UTSA joins with The Brandr Group for NIL group licensing for student-athletes
UTSA and The Brandr Group announced Monday that they’ve established a group licensing agreement for Roadrunner student-athletes. The deal allows UTSA student-athletes the opportunity to combine their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) with official trademarks and logos as part of the group licensing program.
“As we continue to expand our Runners Go Bold NIL programming, we identified The Brandr Group as an organization that would be able to continue to allow our student-athletes to engage in an entrepreneurial fashion while representing the UTSA brand,” UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos said.
“The NIL landscape is ever-evolving. We want to be strategic in discovering partnerships that positively impact our 350-plus student-athletes. This partnership with The Brandr Group – a leader in this space – will continue to open doors for our Roadrunners. We are thrilled for our student-athletes to have another resource at their disposal and for the community to have innovative ways of supporting our student-athletes.”
UTSA said the partnership with The Brandr Group allows for the collective use of student-athletes’ NIL in licensing and marketing programs, co-branded with the UTSA logos and marks.
UTSA student-athletes will have the option to voluntarily join a group licensing program.
The Brandr Group will facilitate group licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes. Participation in the program will not limit any student-athletes’ NIL rights in their individual licensing and marketing activities.
The Brandr Group has NIL deals with more than 10 schools
The Brandr Group, a brand management, marketing and licensing agency, will administer the program. It will also develop licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes.
The company also manages the group rights program for the NFL, NBA and MLB players’ associations in the college space. The group has also struck similar deals like this recently with Baylor, Colorado State, Arkansas, Pitt, Cincinnati, Boston College, Colorado, Syracuse, Illinois, Florida and others.
Products that combine team logos and player names and numbers have accounted for a large portion of licensed sports merchandise sales at the professional level for decades. This program opens the door for the same opportunities for student-athletes at the collegiate level.
Fans can expect to be able to purchase official UTSA merchandise, including team jerseys, with the name and number of their favorite Roadrunners players who have joined the respective group licensing program once TBG enters into agreements with applicable school trademark licensees.
“We are delighted to be working closely with UTSA Athletics to explore exciting new opportunities for their student-athletes,” said Rick Perko, Vice President of Program Development at The Brandr Group. “Through this group licensing agreement, Roadrunners’ student-athletes will have the chance to capitalize on their NIL through a vast merchandising portfolio, while also developing new player engagement opportunities for fans.”