Nearly one year ago to the day (September 2, 2021, to be exact), Gator Collective lifted off the ground as the pioneer of school-specific name, image, and likeness (NIL) entities. Since then, the Collective has signed deals with nearly one hundred athletes across eight different sports- and recently announced that any athlete at the University of Florida is officially qualified to sign a name, image, and likeness deal with Gator Collective.
Along the way, the Collective also signed another type of deal. On the final day of January 2022, the Florida Gators Athletic Association announced a new partnership with Gator Collective. The deal results in the Collective becoming a sponsor of the Florida Gators, the first NIL company to officially partner with the University they aim to support.
But what, exactly, does that mean?
The Gator Collective Sponsorship
By becoming a sponsor of the Florida Gators, the Collective is now linked to the University of Florida in the same way that corporations such as Pepsi or Delta Airlines are. Gator Collective statements and activities are not publicized as official types of representation of the Florida Gators. The two are distinctly separate brands. Gator Collective is not an official branch of the Florida Gators Athletics Association, nor is the inverse true.
But Gator Collective is now authorized by the University of Florida to have advertisements placed around campus, on the JumboTrons of Florida Gator arenas and stadiums, and in official Florida Gators magazines, game programs, and emails. In other words, Gator fans can now expect to see the Collective’s brand new logo when attending Florida Gators sporting events.
Gator Collective Has Scott Stricklin’s Personal Stamp Of Approval
The Collective is thankful to have the support of one of the most important figures in the world of Florida Gator athletics.
“We are excited to welcome the Gator Collective as a new sponsor of Florida Athletics,” said Scott Stricklin, Athletics Director at the University of Florida, back in January. “The NIL space is governed by our state statute along with NCAA Bylaws and the Gator Collective provides fans a way to support NIL opportunities for athletes within those rules.
Sponsorship Managed By LEARFIELD
As is the case with all other Florida Gators sponsorship deals, the Gator Collective sponsorship is managed by LEARFIELD’s Florida Gators Sports Properties, which in the words of the UAA, serves as “the multimedia rights holder and sports marketing arm of the Florida Gators.”
Join Today!
Gator Collective is a unique entity that provides college athletes with opportunities to benefit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) like never before- and in return, gives fans unprecedented levels of access to their favorite Gator athletes. Join today, and join the greatest team in college sports!
