by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

On Tuesday (Nov. 28), University of Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek announced details of a new name, image and likeness (NIL) collective for Razorback athletes called Arkansas Edge.

“As we continue to strategically position our programs to compete and win championships within the SEC and nationally, Arkansas Edge is the optimum way for Razorback fans to support our student-athletes through NIL,” Yurachek said in a UA news release.

Since the implementation of the new NCAA NIL guidelines on July 1, 2021, there has been a surge in the establishment of NIL collectives, especially within Power 5 schools. The collectives provide a platform for boosters and fans to engage with athletes through NIL deals, pooling resources and creating user-friendly marketplaces.

UA announces Arkansas Edge, an NIL collective for Razorback athletes

KUAR | By Laura Jansen

This story was reported by KUAR News intern Laura Jansen, a native of the Netherlands who is attending the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as part of a volleyball scholarship.

A legal challenge to an NCAA policy prohibiting players from accepting endorsement deals, which was eventually considered by the U.S. Supreme Court, led to the policy being struck down. That prompted the Arkansas General Assembly to pass legislation this year allowing players to be compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), effective July 1.

College athletes can work with companies or build their own brands by advertising the brands on social media or selling such products with a personal coupon code. However, students still cannot get paid for their participation and performance in games or accept recruiting inducements.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-04-19/u-s-college-athletes-now-allowed-endorsements-international-students-prohibited