College football NIL Collectives: What to know about the Oklahoma Sooners collectives

The Wonderful World of College Football NIL

If you were frozen in 2013 and thawed out in 2023, the world would look different for obvious reasons. In 2013, Apple’s premiere iPhone was the 5S. And everyone today, except for my Dad, has moved on from this ancient piece of technology and upgraded several phones on their way to the current iPhone 14 Pro. In 2013 Vine was a thing. Remember Vine? The six-second video-based social media platform is known for its comedic videos. Well, today, I feel a hundred years old when I watch YouTube videos of compilations of old Vines. One thing that would feel just as odd to experience would be the world of college football.

College football in 2023 combines mega-billionaire TV business deals, Deion Sanders wearing a cowboy hat, transfer portal news, and name/image/likeness (NIL). Like the ever-expanding college football playoff, NIL has shifted the world of college football a little closer to becoming an official minor league system for the National Football League. But what exactly is NIL, how does it work, and where does the University of Oklahoma fit into its world?

What is NIL?

Name-image & likeness is basically a term used to denote the NCAA’s legality stance concerning college athletes profiting off of their name…image… and, yep, likeness. Not too long ago, college athletes figured they deserved more compensation for their performance and image. More than their fully paid collegiate scholarships, including room, board, tuition to some of the finest institutions in the world, and books. They, like the rest of this great country, wanted more compensation. I can’t say that I blame them. What’s the worst the NCAA can say? No?

Following increasing public and internal pressure, media scrutiny, and court rulings, the NCAA Board of Directors lifted their rules around athletes selling their rights to their NILs. Instead, the NCAA passed the buck to the individual states the member institutions reside in to determine the extent of NIL a player could profit from. The new rules have created a massive grey area surrounding the logistics and legality of NIL deals. Many college football pundits have called the unique environment of NIL the “Wild West.”

What is a Collective?

A collective is basically an unaffiliated collection of outside donors who compile their money into a fund and assist athletes in finding, receiving, and profiting from NIL deals. They consider themselves “facilitators” of NIL for college athletes. Unofficially, they are a program recruiting and retention war chest. Each school can be unofficially affiliated with its own collective or multiple collectives. The more powerful a collective a school has, the more money the school has, and we all know what that means. These collectives use the money they bring in to maximize potential endorsement deals for players, which hopefully entices premiere recruits and transfer portal additions to choose your school to play their football career out at. Oh… the collectives are all about maximizing education opportunities too…

As of May 2023, 95 percent of the Power 5 schools across the nation have or are in the process of developing, a collective. If you don’t have one, don’t stress out about the college football program, they won’t be any good. Don’t worry about making a bowl game; it’s not happening. An unconfirmed 2023 report from the Athletic, the world’s most extensive and in-depth sports reporting organization, detailed a 3-year, 8-million dollar NIL deal for a 2023 recruit. If an unproven freshman recruit could ink a 3-year, 8-million dollar NIL deal, imagine what a former Biletnikoff-winning wide receiver could pull in from a “rebuilding” West Coast giant. I’m talking about former USC wide receiver and current Minnesota Viking first-round pick Jordan Addison. Following his sophomore year in Pittsburg, Addison won the Biletnikoff award as the nation’s top wide receiver. He transferred to USC for the next season, where he immediately landed a massive NIL deal with United Airlines. The story’s coincidence is that the LA Coliseum’s naming rights are owned by… United Airlines. So, what is the collective environment in Sooner Nation looking like?

Two official collectives are currently operating for the Oklahoma Sooners… unaffiliated, of course.

1Oklahoma

Founded by Barry Switzer and a group of other businessmen, community leaders, alumni, and fans. According to the 1Oklahoma website, this collective is “a non-profit organization committed to serving some of the most impactful charities in the State of Oklahoma through the name, image, and likeness of Oklahoma athletes.” You can donate any amount you find necessary to the 1Oklahoma cause on their website.

The 1Oklahoma collective advertises as the only official NIL-approved sponsor for the University of Oklahoma. There are four featured sports on the 1Oklahoma website, including football, men’s and women’s hoops, and softball. The 2022 class of athletes were football players Justin Broiles, Billy Bowman, Drake Stoops, and Gavin Freeman. Softball players Grace Lyons and Tiare Jennings.

Crimson and Cream

This collective was founded by an ‘advisory board’ of eleven members. According to their website, the Crimson and Cream collective “leverages the collective power of the alumni and fans to equip student-athletes with the tools and resources necessary for them to excel both during and beyond their time in Norman. More importantly, we seek to help student-athletes maximize their NIL opportunities the right way, without ever compromising the values of the university and the legacy of all those who have donned the Crimson and Cream in the past.”

Six fan membership levels are associated with the Crimson and Cream, ranging in monthly membership fees starting at 10 dollars per month and increasing up to 500 dollars per month. Each increase in monthly payments comes with increased incentives and rewards for members, including exclusive access to supporter events, exclusive student-athlete interviews, content, autographed memorabilia, and meet and greets with players. Finally, according to their website, the Crimson and Cream collective gives 85 to 90 percent of its funds to the athletes’ enhancement.

Where do the Sooners rank?

Overall, the Sooners have an average status concerning their collectives. These two collectives are run by powerful groups, and they’re well organized. More importantly, they’re well-funded. These two programs are the oxygen the Sooner sports department needs to breathe. Without them, the Sooner athletics prestige would fall, eventually landing in an insignificant range. The SEC has several influential collectives associated with their member institutions.

According to On3, the most accurate and consistent reporter on NIL in college football, Tennessee has the most powerful, successful, and ambitious NIL collective in college sports. Six of the top 20 collectives in college sports are from the SEC, the future home of Sooner Conference football. Texas ranked number nine. Texas Tech comes in at number eight. Southern Methodist University ranks number 18. The Sooners?… unranked.

This is the way it is. It’s not 2013 anymore. The BCS is gone, Saturdays are losing value as the College Football Playoff grows, and NIL collectives are taking over the true power of a college football program’s engine. Sooner Nation has to put their money where their mouth is if they want a chance at a National Championship. I would encourage you to check these out online and do some research. I give to a collective, won’t say which one, and won’t say how much, but I figured I’d kick in some. Buying beers, I mean cokes at games, doesn’t cut it anymore. These two collectives need support from Sooner Nation.

If you can’t give it, it’s completely fine. But at least spread the word. These things are war chests for college football programs, and we all have to be Rosie the Riveter these days.