The Iowa SWARM Collective announced Thursday that all 22 Hawkeye athletic programs can now receive NIL opportunities. Before the announcement, the collective was only geared toward the football and men’s and women’s basketball teams.
Individuals who make a one-time gift of $1,000 or more, or commit to monthly gifts of $100 or more, can direct their NIL support to any of the Hawkeye sports.
A UI NIL store is coming soon, the university also announced Thursday. The store will provide officially licensed merchandising opportunities and industry-leading payouts to every Iowa student-athlete.
In coordination with Iowa’s INFLCR Exchange, the NIL Store powered by Campus Ink will launch a complete NIL merchandise platform for Hawkeye student-athletes featuring officially licensed NIL apparel and fashion jersey options.
The NIL Store team will handle all the creative, product creation, design, and marketing, and will work directly with student-athletes to educate them on merchandising, marketing, and sales trends to develop strategies for success.
NIL has changed the scope of college athletics since it was enacted on July 1, 2021, allowing student-athletes to profit off of their name, image, and likeness via endorsement deals, public appearances, and events. For the University of Iowa specifically, NIL is administered through the SWARM Collective.
The collective operates through donations from fans on five different levels of membership.
Those on each level receive different amounts of access to Iowa Athletics based on how much they donate on a monthly or yearly basis. Lower-level members receive things like decals, T-shirts, and access to pregame events, while those in the higher levels get the opportunity to know the athletes on a more personal level through Q&As and receive priority access to away games.
“NIL support has become critically important to Hawkeye Athletics. We are fortunate to have such a passionate fanbase who continues to be generous in so many areas, and we don’t take that for granted. We want to support the donor interest whether it is in purchasing tickets or contributing to scholarships, facilities, and NIL,” Iowa interim athletic director Beth Goetz said in a statement.
Led by Brad Heinrichs, the SWARM Collective has worked with over 40 nonprofit organizations in its first year of existence and has totaled nearly 1,200 student-athlete service hours.
The collective has teamed up with several charities including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Horizons Meals on Wheels, Iowa Sports Foundation, the Iowa City Community School District, and UI Hospitals and Clinics.
At the beginning of the month, Heinrichs said The Swarm had about 2,100 members. To stay competitive, the goal is to reach at least 10,000 members and raise over $10 million annually.
“NIL is a wonderful tool that provides student-athletes with opportunities to build and enhance their personal brand while also serving local charities and nonprofits,” Heinrichs said. “We are thrilled to be able to expand this opportunity to athletes in all 22 Hawkeye sports programs at Iowa and continue to contribute to their success on and off the field of play.”
