Last Updated on October 12, 2022
A new Indiana nonprofit, Hoosiers Connect, has entered the NIL world with its sights set on facilitating sponsorship agreements between commercial brands and Indiana University (IU) men’s basketball and football athletes.
Hoosiers Connect allows individual and corporate partners exclusive access to IU men’s basketball and football athletes. Members can expect guided tours of IU’s football and basketball facilities, a drawing for two floor tickets to a Big Ten game, and more.
The newfound nonprofit is led by Executive Director Tyler Harris, Vice President of Partnerships and former IU basketball player Collin Hartman, and board members Pete Yonkman, Jared Jeffries, Brenna Wise, Wesley Jones, and Jeana Finlinson.
Inspired by the work of Hoosiers For Good, Harris said that “we saw an opportunity to use our expertise in the quickly-changing NIL space—and leverage our existing relationships with IU student-athletes—to support businesses that want to use NIL for their commercial endeavors.”
“When you become a member, you will enjoy truly unforgettable experiences with family, friends, clients, and colleagues,” Collin Hartman said. “Companies are thinking creatively about the commercial side of NIL, and we see a real opportunity to facilitate NIL agreements in a way that follows the rules, benefits local businesses, and ultimately helps Indiana flourish.”
Membership benefits for Hoosiers Connect are organized by tier. Each tier includes a variety of perks at different rates and is categorized by individual membership benefits and corporate sponsorship benefits.
Individual memberships start at $100/month while corporate sponsorship benefits start at $50,000.
Membership Levels and Benefits for Hoosier Connect
Individual Hoosiers Connect membership benefits
Cream Level Access
$100/mo or $1,200 annually
Perks include:
- Men’s basketball and football t-shirts through Campus Ink
- A men’s basketball floating head poster
- One entry for men’s basketball and one for football team autographed memorabilia
- Monthly video updates from the players
- One entry per membership for two court side seats at a men’s basketball Big Ten game
- One entry per membership for Big Ten Henke Hall of Champions seats
- Access to a June 2023 welcome event with the players
Crimson Level Access
$500/mo or $6K annually
Perks include all the benefits of Cream Level Access plus:
- Player-guided tours of the men’s basketball and football facilities
- An invitation to a football tailgate hosted by the men’s basketball players
- Two tickets to a home basketball game and a home football game annually
Candy Stripe Level Access
$1K/mo or $12K/annually
Capped at 50 members annually
Perks include all the benefits of Cream and Crimson Level Access plus:
- Two Adidas men’s basketball or football players’ jerseys
- Two personalized football and men’s basketball player videos
- Access to a pre-game men’s basketball dinner hosted by football players
- One entry for special event packages (ex. men’s basketball in Las Vegas or a football Bowl game)
- Tickets to our annual gala hosted by men’s basketball and football players
- Two Q&A video calls with coaching staff from men’s basketball, and two with coaching staff from football
Corporate sponsorship benefits
Silver Sponsorship
$50,000
- 5 Candy Stripe Level membership packages
- A partnership agreement with an IU athlete that includes your choice of social media posts and/or appearances aligned with your company’s strategic priorities
- Silver Sponsorship recognition on all communications to members, including a newsletter, event signage, and more
Gold Sponsorship
$100,000
- 10 Candy Stripe Level membership packages
- A partnership agreement with an IU athlete that includes your choice of social media posts and/or appearances aligned with your company’s strategic priorities
- Gold Sponsorship recognition on all communications to members, including a newsletter, event signage, and more
- A Hoosiers Connect membership event recap video that you can use and share
Platinum Sponsorship
$200,000
- 20 Candy Stripe Level membership packages
- A partnership agreement with an IU athlete that includes your choice of social media posts and/or appearances aligned with your company’s strategic priorities
- Platinum Sponsorship recognition on all communications to members, including a newsletter, event signage, and more
- A Hoosiers Connect membership event recap video that you can use and share
- Additional promotional opportunities of your company to Hoosiers Connect members
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