Kentucky’s bold NIL model has incredible link to HBCU coach

When Howard University men’s basketball coach Kenneth Blakeney proposed selling equity in his program to private investors, many called it radical. Bold. Even risky. But a few months later, one of college sports’ biggest brands is taking a strikingly similar path—making Blakeney’s HBCU-born vision feel prophetic.

The University of Kentucky recently announced the creation of Champions Blue LLC, a first-of-its-kind restructuring of its athletic department into a limited liability company.The goal? Supercharge Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) efforts and secure long-term financial firepower in a fast-shifting NCAA landscape.

Back in January, Blakeney—who led Howard to back-to-back MEAC championships in 2023 and 2024—outlined a plan to raise $100 million through private investment. His pitch: build infrastructure, fund NIL packages, and stabilize the program’s future without waiting on university coffers. The proposal hasn’t been formally adopted at Howard, but it lit a fire under conversations around HBCU funding models.

Kentucky’s version, now in motion, grants it the power to court corporate deals while maintaining public university oversight. Under Champions Blue LLC, UK coaches and staff remain state employees, but the program itself gains the flexibility of a private enterprise—potentially creating a major recruiting edge as NCAA policy shifts toward direct athlete compensation.

“The economics of college sports are changing faster than most schools can adapt,” said one Kentucky administrator. “This structure lets us lead rather than follow.”

And yet, it was Blakeney—coaching at an HBCU with a fraction of Kentucky’s resources—who had the foresight to think this way first.

Blakeney’s idea wasn’t just about dollars. It was about ownership. About building generational wealth for athletes, modernizing how we view collegiate sports programs, and giving schools like Howard a fighting chance in a stacked system.

Now, with Kentucky leading the charge, the rest of the nation is watching.

So should HBCUs.

Blakeney may not have inked the deal yet, but the blueprint is on the table. And if Power Four giants are following his lead, maybe it’s time HBCUs start investing in their own innovators.