Before July 21, 2021, the word “nil” traditionally meant zero or none. Those three letters have since become an acronym for Name, Image, and Likeness, a reference to the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s nationwide policy change that paved the way for student-athletes to be financially compensated by third parties through brand endorsements, personal appearances, and many other activities.

This seismic rule change has fundamentally transformed collegiate sports and has sparked cheers from its proponents and criticism from its detractors.

Attention-grabbing headlines and articles in national news have often highlighted the most lucrative NIL deals playing out in college sports, especially at traditional powerhouse programs. But that’s not the case for many universities.

The NIL story at Colorado State University is about a coordinated grassroots effort to build upon and reinforce the positive experience of student-athletes and the community in which they live, study, and compete. For nearly two years, John Weber (B.S., ’91) has been at the forefront of that endeavor.

Right Place, Right Time

Weber played several sports in high school and briefly ran track at CSU before his interest in business and strategic management changed his career path. After graduating, he led a successful career in several executive-level positions in the technology industry before retiring in January 2021.

He and his wife, Julie, an executive with Southwest Airlines, then moved from Texas back to Fort Collins. They have been Alumni Association lifetime members for nearly a decade, and both began serving on the Global Leadership Council for the College of Business. Shortly thereafter, Weber started working with RAM Life, which helps student-athletes develop their personal and professional skills.

In early 2022, an impromptu conversation with Jay Norvell, the head coach of CSU’s football team, and his staff led Weber to take a pivotal role in assessing the NCAA’s new NIL policy and its potential impact on student-athletes and CSU’s athletic programs.

Six months later, The Green & Gold Guard, the NIL program for CSU, was launched, and Weber became its full-time executive director. He leads this effort along with a dedicated board of directors committed to uniting successful athletic programs with alumni and our community while advancing the University’s academic and research missions.

NIL @ CSU

“There are a lot of great things that can happen in a well-run NIL program, and it starts with getting our student-athletes actively involved in supporting our community,” said Weber. The Green & Gold Guard permits student-athletes to leverage their NIL in mutually beneficial ways. It is designed to teach them the value of giving back at a young age and creates opportunities to earn money as part of their collegiate sports career, which helps reduce the financial stress of pursuing a four-year degree, improves academic performance, and increases graduation rates. “Helping our student-athletes and positively impacting our community is a win-win for everyone,” Weber said.

Per NCAA guidelines, colleges and universities cannot directly compensate student-athletes. Consequentially, third-party organizations, sometimes called “collectives,” are permitted to establish compensation opportunities, and according to Weber, the more sophisticated programs have both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, which is the model CSU pursued.

The Green & Gold Guard, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization independent of CSU that permits fans and other patrons to make tax-deductible donations to compensate student-athletes for their involvement in community-building activities. For example, members of the football team are participating in a fundraiser for a new accessibility van for Respite Care, which provides daycare services to disabled children from families with financial need. Other student-athletes are scheduled to assist in upcoming fundraisers for the Boys and Girls Club of Larimer County, Women Give, The Center for Family Outreach, and The Matthews House. Thus far, The Green & Gold Guard has collaborated on charitable events with more than 65 of CSU’s male and female student-athletes from multiple sports.

The Green and Gold Guard, LLC is a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of The Green & Gold Guard, Inc. and operates under the name The Guard Unleashed. It is the premiere fan club and NIL business hub for CSU student-athletes and their programs. The organization has partnered with Obsesh, a sports marketing and technology platform, to assist student-athletes with personal brand development and generate local, regional, and national NIL opportunities. The platform also hosts an online store selling merchandise and apparel exclusive to The Guard Unleashed.

Although the high profile, ticketed sports – football, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball – receive most of the attention, the NCAA’s NIL policy applies to all student-athletes. “While the most popular student-athletes, regardless of sport, are the ones who have the most value associated with their NIL, we’re committed to working with all of our athletes across all sports,” Weber said. “We have a special interest in supporting women’s sports and need everyone’s help to achieve full participation.”

#ItTakesAllOfUs

Last month, The Green & Gold Guard became an official partner of the University, which permits the organization to use specific CSU logos and to advertise in Moby Arena and Canvas Stadium during the sports seasons.

Weber is proud of the relationships he and others associated with the NIL program have cultivated with everyone from the Office of the President and athletic administrators to coaches and players. He also believes that operating the Green & Gold Guard with high integrity and transparency is critical to its overall success. “A lot of good can come out of NIL for our players and our community. Achieving that is paramount,” Weber said.

In social media posts about the NIL program, he often uses the hashtag #ItTakesAllOfUs because Weber knows it takes a broad base of support to build successful athletic programs. He also knows they pay handsome dividends to the student-athletes, the University, and the community.

NIL has created a pathway for supporters of all kinds to participate directly in the most transformational era of collegiate athletics. But for its greatest potential to be realized, it really will take all of us.

Learn more about The Green & Gold Guard and The Guard Unleashed.

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When you join the Colorado State University Alumni Association, you become part of something bigger – a global community of green and gold that keeps alumni connected to the University and each other. Life members, John and Julie Weber, are making an impact on current students and future Rams through their volunteerism and donations; providing support for alumni programming, outreach, and nationwide engagement; and preserving time-honored traditions that bind us together as Rams. You can make a difference too, and gain access to benefits such as exclusive invites, bookstore savings, career services, and more. Become a member today!