Every scholarship player on the University of Utah football team received delivery Wednesday of a 2024 Dodge Ram 1500 Big Horn truck with the Night Edition package — 100 trucks total — as part of a name, image and likeness deal.
As reported by Kristi Dosh of Forbes, the lease and insurance costs are being fully funded by donors of the Crimson Collective, although each athlete will need to cover the taxes on his lease. The trucks are leased and managed by United Fleet Management, which has a direct arrangement with the collective.
In order to qualify, athletes must have a good driving record and be willing to promote awareness of the collective. The initial lease term will be six months, renewable as long as each athlete is on scholarship and academically eligible to play.
“The three biggest needs of every student are education, housing and transportation. No one has addressed this transportation need comprehensively before today," said Derek Mattsson, CEO of For The Win 360°, a video platform created specifically for NIL collectives. We’re here to enable change by celebrating the Crimson Collective, the athletes, and everyone who loves their school. Today’s action of addressing student transportation needs cannot be overstated. #KeysFortheWin is just one example of how FTW360 is working with the Crimson Collective to create new opportunities to benefit every student-athlete.”
In terms of what the athletes will be doing to support the new app, For The Win 360°-Utah, the football athletes will work with the collective to develop new content. The app will feature news, player interviews, behind-the-scenes videos, athletic department personalities with unique stories, results, scores and more, Dosh reported for Forbes.
Mattsson says the app is launching with original content spotlighting football, but there are plans to add men’s and women’s basketball, gymnastics and other team sports.
“The Crimson Collective app is designed to empower student-athletes to open doors to promotional and financial opportunities through partnership with the Crimson Collective,” Mattsson said. “Moreover, it introduces an innovative avenue for donors and sponsors to support universities and collectives, ensuring amplified visibility for brands backing these athletes.”
