Arizona State boosters launch new Sun Angel Collective with $1 million pledged for NIL
A group of Arizona State boosters officially announced on Tuesday the launch of an organization aimed at supporting Sun Devil student-athletes in seeking and securing name, image, and likeness deals.
The organization, dubbed the Sun Angel Collective, says it has secured more than $1 million in pre-launch financial commitments from individual boosters and organizations. The collective plans to file an application with the IRS to operate as a 501(c)(3) public charity similar to other donor-run collectives across the country.
Here is the official press release for the Sun Angel Collective. pic.twitter.com/Bp0M8ltJMh
— Sun Angel Collective (@SunAngelNIL) August 2, 2022
“We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to support our student-athletes while at the same time helping out local nonprofits,” Sun Angel Collective president Jeff Burg said in a release. “The collective offers fans, donors, and brands the opportunity to engage with our student-athletes in new ways, whether they want to contribute $10 or $10,000,000.”
The Sun Angel Collective’s name draws inspiration from the Sun Devil Club, which was known as the Sun Angel Foundation from 1947 to 2007. The collective’s logo also borrows Arizona State branding and imagery.
The collective will offer a monthly subscription plan for fans, giving subscribers access to member benefits and meet-and-greets with Sun Devil student-athletes. Former ASU players Jake Plummer, Brock Osweiler, Omar Bolden, and Jordan Simone are serving on the group’s advisory board.
“That’s the landscape in which we are now in,” coach Herm Edwards said of NIL’s impact on the sport at Pac-12 Media Day over the weekend. “I think every coach understands that. That’s a big part of it. And we know it. I think we all saw the noise of the train coming down the track, but the train is here now. How you adapt to it and how you go about coaching going forward, you have to adjust. I think we’re all able to do that. That’s where it’s at. It’s not going to change.”
So ASU is finally getting with the program.