Stashlete a unique option for NIL support at South Carolina
Shane Beamer recently made the case for more NIL support for South Carolina athletics, which has stirred plenty of discussion among the Gamecock fan base.
With some donors already feeling stretched, many NIL collectives are looking at ways to get creative and prevent confusion among fans that want to participate.
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A Columbia native and die-hard Gamecock fan, Melissa saw a void in the space and has launched a unique solution: Stashlete.
Seigler, who was adopted and grew up playing AAU sports, remembers as a youth watching some of her fellow teammates struggle financially. She wanted to find a way to bring a “pay-it-forward” mentality to the world of NIL while also giving back to fans.
“It’s super personal,” Seigler told GamecockCentral.com. “My mom bought a Suburban when I was playing AAU basketball because she saw a lot of my teammates couldn’t even get to Columbia to Asheville for a tournament. As I graduated high school, a lot of my teammates and friends went on to play D1, and it didn’t get easier for them. It actually gets more difficult from a financial standpoint.
The Stashlete web app allows fans to sign up for a monthly “round-up” on regular purchases, capped at an amount of their choosing.
Stashlete, Inc. has partnered with South Carolina athletics NIL collective Garnet Trust. The program launched first with the Shelley Smiths’ women’s soccer team.
The response was impressive: 40 users in the first 48 hours alone.
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Now, Stashlete gives South Carolina fans the ability to round up on purchases that benefit any of USC’s athletics programs.
Others around the country are onboarding, too. Collectives at UMass – where former Gamecocks basketball coach Frank Martin is situated – and Kansas State are two of the most recent to link up with Stashlete.
“Our platform caters to many audiences from college students to retirees, all having one thing in common: A passion for college sports,” Seigler said.
Seigler feels that Stashlete is a great way for them to make a difference on the NIL front.
“There are many misconceptions around NIL. Only the top 1 percent are truly benefiting from NIL,” she noted. “We have created a space where we aim to benefit all athletes, not just a few. More importantly, with conference realignment and many fast changes in collegiate sports, we want to increase fan and athlete engagement, not for the gap to further divide.”
Stashlete is really changing the narrative around NIL and how it is perceived.
“How do we connect fans with their favorite teams and players, and do it in a real meaningful way that creates impact?”
Stashlete will have a user perks program launching with version 2 this December. Not all benefits will be sports-related, as they want to step outside the box and offer discounts that consumers can use year-round, from travel discounts to groceries.
“A lot of really exciting things are in the works and we are just thrilled to start at the University of South Carolina, one of the most loyal fanbases in the country,” said Seigler.
As the company’s motto says: “The power of NIL. The passion of fans.”
