Everyone knows that the University of Arkansas needs money for its name and image.
It is a monster that needs to be constantly fed.
The same goes for Arkansas State, Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Central Arkansas.
However, the author of these lines knew little about what these programs are about, and even less about exactly how much money they need or have in the bank.
On the last two points, 99.9% of people will never know. But just out of curiosity, I looked up all of these programs and their NIL on the internet, and while all of the athletic departments do a great job with their alumni, donors, and season ticket holders, there may be some who would love to donate and just don’t know how.
In my initial search for Arkansas’ NIL, I came across a well-written press release from November of last year by Kyle Parkinson, the assistant athletic director for communications.
And in his press release, it explains very well that the UA is moving in a new direction under the umbrella of Blue Print Sports called Arkansas Edge. OneArkansas Collective no longer exists.
Parkinson goes on to explain some of the donation levels available, all of which are needed. There was no link to Arkansas Edge because, while it was official, it wouldn’t launch for a few days.
Arkansas State’s NIL is ImPact Club and can be found under that name with a dot “com” at the end.
UCA is Bear Nation Exchange and can be found at ucasports.com.
UAPB is NILions. To get there, add a dot.com.
UALRs can be found at LRTojans.com.
Arkansas Edge has a short video and a link to join.
For $25 a month, fans – and you don’t have to own tickets to actually be a fan and help – get six privileges, including exclusive digital content for student-athletes, making the program a competitor to any national media outlet.
A donation of $50 per month will get you to the Bronze level and get the same six privileges plus three more, including a car sticker and koozie set, an exclusive hat, and 10% off at Wright’s Barbecue.
The original goal was to get 5,000 people for each of these awards. I don’t know if that worked out, but a source said Ole Miss exceeded all of its goals.
Next comes the Silver tier at $100 per month, and now the extras start piling up.
For $250 a month, you can become a Gold member and enjoy even more privileges.
There is a note at the bottom of the page that donations to Arkansas Edge may not be tax deductible and you should consult your tax advisor.
Of course, you can donate more than $250 a month – much more – because these days sports are no longer about facilities, they’re about money.
The Razorbacks, like every program in America, need money to be competitive.
Unless Congress intervenes, things will never be fair because each state has different laws and this must be regulated uniformly.
If I could make one suggestion to anyone who has a congressman, it would be to start over. No more bidding wars.
All freshmen should get the same regardless of position or sport. It should be a monthly stipend and not all paid up front. A sophomore gets a 5% raise and a third-year student gets another 5%. As long as they are in college, they only get this money if they maintain a 2.0 grade point average.
Seniors get a 10% raise, and if they graduate before their eligibility expires (which can take up to five years), they get a one-time bonus.
In conclusion, Arkansas Edge, like the NIL program, can make a difference for any school.
