“Here’s a “feel good” NIL moment for you 😁
Tiger Impact ambassador KJ Henry made a new friend recently after giving a VIP experience to a local Clemson fan with Help Hope Live (KJ’s charity).
We want to help create more of these special moments. CLICK HERE to get ALL IN and help make an impact for student-athletes and charities!”
Much has been made about the questionable NIL activity taking place across the country, but what about the good examples that illustrate the positive impact? Tiger Impact, Clemson’s purpose-driven NIL collective, and Clemson senior defensive end K.J. Henry provide one such example.
See how Tiger Impact created an opportunity for K.J. to help others facing a medical crisis similar to the life-changing one he and his family experienced.
Clemson collective granted tax exemption status based on purpose-driven approach to NIL and charitable work
CLEMSON, S.C. (June 9, 2022) — TigerImpact, the purpose-driven NIL collective that compensates Clemson University student-athletes for engaging in charitable work with local organizations, has been granted tax-exemption status outlined in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and can now accept tax-deductible contributions from its donors.
“We are very happy to announce that the IRS has recognized TigerImpact for its charitable mission and work,” said Bobby Couch, executive director of TigerImpact. “This tax-exemption status will be a gamechanger for our fundraising efforts and will allow our dollars to stretch even further to benefit both Clemson student-athletes and the charities they work with.”
TigerImpact has identified and vetted more than 150 charities in the Clemson area and beyond with which they hope to engage student-athletes. Once a student-athlete is matched with a charity, TigerImpact drafts a contract outlining the student-athlete’s responsibilities to the organization. Some examples of work to be fulfilled are social media posts, volunteering engagements, and other public appearances.
“When stepping into the NIL arena, we knew we had to create a way to play the game in a way that would make Clemson proud,” said Rich Davies, founder of TigerImpact. “TigerImpact allows us to do so with integrity. Student-athletes get compensated for meaningful, purposeful work that will impact the communities they live in and care about, and they’ll learn from their experiences. This is our mission, and we will not stray from it.”
About TigerImpact
Positive Impact Fund for Tiger Charities, LLC established TigerImpact in 2022. The fund compensates student athletes to support community charities they’re passionate about, leading to increased exposure for the charities and meaningful, impactful NIL work for the student athletes. The purpose-driven fully compliant NIL collective sets a standard in college athletics and can be both a competitive advantage and source of pride for the athletes of Clemson University and its community.
TigerImpact employs proprietary technology and algorithms to compensate student athletes for their work on behalf of community charities at a level that takes into account their three-, four- and five-star performance ratings, the size of their social media audience, and the media coverage garnered by their sport and player position.
Donors and non-profits interested in participating in the fund are encouraged to visit TigerImpact.org for more information.
Purpose-driven collective among first in country to achieve milestone
CLEMSON, S.C. (June 7, 2022) — With the addition of 16 student-athletes under contract, TigerImpact is now engaging men and women competing in all of Clemson University’s sports, making it one of the first NIL collectives in the country to achieve the milestone. The purpose-driven collective has facilitated 28 deals so far with student-athletes, who lead as captains for TigerImpact working on behalf of community charities to elevate their impact.
The newest student-athletes signed to contracts include:
Clemson women’s track and field runner Courtney Williams is working on behalf of Girls Inc. of St. Louis.
“We are thrilled to broaden our group of student-athletes across all Clemson sports to support worthy charitable organizations,” said TigerImpact Executive Director Bobby Couch. “This is the first step toward our goal of expanding the program to Clemson’s 524 student-athletes, giving them the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others through their name, image and likeness. We want everyone who wishes to be a part of this impactful initiative to feel welcome and to know that they can substantially enhance their student-athlete experience by making a meaningful difference in the community.”
One of TigerImpact’s captains, football player Will Shipley, recently visited with patients at Levine Children’s Hospital and presented a personal check for $10,000 to support the Charlotte facility. Another captain, men’s soccer player Isaiah Reid also visited his charity, The Boys and Girls Club of York County, to present a personal check and spend time playing with the program’s participants.
“Student-athletes engaged with TigerImpact are leaders among their teams and personify the Clemson culture of caring. Will and Isaiah’s selfless examples are what TigerImpact is all about,” Couch continued. “Their community work through TigerImpact shows how student-athletes can prepare to be socially responsible citizens long after they leave Clemson.”
With funds donated from Clemson fans and alumni, TigerImpact compensates student-athletes to partner with community charities and elevate their platforms through social media and other public engagements. Athletes are matched with participating charities according to their passions, gaining valuable experience to enhance their education at Clemson.
Launched in April 2022 by former Clemson football players Rich Davies, Kendall Alley and Kevin Gemas, TigerImpact has identified more than 150 charities to match with student-athletes and has garnered support from fans, community leaders and former athletes.
The idea for the collective was born from a conversation Davies had with with Bella Attisso, a cancer survivor who started NShelter, a nonprofit in Seneca that provides resources to families struggling with cancer. Davies envisioned the reach Attisso’s organization could have with the help of a student athlete with a large social media following. Today, Clemson softball player Valerie Cagle is working to advance NShelter’s mission through TigerImpact.
When NIL became a reality across the NCAA, Davies, Alley and Gemas created the opportunity to match student athletes with nonprofits to create positive impact.
About TigerImpact
Positive Impact Fund for Tiger Charities, LLC established TigerImpact in 2022. The fund compensates student athletes to support community charities they’re passionate about, leading to increased exposure for the charities and meaningful, impactful NIL work for the student athletes. The purpose-driven fully compliant NIL collective sets a standard in college athletics and can be both a competitive advantage and source of pride for the athletes of Clemson University and its community.
TigerImpact employs proprietary technology and algorithms to compensate student athletes for their work on behalf of community charities at a level that takes into account their three-, four- and five-star performance ratings, the size of their social media audience, and the media coverage garnered by their sport and player position.
Donors and non-profits interested in participating in the fund are encouraged to visit TigerImpact.org for more information.
Media Contact:
Bill Fox
Hughes Agency
billf@hughes-agency.com
(864)271-0718
A Message from TigerImpact Executive Director
I hope everyone is enjoying the start to summer 2022! As we approach the 60-day mark since TigerImpact’s launch, I want to share a quick update. It’s been an exciting ride so far, and we’ve hit several milestones over the course of just a few weeks. We are gaining traction and have a lot to celebrate!
The journey for TigerImpact kicked off with the announcement on April 9. We have launched successfully and continue to build momentum daily as we tackle NIL and position Clemson student-athletes for success in this space.
All Sports
With the recent addition of 16 student-athletes bringing the total to 28, we are thrilled to welcome athletes from all Clemson sports. This is an incredibly important first step toward our goal of expanding the program to all of the more than 500 student-athletes at Clemson. We want everyone who wants to be part of this impactful initiative to feel welcome and to know that they can supplement their Clemson experience by making a meaningful difference in the community.
One of those TigerImpact student-athletes is Clemson running back Will Shipley of North Carolina. Shipley recently visited the Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte to spend time with patients. While there, Will presented a personal check for $10,000 to support the hospital’s programs and services.
Will’s demonstration of servant leadership underscores the incredible generosity and caring of the Clemson Family and reaffirms what we all know about the culture of giving at Clemson.
Another one of our special “NIL Captains”, recent men’s soccer national champion Isaiah Reid, also presented a personal check during a visit to Rock Hill’s Boys & Girls Club to thank the club for the impact they are having on the youth in the region and to spend time with boys and girls from Rock Hill and the surrounding area. Isaiah and his family members participated as youth in the boys and girls club programs in Rock Hill.
501(c)(3) Status
April 22 was another special day. The IRS granted TigerImpact Tax Exempt status as a 501(c)(3) organization. Joining just a handful of collectives around the country in this endeavor, the decision affirmed our purpose-driven mission and the charitable work done by our student-athletes.
National and Regional Coverage, Messaging
Since launch, we have amassed national and regional coverage of our innovative approach to NIL at Clemson. (read more in Business of College Sports, The Athletic and The Post and Courier)
Recently, we have engaged local Clemson media outlets such as 105.5 THE ROAR and the Mickey Plyler show (listen here); Larry Williams “Dubcast” podcast, and TigerNet. This Clemson family coverage has been very helpful in generating numerous inquiries and interest in learning more about us.
Our PR and marketing partner, Hughes Agency, has assisted us with press releases, developing our messaging and brand, sharpening our website, crafting a communication strategy and plan, and designing donor and marketing material.
Dashboard
We currently have 25 student-athletes registered, 28 student-athletes under contract, nine charities registered, and 225 charities are approved in our network. We’ve recorded 70 donor interactions and closed 33 opportunities.
Closing thoughts
Rich Davies, founding board member and current board chair, and I were chatting recently, and he made some comments that I wanted to pass along that I thought were fitting with everything going on in our operation and the ever-changing NIL landscape.
Rich was discussing “the importance of operating with absolute integrity, and that we adhere ongoing to fostering the development of student athletes through their engagement with charities while helping charities gain much-needed exposure and support for the good work they do.”
This is what makes TigerImpact such a special NIL collective and one Clemson can be proud!
Ask any college administrator to describe the state of NIL and there’s a good chance you’ll hear these words: “Wild, wild west.” It’s a multifaceted industry that’s rapidly evolving so fast it’ll make your head spin. And because Tiger Impact is committed to helping Clemson be the best while ensuring integrity and adhering to NCAA rules and state law, it’s imperative for us to stay on top of those rules and laws and the overall landscape of NIL in college athletics. So, each month we’ll use this section of our newsletter to share brief insights about NIL and relevant updates from across the industry that affect our community.
Let’s start with what “NIL” is and the timeline of how we got where we are today.
When people reference “NIL,” they’re discussing the commercial use of one’s name, image and likeness. In practical terms, think of your name on the back of a jersey, your image featured in an advertisement or your likeness used in a video game. Other examples of NIL monetization include selling autographs, endorsements, licensed merchandise and more.
Historically, NCAA rules did not allow student-athletes to profit off their NIL. But that changed on July 1, 2021. Here are some of the major milestones that led to the NCAA making that change:
Though the NCAA now allows student-athletes to monetize their NIL, it’s important to note (and the NCAA did with their May 2022 updated NIL guidance) that NIL monetization is meant to be distinct from “pay for play,” or being compensated to play for a team (i.e. professional sports). But we’ll save that topic for a future installment of “NIL 101.”
Got questions about NIL? Let us know what interests you: contact@tigerimpact.org