieter was a first-team All-Big 12 pick after the 2021-2022 season.

Mass St. also announces women’s focused NIL club

Along with the new partnerships, the Legacy Restaurant Group and Wendy’s are now the presenting sponsors of the newly launched Mass St.’s Women’s 100 Club.

Mass St. President Dan Beckler says funds raised through this initiative will go directly to support NIL activities for KU women student-athletes. The exclusive club requires a contribution of $5,000 per year with funds raised used exclusively for NIL activities for female student-athletes at KU.

“In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, it was imperative for Mass St. to create an opportunity for businesses and individuals to support NIL initiatives for women athletes at KU,” Beckler.

“In conversations with Felix and Kirk at Wendy’s about this sponsorship deal, they jumped at the opportunity to join us in this new initiative. I credit each of them for their enthusiasm of Wendy’s to be the presenting sponsor of the Women’s 100 Club. We are grateful for their financial contribution to launch this new club.” Beckler said the club will accept 100 individuals or businesses with the goal of raising $500,000 annually for female student-athlete NIL activities.