Fear The Wave Collective Group starts baseball-minded fundraising

The Tulane-focused NIL collective Fear The Wave Collective Group announced Tuesday a fundraising campaign centers around the university’s baseball team. Donors can contribute dollar amounts per win, strikeout or home run.

“Your contributions will fund NIL deals for Tulane baseball players,” posted the Twitter account for Fear The Wave Collective Group.

“Hey, what’s up?” Tulane sophomore pitcher and outfielder Teo Banks said in a video that accompanied the tweet. “This is Teo Banks. The 2023 season is right around the corner and our team couldn’t be more excited. I just wanted to get on here to let everyone know that the great folks at Fear The Wave Collective have created a unique fundraising platform for you to support our team throughout the 2023 season.

“It’s simple. You just scan the QR code or click on the link below to check it out. Decide if you want to pledge support for each win or home run or strikeout, or all three. When you participate in this campaign, you are directly impacting the entire 2023 baseball team. Please take a minute to check it out and make your pledge today.”

Fear The Wave Collective Group clarified the campaign in a follow-up tweet.

“This is not pay for play and your donations will not go directly to the player who hits the home run or gets the win,” the follow-up tweet stated. “This is simply a fundraising mechanism. Contributions will go to baseball NIL deals TBD by FTW.”

Fear The Wave Collective Group supports NIL opportunities for Tulane athletes

Fear The Wave Collective Group launched in January 2022 to support the NIL opportunities for Tulane athletes. The organization is registered as a non-profit with 501(c)(3) status. Donations are tax deductible.

Its website says that the collective signed deals with every member of the football and men’s and women’s basketball teams, plus “several members of the baseball team and one women’s tennis player.”

Fear The Wave Collective Group’s website includes statements from former running back Tyjae Spears, safety Larry Brooks and linebacker Dorian Williams.

“NIL opportunities mean a lot to me as an athlete because it gives me the chance to benefit from the hard work my team and I put in year round,” Spears said in the statement.

Tulane’s football programs posted a 12-2 record in the 12-2 season, capped off by a comeback win over USC in the Cotton Bowl. The Green Wave finished the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25 poll.

Tulane opens the baseball season Feb. 17 with a three-game series at UC Irvine. The Green Wave posted a 33-26-1 record last season.