With the addition of NIL to the college sports landscape, entities called, “collectives” have begun to pop up around many big time college programs. The idea is they help facilitate NIL deals between athletes from a particular school and boosters and business people locally. 502Circle is the collective that has come into being to help UofL student-athletes navigate this new frontier of NIL in college athletics.
The collective was formed on June 9th and the first four Athlete Advisory Board members were announced on July 27th.
Exciting news today, we have added our first four Athlete Advisory Board Members to 502Circle. "Thank you @DavidPadgettMS @ItsChris_Redman @LarryOBannon @Jake_Smith53 for joining the team and wanting to support @uofl student-athletes benefit. #NIL #nameimagelikeness
— 502Circle (@502Circle) July 27, 2022
Those members were legendary QB Chris Redman, former OL great Jake Smith, Louisville’s own Larry O’Bannon, and former C and interim head coach David Padgett. Louisville’s revenue-generating sports were the first representatives and two were both Louisville born and raised.
Today, four new board members have been officially announced ahead of the official launch of 502Circle on August 29th.
In preparation for our #Aug29th launch, We are excited to announce our next four board members @angel_35 @Mal_Comerford @beckwith_shae @XcellentTea. We are honored they will be a part of our success. #502Circle #NIL #sports
— 502Circle (@502Circle) August 19, 2022
One of the greatest women’s basketball players in UofL history Angel McCoughtry, national champion swimmer Mallory Commerford, local businesswoman Shae Beckwith, and former RB and current successful business man Tendai Charasika will join Redman, O’Bannon, Smith, and Padgett.
This is an impressive list of board members. Each represents different sports both so-called revenue sports and Olympic sports. Each has been successful in their athletic careers and found success afterwards. All of them are perfect fits for the aptly named Athlete Advisory Board. UofL student-athletes will be in good hands.
To my eye, the collective won’t just be about facilitating NIL deals alone, but helping these student-athletes prepare for life after they’re done playing their chosen sport. This is just my opinion, of course, but it seems to be the objective. This collective seems to have been formed to help create connections with businesses and others to allow these athletes to make some money on their names, images, and likenesses now, but also forge long-lasting connections that may lead to a career path once the athletic endeavors are done.
Newly named board member Tendai Charasika had this quote given exclusively to CSZ about 502Circle:
“The state of college athletics has changed right before our eyes and undoubtedly it will continue to change but it is great to be a part of a pioneering platform and vision of Marc Spiegel to help Louisville fans help Louisville athletics to be at the forefront of this innovation”
502Circle has so many great people involved and it should be a successful endeavor to help our current, future, and I believe former student-athletes make some money while playing, but forge relationships that could help them long after they’re done donning the red and black of UofL.
