Football Have you donated to Nebraska's NIL?

[Seaofred92]

I actually really like that idea... here's my thing being totally transparent, if they get donations for those it probably will be earmarked for tennis and golf. And I'm not sure that's their primary target. We've talked a long time on here about how we lose really good Nebraska high school golfers to places like Kansas due to facilities, and I'm not sure they want to lose some revenue dollars to those sports. To that point, maybe the people donating would be fine if it went towards football or basketball, but would it be a bad look for golf or tennis?

I just think its all in the way its marketed/presented/sold to the consumer as to whether funds need to be directed to specific sports

If 1890 is in the business of selling experiences to fans (while also soliciting donations that aren’t attached to an experience) those are two different items IMO.

1890 facilitating the sale of private lockers at Dillon and coordination on use of the golf and tennis facilities, offering private lessons/instruction with the staff, where they are collecting money in exchange for those services probably has more leeway on how they want to use those funds, albeit some percentage probably has to (and should) be allocated to those respective sports. But if you can raise ~$200k in “memberships” to Dillon and Golf Facilities a year and make a commitment to the tennis and golf staffs that you can help them get a few extra players (can’t imagine NIL for those sports being overly exorbitant) while using the rest towards football, that feels like a win, no?

At a minimum for golf and tennis alike, being able to sell a round of golf with someone on the current team or to hit balls with someone on the M/W tennis teams for a few hundred bucks feels like an easy win for 1890 to facilitate as well.

Other thoughts…

“Husker for a Weekend” experience sleeping in Selleck Dorms, eating at the training table, lifting in the weight room, doing some drills on the field, etc could be a cool once a year thing

Peeds obviously own Dormie Network which often auctions off member for a year deals at charity events - can they do the same through 1890 to raise some funds that way?

The alumni association hosts game watches nationwide.. is there a way to incorporate 1890 into those game watches/events in some way?

For hoops, early access to watch pre-game shootaround, being able to shoot hoops on the court after the game, attend a basketball practice, etc. Hell I’d even auction off being able to travel with the team to a road game on the team charter, stay in the hotel, etc.

Part of the issue is you run into overlap with benefits from the Husker Athletic Fund which also needs to raise money and probably doesn’t want 1890 infringing on the benefits they are offering, which is where I think selling things like Dillon Tennis facility lockers, use of the golf facilities, etc doesn’t directly compete with HAF, doesn’t require a massive staffing lift because the infrastructure is already there, etc

 

[iruletheskool]

Zero chance I am giving to NIL directly through 1890 or any other NIL organization

I will continue to donate (because I am required) and pay for tickets through the school because I want the same tickets and living out of state it’s the best way to guarantee that.

NIL is a rich man’s game. Asking me, who makes pennies on the dollar compared to the mega booster types, to fund college kids to play football at UNL isn’t going to do anything and is a waste of my $.

This is why it needs to be filtered through products to get us Poors' money. Have a huskers store, walmart, I don't care what so I can buy crap I want and need anyway but the profit goes to my QB not somewhere else.

 

[Seaofred92]

This is why it needs to be filtered through products to get us Poors' money. Have a huskers store, walmart, I don't care what so I can buy crap I want and need anyway but the profit goes to my QB not somewhere else.

Yup… but transparently I don’t want 1890 gear, I want Nebraska gear. You aren’t ever going to get the school to give up or share profits on Husker gear to let 1890 start selling it instead. Also pretty sure the apparel deal doesn’t even allow it since its with NU and not 1890.

I don’t envy the position 1890 is in - as someone with experience in trying to raise funds for collegiate NIL at a P4 school, its way harder than it seems, and the amount of people willing to contribute (even amongst the masses, not just the rich ones) is much smaller than anyone realizes. The most successful NIL efforts around the country are led by 1 - 5 high end donors that control/contribute everything. Passing around the bucket to get $20/person is absurdly difficult and actually doesn’t yield enough money to cover much of anything.

 

[ShortSideOption]

The Marlins have won the World Series a couple times with the lowest payroll in the league so mark me down for no

Or you hire Billy Beane... pretty easy solution.

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Or you hire Billy Beane... pretty easy solution.

The same Billy Beane who has more movies about him than World Series won with the strategy the movie is about?

But in all seriousness we act like money is the magic fix to our problems and while it certainly might help sports are littered with examples of teams that outperform their payrolls

 

[ShortSideOption]

What’s your take as to what’s going on and the end game for the 2026 class? Transfers, hoping to win and flip?

Depends if you want truth serum or if you want me to spin it. I can go either way.

 

[ShortSideOption]

I was able to specify the sport on my donation. I chose bowling of course. $50/month for me.

Everyone can specify. They prefer you don't and it goes to the general pool.

 

[ShortSideOption]

The same Billy Beane who has more movies about him than World Series won with the strategy the movie is about?

But in all seriousness we act like money is the magic fix to our problems and while it certainly might help sports are littered with examples of teams that outperform their payrolls

Well... I'd take getting to the playoffs like Billster did if we have a budget like his! (ours is better just saying)

I'd agree, throwing money at kids isn't really the answer. We need to develop guys and then pay them to stay which costs drastically less than trying to lure someone here because the kids have established relationships already. 1890 last year said we were darn lucky Ty and Nash didn't just dip their toes in the portal because there would have been nearly zero chance we could match what they got as P4 starter DL. They stayed for much less than their market value because they loved Nebraska.

That's what we need to be. The problem is that now to get the high caliber guys to come here and stay in your recruiting class, you are paying over a quarter million (like Raiola and Barney).

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Yup… but transparently I don’t want 1890 gear, I want Nebraska gear. You aren’t ever going to get the school to give up or share profits on Husker gear to let 1890 start selling it instead. Also pretty sure the apparel deal doesn’t even allow it since its with NU and not 1890.

Good point. But they may be able to sell Dylan Raiola gear. Or Archie Wilson gear. Or "Pipeline" gear. Or something like that related to the players where it's not specifically the Nebraska team logo, but is still clearly about certain Huskers (using things like their "name, image or likeness," one could imagine).

And the collective could presumably operate freely without the University sending trademark claims like they do against small sellers who make non-branded gear that doesn't use any of the team's intellectual property (not that I'm bitter or anything).

 

[Kaladin]

Depends if you want truth serum or if you want me to spin it. I can go either way.

Do both

 

[Flabio]

Depends if you want truth serum or if you want me to spin it. I can go either way.

Gib truth serum.
I thought with a smaller class they would have a quality class this year as less targets to work on. Shrug

 

[ZJSARENOTFREE]

I prefer giving $100 handshakes still.

 

[Jim14510]

I played in the baseball fund raiser last summer. I assume that counts.

 

[Flabio]

Depends if you want truth serum or if you want me to spin it. I can go either way.

 

[jaihawk]

I remember a while back, they did a thing on Tuesday or Wednesday nights at the Original Grata, where it was like $10 or $15 bucks and a different coach showed up each week and went over game film from the previous week's game. It was really cool watching them break down things. It was when Papuchis was here and he was really good at it. I would think you could possibly do something at a larger venue and bring in some coin each week.

 

[Dell Husker]

I just think its all in the way its marketed/presented/sold to the consumer as to whether funds need to be directed to specific sports

If 1890 is in the business of selling experiences to fans (while also soliciting donations that aren’t attached to an experience) those are two different items IMO.

1890 facilitating the sale of private lockers at Dillon and coordination on use of the golf and tennis facilities, offering private lessons/instruction with the staff, where they are collecting money in exchange for those services probably has more leeway on how they want to use those funds, albeit some percentage probably has to (and should) be allocated to those respective sports. But if you can raise ~$200k in “memberships” to Dillon and Golf Facilities a year and make a commitment to the tennis and golf staffs that you can help them get a few extra players (can’t imagine NIL for those sports being overly exorbitant) while using the rest towards football, that feels like a win, no?

At a minimum for golf and tennis alike, being able to sell a round of golf with someone on the current team or to hit balls with someone on the M/W tennis teams for a few hundred bucks feels like an easy win for 1890 to facilitate as well.

Other thoughts…

“Husker for a Weekend” experience sleeping in Selleck Dorms, eating at the training table, lifting in the weight room, doing some drills on the field, etc could be a cool once a year thing

Peeds obviously own Dormie Network which often auctions off member for a year deals at charity events - can they do the same through 1890 to raise some funds that way?

The alumni association hosts game watches nationwide.. is there a way to incorporate 1890 into those game watches/events in some way?

For hoops, early access to watch pre-game shootaround, being able to shoot hoops on the court after the game, attend a basketball practice, etc. Hell I’d even auction off being able to travel with the team to a road game on the team charter, stay in the hotel, etc.

Part of the issue is you run into overlap with benefits from the Husker Athletic Fund which also needs to raise money and probably doesn’t want 1890 infringing on the benefits they are offering, which is where I think selling things like Dillon Tennis facility lockers, use of the golf facilities, etc doesn’t directly compete with HAF, doesn’t require a massive staffing lift because the infrastructure is already there, etc

I shared this with @PonyBoy since he had a thread about specialized donations for baseball - events, gear, tailgates, etc.

Alabama does a great job fundraising for golf. They have www.swingingelephant.org. Flat donation for membership and then get exclusive gear. They also just built a $50 million golf facility. I saw rumors they had 50 donors give $1 million each and they get access to the course.

With the Peeds building the new course, I’m assuming 1890 donors will have specialized access? Could be a cool deal if done right. Im assuming it won’t be.

I think Judd is a great coach. Seem to have a young team but we’ve definitely let guys leave the state that should be here - Kluver, Gutschewski brothers, etc. I did see they kept Jaxson Hinze from going to UNO.

 

[Seaofred92]

I shared this with @PonyBoy since he had a thread about specialized donations for baseball - events, gear, tailgates, etc.

Alabama does a great job fundraising for golf. They have www.swingingelephant.org. Flat donation for membership and then get exclusive gear. They also just built a $50 million golf facility. I saw rumors they had 50 donors give $1 million each and they get access to the course.

With the Peeds building the new course, I’m assuming 1890 donors will have specialized access? Could be a cool deal if done right. Im assuming it won’t be.

I think Judd is a great coach. Seem to have a young team but we’ve definitely let guys leave the state that should be here - Kluver, Gutschewski brothers, etc. I did see they kept Jaxson Hinze from going to UNO.

I would absolutely pay for access to the new Peeds course as an example to be able to play while in town for Husker events. That would be a huge benefit and frankly could raise a ton of money getting people to pay initiation and monthly dues which all go towards NIL

You can do the same for Dillon access with monthly fees, lockers, instruction, etc on the tennis side of the house, maybe a dual golf/tennis membership option across both venues which would increase the monthly contribution as well as it mirrors a country club membership and would be a defacto second club for folks coming into town for football/basketball/baseball games and summer events. And agreed, specialized gear as part of it would be a huge coup for members along with maybe members only seating at Dillion or other stadiums.

@ShortSideOption for visibility

 

[ShortSideOption]

Do both

I'll try to keep each one short so people can be mad at me and argue and I'll just address them as they come...

1) The state of Nebraska has 17 kids committed to FBS programs, 1 is committed to the Cornhuskers. If you aren't going to build a fence around your home state it is MUCH tougher to get more recruits and have a highly rated class in September

2) I understand Dayton was basically offered when we got Dylan, but if your QB recruit for your class is your lowest rated recruit (per On3) your class is going to be lower

3) Coupling 1 and 2 together, the #1 recruit in Nebraska from Millard South would be the opposite of the second point and be our HIGHEST ranked player in our commit list (per On3)

4) I think we don't have a ton of money laying around to land high school guys (what frustrates me about 1-3)

5) Nebraska has 91 redshirt sophomores or younger on scholarship, tough to take a bunch of guys in your recruiting class with that