Here is a letter University of Minnesota Athletics Director Mark Coyle recently sent to supporters of the Golden Gopher program:
Friends of Gopher Athletics,
I hope this note finds you well and excited for another season of Gopher Athletics. We are entering the new school year with great anticipation and expectations, but we also do so knowing that we are embarking on a changing landscape in college athletics. Soon USC and UCLA will join the Big Ten. In addition, for a little more than a year now, student-athletes have been able to monetize their name, image and likeness, which is commonly referred to as NIL.
And that is the reason I am writing to you today.
NIL is a positive for our students and enables them to have the ability to receive compensation through marketing or promotional activities. There are many ways that a student can participate in an NIL opportunity, but one of them is through a Collective. A Collective is an organized group outside of the University that can help facilitate NIL opportunities for student-athletes.
There is a recently launched Collective named Dinkytown Athletes that focuses on creating NIL opportunities for Minnesota student-athletes. You may have read about them in the news or follow them on social media. They are engaging with our students and are working to provide NIL opportunities.
Over the past few months, our department has received a variety of questions from fans, alumni and donors about this evolving space so I would like to invite you to learn more about NIL, Collectives and how they operate in an informational Zoom session, which will be organized and run by Athletic department staff.
The first session will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. and the second session will be on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 12 p.m. Please RSVP for a session through z.umn.edu/NIL-Collectives and you will receive the link via email.
I hope you know how much we value and appreciate your loyal support at Minnesota. Our students are able to chase their dreams in the classroom, in the community and in competition because you believe in them, support them and cheer them on. There are many things that are changing in college athletics, but one thing that I hope never changes is your unwavering passion for the Maroon and Gold.
I look forward to seeing all of you soon and Go Gophers!
United Are We,
Mark Coyle
Director of Athletics
