Football Have you donated to Nebraska's NIL?

[Drue629]

I keep seeing people debate where we actually stand nationally with NIL. Some say top 25, others say not even top 40. So now I’m curious: who here has actually donated to 1890?

 

[HuskerGarrett]

I voted option 3

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

I have not. And not planning to just throw cash at their general fund, but if there was a cool experience, merch item, etc., etc., I'd be down to pay for something like that.

 

[Samkellers_69]

 

[Scott Hall]

If I could give $1 for every win I’d still give $0. Isn’t pay for play disguised as NIL over now anyway?

 

[Seaofred92]

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 $.

 

[herbie tarlek]

I would rather get kicked in the balls repeatedly. I already pay a shitload in donation for tickets. The grandfathering is a damn joke that needs to go away to balance tickets for everybody on a level playing field. Until that happens there is no way I would give a dime more plus they have wasted so much money in the last 20 years, why should we trust them to do anything good with it.

 

[ShortSideOption]

I have not. And not planning to just throw cash at their general fund, but if there was a cool experience, merch item, etc., etc., I'd be down to pay for something like that.

I have been lobbying for them to do a golf outing with the coaches (time doesn't probably warrant what we would get)... but something like a signing day talk with people who could pay to sit at tables with each coach would go a long way. They could brand a little better with merch as well like you said.

I don't know the answer and with revenue share it's going to change a bit anyway but would be cool to see how some schools like Texas Tech or others who don't have the tradition/fanbase like we do are outpaying us. Is it truly just heavy donors? Because if so merch or an experience won't matter. If they have gotten the masses to pony up, I would love to hear how.

Right now 1890 is wanting people to donate to their general fund and not sport specific so they can divide up how they see fit, that's pretty telling.

 

[Flabio]

I have been lobbying for them to do a golf outing with the coaches (time doesn't probably warrant what we would get)... but something like a signing day talk with people who could pay to sit at tables with each coach would go a long way. They could brand a little better with merch as well like you said.

I don't know the answer and with revenue share it's going to change a bit anyway but would be cool to see how some schools like Texas Tech or others who don't have the tradition/fanbase like we do are outpaying us. Is it truly just heavy donors? Because if so merch or an experience won't matter. If they have gotten the masses to pony up, I would love to hear how.

Right now 1890 is wanting people to donate to their general fund and not sport specific so they can divide up how they see fit, that's pretty telling.

What is your read on their wanting it to go to the general fund vs a specific sport? We broke? 😆

 

[Seaofred92]

I have been lobbying for them to do a golf outing with the coaches (time doesn't probably warrant what we would get)... but something like a signing day talk with people who could pay to sit at tables with each coach would go a long way. They could brand a little better with merch as well like you said.

I don't know the answer and with revenue share it's going to change a bit anyway but would be cool to see how some schools like Texas Tech or others who don't have the tradition/fanbase like we do are outpaying us. Is it truly just heavy donors? Because if so merch or an experience won't matter. If they have gotten the masses to pony up, I would love to hear how.

Right now 1890 is wanting people to donate to their general fund and not sport specific so they can divide up how they see fit, that's pretty telling.

They are almost always going to be better off trying to get someone who donates $5M+ a year to donate another $1M than to get 50 new people to donate $20k each. Or to ask the guy donating $1M for another $100k versus soliciting 200 $500 donations for the same thing

I’d happily play in a golf tournament - the round with Fred at Arbor Links from the NU Fund auction this summer IIRC sold for like ~$8k for three people and Fred. Rhule isn’t a golfer but if he played could someone pay $20k for a foresome including Rhule? Would a NU golf fundraiser raise over $100k in total if all the staff participated?

In my opinion, go-forward “NIL” is going to just replace what rich boosters used to donate to the schools for things like practice facilities, stadium projects, etc on an annual basis. Everything going in house and them being able to take a tax deduction would be ideal, but in the interim they’ll continue to have a relatively small few funnel money through 1890 to guys the staff wants. I don’t think that’s a bad thing either from the coaches perspective - the less donors paying players, the less cooks in the kitchen they’re dealing with

 

[Baron Winnebago]

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

 

[Seaofred92]

Separately from my previous post - I do agree that there could be creative ways for 1890 to solicit extra funds should the school enable it that wouldn’t be overly cumbersome and people wouldn’t feel like they’re just directly shoveling their own money into kids pockets. A few suggestions:

- Season-long pre-game sideline passes during warmups through the Tunnel Walk: $500/game/person at 7 home games a year is $3500/person. Sell 200 of them and its $70k towards NIL

- Post-game field access passes: Sell these similarly to the pre-game access, maybe you have to cut the price in half so its ~$40k towards NIL

- Post-game press conference passes: Sit in the post game presser with the coaches and players to hear it live (do not have the ability to ask questions). $300/game capped at 50 people is an extra $100k

- Front row Tunnel walk access: $500/game/person capped at 150 people is $75k

- Sell a spot on Rhule’s podcast for $10k at 10 episodes a year is $100k

Etc etc etc

 

[Seaofred92]

Separately - this is also why they really need to get the stadium renovation stuff done. The fact that there aren’t any actual premium areas in the stadium is a killer revenue wise. They desperately need the Loge boxes, added club amenities, ability to sell liquor drinks in the higher end areas, end zone club type seating, etc.

The fact that you can’t rent out space at Memorial Stadium to host retirement parties, birthday celebrations, graduations, etc is beyond stupid. But its because they don’t have any of the spaces available to do so currently with the current stadium configuration.

Hell, add an 1890 bar and restaurant open year round in the newly renovated stadium with all profits going to NIL

Totally agree with @herbie tarlek - Dannen said if everyone wasn’t grandfathered in it would be an additional $20M in revenue in the CURRENT stadium configuration before renovations and added amenity spaces.

There are a bunch of other ways for UNL athletes to make serious money than me donating to 1890 without anything in return.

 

[Seaofred92]

Oh and last thing cause I’m rambling - they need to figure out ways to use the venues beyond for sporting events.

Needs to be a constant flow of events, concerts, conventions, etc at Memorial, Bob, PBA, Tennis facility, etc

 

[Seaofred92]

@ShortSideOption one thing you could tell them that I think would be great is if they sold (annual fee) private lockers and court access at the Dillon Tennis Center. Maybe even the ability to take lessons from the Men’s and Women’s tennis staff as part of it.

Also could sell access to the Husker golf facilities/simulator although with UNL not owning the course itself those options are less available

 

[ShortSideOption]

What is your read on their wanting it to go to the general fund vs a specific sport? We broke? 😆

I guess I would say we aren't broke, but I think they are trying to funnel as much as possible to football so another Kewan Lacy, Dante Dowdell, Walter Rouse, Jimari Butler, and whatever other athlete situation doesn't happen again. I've mentioned before but we are just picking and choosing, but it would have been nice to get Spindler, Pritchett, Key, Hunter, AND Dowdell to come back. Right now we are having to find our biggest areas of need and go all in there. We obviously didn't feel that at DL and RB this year and it's an issue. Conversely we upgraded at OL and WR (IMO).

I'm not sure how much it matters now with rev share and marketing, but I would say they are still going to try and funnel football players in front of basketball/baseball guys for the car dealerships or Muchacho burritos place (kind of joking on the last one).

 

[ShortSideOption]

@ShortSideOption one thing you could tell them that I think would be great is if they sold (annual fee) private lockers and court access at the Dillon Tennis Center. Maybe even the ability to take lessons from the Men’s and Women’s tennis staff as part of it.

Also could sell access to the Husker golf facilities/simulator although with UNL not owning the course itself those options are less available

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?

 

[SantaBarbaraSker]

I keep seeing people debate where we actually stand nationally with NIL. Some say top 25, others say not even top 40. So now I’m curious: who here has actually donated to 1890?

Monthly…Nominal, but yes.




.

 

[Flabio]

I guess I would say we aren't broke, but I think they are trying to funnel as much as possible to football so another Kewan Lacy, Dante Dowdell, Walter Rouse, Jimari Butler, and whatever other athlete situation doesn't happen again. I've mentioned before but we are just picking and choosing, but it would have been nice to get Spindler, Pritchett, Key, Hunter, AND Dowdell to come back. Right now we are having to find our biggest areas of need and go all in there. We obviously didn't feel that at DL and RB this year and it's an issue. Conversely we upgraded at OL and WR (IMO).

I'm not sure how much it matters now with rev share and marketing, but I would say they are still going to try and funnel football players in front of basketball/baseball guys for the car dealerships or Muchacho burritos place (kind of joking on the last one).

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