Utah football players get new trucks in historic NIL deal

Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

Utah football team reaps amazing benefit thanks to historic NIL deal

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 10/5/23

Members of the Utah Utes football team have to be thanking their lucky stars for the NIL era right now.

While plenty of superstar college athletes have made bank thanks to NIL deals, we haven't seen many full-team deals that have transpired. We've seen quarterbacks, point guards and gymnasts get paid big, but not so much the long snapper.

That has changed at Utah, at least, where it's being reported that Utah's Crimson Collective has ponied up enough money to get all 85 scholarship players on the Utes football team a leased 2024 Ram Big Horn 1500 truck.

All about the players.

85 trucks. 85 guys. We are so proud to support this NIL opportunity for the @Utah_Football team. #utahcrimsoncollective #ourtownourteam @officiallyyjay1 pic.twitter.com/UEnaos4VyE
— Utah Crimson Collective (@UtahCrimson) October 4, 2023

What is an NIL collective? Well, it's simple. The schools themselves can't pay their players to be on the roster, or lease them a new Ram truck (in this example), but an NIL collective can. NIL collectives have sprouted up all throughout college athletics to do some really cool things. They are structurally independent from the school, but fund the NIL opportunities for the student-athletes. They raise money from businesses, boosters, fans and other money-making ideas. For instance, Iowa's Swarm Collective created a beer that helps fund its NIL.

Beer for fans, funny commercials, endorsements and partnerships are all part of the game in the NIL era, but credit to Utah, because the Crimson Collective certainly stepped up its game.

Per On3, this deal put a dent in the Crimson Collective's wallet worth roughly $6 million. It is one of the largest NIL deals to date.

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