We had lunch with Enrique yesterday to discuss our 2023 program. When we met last year we stressed that this is not a typical business relationship, but a partnership to show how NIL can be done the right way and bring benefits to athletes and fans. As such we feel it is vital to get input from the student athletes we support. We agreed on the following:
- Compensation will be the same as last year for Enrique. He will be responsible for providing a welcome video prior to each home game. Videos are posted on a dedicated youtube channel:
You can view all of last year's videos there and we will link or excerpt on our social media sites in the fall. Enrique will also sign footballs to be used as our second place 50-50 prizes and provide autographed photos that will be sold at the tailgates and potentially via mail order.
- Instead of a single "Lifetime Achievement Award" as we did with Rhino last year, we will honor a different teammate prior to each tailgate. Each week a different player will appear in the extended video with Enrique and co-sign the football. Enrique will choose three guests and our selection committee will choose the other three.
- We will continue the guest appearance program with Judah Mintz getting an exclusive invitation (likely for the Western Michigan game) and at least four other athletes for the other home games with the possible exception of Military Appreciation Day when we hope to partner again with the Tenth Mountain Division Association. We will broadcast an initiative to all registered members of the mens and womens basketball teams, the mens and womens lacrosse teams and the mens soccer teams The selection committee will chosse among those who apply.
- We will select one home tailgate and donate our proceeds from the 50-50 to a charity of Enrique's choice.
- We will be launching our merchandising program next month. There will likely be a 2023 edition T-shirt - thinking navy with orange print, some type of hat, maybe a baseball cap with SyraCRUZ and the number 70 prominent on the front, our highly coveted koozies and autographed photos. Some other items under consideration, but our merchandise czar
TexanMark will provide information when we are ready to launch.
We are about $3000 short of our pledge goal for this year, but thanks to a large anonymous donation that came in late during last year's fundraising we are fairly confident we will be able to fund the full program. Very hopeful that some of last year's donors who have not yet responded will participate again and that new donors continue to come forward. PLEASE PM me with a pledge amount, name and email address if you can help. And this program is NOT limited to those who attend the tailgates, so please share with other Orange fans or anyone who appreciates this example of NIL done the right way,
GO ORANGE!
