Wichita State University’s athletics department announced this week Shocker Priority Points to incentivize fans to contribute to the school’s NIL fund. The points program will reward fans for all future and retroactive donations.
A similar priority point system has been announced at a few other universities, including the University of Kentucky and the University of Iowa. These point systems all reap similar rewards, including preferred tickets, upgraded seating and postseason events. Points programs have been a common practice among season ticket holders for a while, and it is the next wave of ‘innovation’ in the NIL sphere.
According to Go Shokers News, any NIL donation from July 2021 to the present will retroactively gain priority points. For every $100 contributed to the NIL fund, donors will earn four priority points. The points can be used to redeem rewards, including parking, preferred status and other premium experiences.
Along with the points program, the Shockers launched a new NIL and revenue-sharing platform, the We Fight For Wichita Fund. The change occurred “in preparation for new NCAA ‘revenue sharing’ legislation, as a result of the anticipated House v. NCAA settlement.” While this collective cannot accept philanthropic donations, all donations are tax-deductible.
The contributions can be made to a specific sport or to the general fund, but they cannot be made to a specific athlete.
Wichita State director of athletics, Kevin Saal said, “We offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to Shocker Nation, who have generously given to our NIL collective over the past few years. Historical NIL and future 'revenue sharing' support is essential to recruit and retain championship-level talent in all 16 of our sports programs."
