ASU boosters announce Sun Angel Collective for NIL

A group of Arizona State University boosters announced the launch of an organization aimed at helping Sun Devil athletes earn more support in name, image and likeness (NIL).

The group also hopes to help ASU players support non-profits of their choosing and match with marketing opportunities in the community.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to support our student-athletes while at the same time helping out local area non-profits,” Jeff Burg, president of the Sun Angel Collective, said in a release. “The collective offers fans, donors and brands the opportunity to engage with our student-athletes in new ways, whether they want to contribute $10 or $10,000,000.”

Reports about the formation of the collective, which will focus on the primary sports like football and basketball, came as the football team lost several key players because of NIL-related reasons.

Arizona State leaders such as head football coach Herm Edwards, athletic director Ray Anderson and president Michael Crow have been critical of how the NIL rules have changed college football in the past two years.

“That has become a big factor in college football,” Edwards told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta in February. “I think eventually it will work its way out but they have to put a cap on it. Because if not, it is going to be very difficult for a lot of schools to deal in that world.”

The Sun Angel Collective has gathered $1 million in pre-launch commitments from boosters and will file to operate as a 501(c)(3) public charity.

Fans will have an opportunity to join the collective via a monthly subscription plan, according to the release. Those supporters will have benefits such as member and ASU athlete meet-and-greet events.

“Having a well-funded Collective will provide ASU the resources needed to stay competitive in the ever-changing NCAA sports landscape,” said collective board member John Dorsey in the release.

The collective is still searching for an executive director and will be operated by a board of directors and advisory board. Burg, Dorsey, Scott Harkey, Chris Michaels and Mike Olsen are the five founding board members who have served or still serve on the Sun Devil Club board.

Former football players Jake Plummer, Brock Osweiler, Omar Bolden and Jordan Simone are on the initial advisory board.

Fans can learn more about the Sun Angel Collective by visiting sunangels.org or calling 877-SUN-ANGEL.

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