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The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan
The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

‘Double the Impact’: The Iowa SWARM Collective reaches million-dollar goal

With a 500,000 dollar donation from Elite Resort Casinos, the collective reached its objective 19 days before its deadline.
Matt McGowan, Pregame Editor
November 15, 2023
Grace Smith
Iowa Swarm Collective President and CEO Brad Heinrichs speaks during a press conference for the Iowa Swarm Collective, a name, image, and likeness group partnering with Hawkeye student-athletes, at the Heights Rooftop in Iowa City on Tuesday, July 19, 2022. Heinrichs sees this NIL as an opportunity for students to profit on their name, image, and likeness. โ€œThese kids are going to learn how to market themselves,โ€ Heinrichs said. โ€œThat’s the education I didn’t get while I was in school.โ€

The Iowa SWARM Collective announced a donation-matching challenge via its social media accounts on Tuesday night. Until Dec. 31, all donations to the collective will be matched, dollar for dollar, for up to $1 million. The matching money will come from CEO Brad Heinrichs and Board of Directors member Bruce Rastetter.ย 

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, that goal was reached when Elite Resort Casinos donated 500,000 dollars, which when matched, brought in the million-dollar gaol the collective was hoping for.

The SWARM Collective is in charge of administering NIL donations to Hawkeye student-athletes. In September of this year, Heinrichs announced that these donations now apply to athletes in all 22 sports at Iowa. Previously, donations were limited to football and menโ€™s and womenโ€™s basketball.ย 

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.

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.ย 

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.

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