Everything to Know About Mississippi State Football's Starkville NIL Club
Mississippi State's football program announced the creation of the Starkville NIL Club on Wednesday afternoon.
The Starkville NIL Club was created as a way for the team to raise funds by engaging with fans through exclusive events. Bulldogs fans can become members of the exclusive club by pledging to give a certain amount of money to the group every month. These funds will be split evenly among each of the nearly 100 members of the team, no matter the classification or position.
Starkville NIL Club members will be given exclusive access to the team in return. They will be able to attend virtual team meet-and-greets and have video calls with some student-athletes. Members will also have access to player-created videos, including film breakdowns, game discussions and behind-the-scenes recruiting stories.
The implementation of NIL in colleges across the nation has impacted countless athletic programs, especially on the football field. Major universities and their biggest supporters have begun creating beneficial deals and using sponsorships as a way to legally bring in some of the country's top prospects. This has given teams with greater funding but less success on the field a chance to compete with some of the biggest brands in college football.
Mississippi State is looking to keep up with other college football programs that have brought in more talent through the use of NIL. Funding the Starkville NIL Club is a way for fans to become directly involved with the success of the team for years to come: top recruits will be more willing to join programs that offer unique benefits and can help them remain financially stable as a busy student-athlete.
The Starkville NIL Club website is now live, and the organization is accepting new memberships. Dozens of excited fans have already joined and over 1,000 dollars have been raised for the team.
