Davison to head up new Husker NIL operation

Just three weeks ago, Matt Davison had no idea this Huskers-related venture would happen.

It wasn’t on his radar, he said.

He admits he didn’t have any interest in jumping into the name, image and likeness realm of college athletics.

Two weeks ago, however, prominent Nebraska businessmen Tom Peed and son Shawn Peed approached Davison with a plan of starting a collective supporting Nebraska student-athletes, with Davison as head of the operation.

Davison contemplated the idea and after meeting in person with the Peeds, he decided to move forward with the plan.

Wednesday, Davison and the Peeds formally announced the launch of The 1890 Initiative, which will focus on helping Nebraska football and volleyball players with NIL opportunities.  

Nebraska played its first football game against the Omaha YMCA in November of 1890.

Davison is in his fifth season on the Nebraska football staff, currently serving as senior associate athletic director for external engagement. He plans to leave that position within the next three weeks to dive head-first into The 1890 Initiative as its president.  

He’ll build a team of employees for 1890 that will include Joe Selig as vice president for development. Selig earlier this year announced his planned retirement from his position as senior vice president for development for the University of Nebraska Foundation.

Davison’s trust in the Peeds played a major role in his decision.

Selig also has a strong relationship with the family.

“They’re going to provide a big contribution every year for (the collective) that’s going to cover all expenses and overhead and a big-time, robust infrastructure behind it,” Davison said. “So, all the resources that Sandhills (Global) has at their office – from legal, to web design, accounting, all those things that it takes to run a business – they’re going to provide all of that on the back end.

“That’ll let me be able to go raise money and tell people that 100 percent of their donations will go straight to where they want it to go to, and that’s to the players.”

RELATED: The 1890 Initiative is type of NIL collective Nebraska needs to land top coach

Davison says transition plan in place with ABM

Davison said a transition plan is in place with Athlete Branding & Marketing, the first and most prominent collective to offer NIL opportunities to Nebraska athletes. ABM, which has an office in the Haymarket district in Lincoln, has represented dozens of mostly football and volleyball players since August of 2021.

ABM intends to cease operations at the end of 2022. It has been headed by Gerrod Lambrecht, the former Nebraska football chief of staff under former head coach Scott Frost.

When Frost was dismissed Sept. 11, Davison said he at that point knew ABM “was going to wind down operations by the end of the year.”

Lambrecht will help 1890 with its transition, Davison said.

“I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m very aware of what ABM was doing,” Davison added. “Those people who have contributed to ABM over the last 15 months, I’m aware of all of them. I’ve been involved in that. That’s what is going to allow us to make a smooth transition from ABM to 1890.

“I know most of those folks. I feel like we have a lot of people who are going to want to support 1890 who were supporting ABM before.”

What’s more, Davison said, his relationship with Nebraska athletes will help with the transition.   

Davison’s collective will focus on football and volleyball in part because those sports were ABM’s focus and therefore will help ease the transition. Nebraska men’s basketball has its own collective.

“I love this entire university — I want every program to win every game — but for me football has always been more special to me,” said Davison, noting he did “dabble” in basketball as a one-time Husker player while later serving as a Husker Radio Network hoops analyst for 15 years (until 2018) before focusing on only football in recent years.

He hopes to stay on as the top football analyst for the network, a job he’s held for 19 years.

“I think we need to get football right,” Davison said of his new objective, “and keep volleyball rolling.”

Davison sought Alberts’ blessing

Davison made it clear that he didn’t want to undertake his new role without the support of Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts. After meeting with the Peeds, Davison met with Alberts to discuss the Peeds’ idea.

“I wanted his blessing, I wanted his endorsement, because I love working here,” Davison said. “I love working in the athletic department.”

A standout receiver on Nebraska’s 1997 national championship team, Davison most recently raised $80 million-plus for the “Go Big Project,” which ultimately will take the form of one of the most elite training facilities in college athletics.  

The building is scheduled to be completed this coming July.

For the past two decades, Davison has built a relationship with donors that will help in his new role.

Alberts seemed excited about it, Davison said.

In a news release from The 1890 Initiative, Alberts thanked Davison for his hard work over the years.

“Matt has a passion for Nebraska, and we look forward to his new venture with The 1890 Initiative,” Alberts said. “As I have said many times, Nebraska is positioned to be a leader in Name, Image and Likeness, and it is a positive when there are many people and groups that want to help our student-athletes.

“This collective will give our young men and women another opportunity in the NIL world.”

Selig’s inclusion in 1890 is considered critical, considering his extensive and successful background in fund raising. He worked for the University of Nebraska Foundation for nearly two decades and previously spent two-plus decades in the NU athletic department leading external operations and fund raising. His retirement from the foundation is effective Dec. 31, and he’ll start with Davison’s crew Jan. 1.

“He’s about the best guy I could’ve ever imagined joining the team,” Davison said.

He’ll soon have an operations person hired, he said.  

About three weeks ago, another collective — The Big Red Collaborative – announced its formation. That collective’s founders include Kris Brown, a 12-year NFL kicker and Nebraska football great who was a teammate of Davison’s.

The Big Red Collaborative says it differentiates itself by establishing a 501(c)(3) public charity arm that is geared to provide benefits to non-profit organizations. Student-athletes will leverage their NIL to promote and benefit these charities, bringing increased visibility and participation that would not have existed otherwise.

Davison seemed optimistic the collectives can co-exist and even thrive.

“There’s plenty of work to be done,” he said.