EAST LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — For decades, college athletes playing in front of sold out stadiums and massive TV audiences saw not a single penny of that revenue. However, recent name, image and likeness (NIL) rules now mean their success on the field is translating to financial success.
Last week, MSU football players launched the "East Lansing NIL Club," a new way for fans to directly pay players on the team in exchange for exclusive content. As of July 14, the club had generated $81,000 in revenue.
“It's gonna give them opportunities to have more engagement with us," said Center Nick Samac, a Senior. "We already are in a chat room where all the fans that have bought passes already, we can just message them back and forth which has never been done before.”
Each access pass costs $199 with the proceeds from each sale split evenly among roughly 100 players. The site is run by the company YOKE.
“The success of the program is what we make of it so if everyone chips in, the more it’s going to help all of us,” said defensive end Jeff Pietrowski.
A handful of other big-time programs like Nebraska, Texas, Iowa, Auburn and Notre Dame have also launched similar NIL clubs to fund players. Along with online access to message boards, passes include future meet and greets and tailgates.
“We're excited to see what it's going to bring us because it's new to us too," Samac said. "Everyone who is apart of it is excited and we can't wait.”
Only 4,000 passes are available with new passes being bought each year, giving fans a chance to financially support their favorite team as a new era of college football arrives
“It is nice that it’s the whole team and it’s nice that we were able to work it out where everyone gets paid, not just one of two guys,” Pietrowski said.
"We really do appreciate all the fans, what they’re doing for us because every pass they purchase goes to help us out,” Samac said.
