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per the U:
The University of Minnesota athletic department and its exclusive multimedia rightsholder, LEARFIELD's Gopher Sports Properties, announced today that Dinkytown Athletes is the Official NIL Collective of Gopher Athletics.
Dinkytown Athletes launched in 2022 and is affectionately named after the historic and adjacent neighborhood to campus. It had previously operated as an independent collective with the mission to support student-athletes at Minnesota with name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities, educational resources and post-graduation career opportunities.
"We are very excited to officially partner with Gopher Athletics," said Rob Gag, who is the Vice President of Dinkytown Athletes. "This would not have been possible without the support of our members and donors. There are many exciting things to come, and this is just the beginning."
Today's announcement also brings additional connectivity and synergy between Athletics, LEARFIELD and Dinkytown Athletes. In addition to being named the Official NIL Collective of Gopher Athletics, Dinkytown Athletes now has access to use official University marks, logos and images. Fans will also see traditional marketing efforts on behalf of Dinkytown Athletes in the form of radio spots, email marketing and display and banner advertisements.
"I have been very impressed by Rob Gag and Derek Burns and how they have operated Dinkytown Athletes," said Greg Gerlach, Vice President & General Manager of Gopher Sports Properties. "It is clear to me that their integrity, vision and energy for assisting Gopher student-athletes outside of their area of competition is genuine and built for long-term success. Our team has enjoyed working with Dinkytown Athletes, and we look forward to continued opportunities to highlight and support the growth of the personal brands of our Gopher student-athletes."
Dinkytown Athletes enables every Minnesota fan and local business to support the NIL opportunities for Gopher student-athletes. There are numerous membership packages for fans to join Dinkytown Athletes, which range from $10/month to $500/month. Fans who sign up to support Dinkytown Athletes will receive exclusive benefits like access to exclusive interviews, personalized videos, signed memorabilia, annual discounts to the Dinkytown Athletes store and much more.
Companies like Unilever and Cub and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota have also found great success partnering with student-athletes to spotlight the next generation of female leaders and to highlight the importance of mental health. Gopher Sports Properties does not represent student-athletes, but on behalf of the university, is actively engaged with these and other brands to maximize their athletics sponsorship when paired with student-athlete NIL.
Jeremiah Carter, who was recently named Sr. Associate AD for NIL/Policy and Risk Management, will work heavily with Dinkytown Athletes in his new role to help amplify the efforts and awareness of opportunities presented to Gopher student-athletes.
"Since their launch in August, it has been great to watch the growth of Dinkytown Athletes and the support they have been able to provide to student-athletes," said Carter. "Today's announcement marks another major step forward and will enable them to continue to provide a tremendous experience for their members, donors and student-athletes."
To learn more about Dinkytown Athletes or to become a member, fans can visit dinkytownathletes.com.
The University of Minnesota athletic department and its exclusive multimedia rightsholder, LEARFIELD's Gopher Sports Properties, announced today that Dinkytown Athletes is the Official NIL Collective of Gopher Athletics.
Dinkytown Athletes launched in 2022 and is affectionately named after the historic and adjacent neighborhood to campus. It had previously operated as an independent collective with the mission to support student-athletes at Minnesota with name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities, educational resources and post-graduation career opportunities.
"We are very excited to officially partner with Gopher Athletics," said Rob Gag, who is the Vice President of Dinkytown Athletes. "This would not have been possible without the support of our members and donors. There are many exciting things to come, and this is just the beginning."
Today's announcement also brings additional connectivity and synergy between Athletics, LEARFIELD and Dinkytown Athletes. In addition to being named the Official NIL Collective of Gopher Athletics, Dinkytown Athletes now has access to use official University marks, logos and images. Fans will also see traditional marketing efforts on behalf of Dinkytown Athletes in the form of radio spots, email marketing and display and banner advertisements.
"I have been very impressed by Rob Gag and Derek Burns and how they have operated Dinkytown Athletes," said Greg Gerlach, Vice President & General Manager of Gopher Sports Properties. "It is clear to me that their integrity, vision and energy for assisting Gopher student-athletes outside of their area of competition is genuine and built for long-term success. Our team has enjoyed working with Dinkytown Athletes, and we look forward to continued opportunities to highlight and support the growth of the personal brands of our Gopher student-athletes."
Dinkytown Athletes enables every Minnesota fan and local business to support the NIL opportunities for Gopher student-athletes. There are numerous membership packages for fans to join Dinkytown Athletes, which range from $10/month to $500/month. Fans who sign up to support Dinkytown Athletes will receive exclusive benefits like access to exclusive interviews, personalized videos, signed memorabilia, annual discounts to the Dinkytown Athletes store and much more.
Companies like Unilever and Cub and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota have also found great success partnering with student-athletes to spotlight the next generation of female leaders and to highlight the importance of mental health. Gopher Sports Properties does not represent student-athletes, but on behalf of the university, is actively engaged with these and other brands to maximize their athletics sponsorship when paired with student-athlete NIL.
Jeremiah Carter, who was recently named Sr. Associate AD for NIL/Policy and Risk Management, will work heavily with Dinkytown Athletes in his new role to help amplify the efforts and awareness of opportunities presented to Gopher student-athletes.
"Since their launch in August, it has been great to watch the growth of Dinkytown Athletes and the support they have been able to provide to student-athletes," said Carter. "Today's announcement marks another major step forward and will enable them to continue to provide a tremendous experience for their members, donors and student-athletes."
To learn more about Dinkytown Athletes or to become a member, fans can visit dinkytownathletes.com.