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Last Updated on February 24, 2022
I joke that there’s something new every day in NIL, but it’s true most days. The latest? A subscription box for fans done in conjunction with the athletic department that benefits student athletes, the Tarheel FanBox.
Created by NIL FanBox in partnership with The BrandR Group—which you’ll remember, offers group licensing opportunities to UNC student athletes—this new program was open to UNC men’s and women’s basketball athletes. It’s described as a “revolutionary memorabilia platform to deliver Tarheel fans officially endorsed, autographed collectibles of their favorite teams and players.
Fans can subscribe for less than $10 per month to receive authentic, autographed player memorabilia, delivered right to their door, with what they describe as “meaningful” profits distributed back to Tarheel student athletes. Fans can even customize their Tarheel FanBox with exclusive, limited edition “add-ons” from a number of all-time UNC greats who have opted in to BrandR’s Group Licensing Program as well.
“We’re thrilled to bring this initiative to athletes from iconic brands like North Carolina Basketball to deliver passionate sports fans authentic memorabilia, delivered right to their door. For the first time in history, fans can “direct-buy,” autographed, officially endorsed collectibles of their favorite student athletes, pre-approved by university compliance departments.” said Terry Comer, CEO of NIL FanBox. “We have created a protection-focused model that allows everyday fans, Collectives, and corporations to join the NIL movement in a simple, safe and trusted way.”
“The relationship with The BrandR Group allows NIL FanBox to deliver a new collectibles experience that promotes player and gender equity as more fans opt-in. We’re very excited for how this platform safely unlocks the NIL recruiting power of mega fanbases while allowing players to profit off their NIL alongside University IP,” said Grayson Farrar, VP of Sales at TBG.
“We are excited that NIL Fanbox has already impacted student athletes at UNC, and we anticipate other programs adopting NIL FanBox in the near future,” said Farrar. “Our group licensing agreements are meant for all athletes across all sports and gender. NIL FanBox is a great example of how group licensing can bring benefits to all athletes and the fans, together.”
Each player on the men’s and women’s basketball teams received financial compensation as part of the program launch. The first autograph signing sessions were intentionally scheduled for December 15-16 so that payment could be issued to the student athletes before the holidays. In total, $100,000 was distributed to the participating athletes in December.
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