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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Buoyed by the leadership of visionary alumni, 51������ Athletics is kicking off a new era of support for student-athletes as name, image and likeness (NIL) rules transform the landscape of collegiate sports. The Broncos Will Reign Collective is now the official NIL collective of 51������ Athletics, generating revenue to help Western recruit and retain top talent while supporting the local community.

“It’s a new world, and we all have to embrace it if we want to be competitive and stay competitive at the Football Bowl Subdivision level,” says Dan Bartholomae, vice president and director of athletics.

Founded by 51������ football alumni Jason Babin, Scott Selzer and Mitch Zajac, the collective partners with Kalamazoo-area nonprofits to empower student-athletes to “maximize their name, image and likeness while inspiring change in their communities” by compensating them to participate in community service and marketing activities for the organizations.

“It’s really a win-win,” Zajac says. “We have student-athletes who are making appearances, attending events, doing activities involving nonprofits and posting on social media—really trying to raise support for nonprofits in the Kalamazoo area and elsewhere. And I think there’s been a really large impact from that perspective because it’s bringing awareness to important causes.”

The collective is already seeing dividends. Marshawn Kneeland, now a defensive end for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, says it changed the trajectory of his football career.

“After the 2022 season, I was presented with transfer options and significant NIL opportunities, but thanks to the support from the Broncos Will Reign Collective and my belief in Coach (Lance) Taylor, I stayed in Kalamazoo to finish my career as a Bronco,” he says. “It wasn’t just about the money. It was about giving back to the Kalamazoo community.”

The evolution of NIL

Historically, collegiate athletes have been barred from profiting from their name, image and likeness. But in 2021, a combination of state law and NCAA rule changes transformed this practice, opening the door for paid sponsorship deals.

“We’ve brought on staff members focused on student-athlete development outside of the classroom and off the court and field to think about what we need to be doing to develop students from a holistic perspective in their time 51������—not just as athletes,” says Bartholomae.

Now, in partnership with the Broncos Will Reign Collective, student-athletes have the opportunity to put those skills into practice.

“These are business transactions, so student-athletes are learning the ropes,” Zajac says. “From a learning perspective for the student-athletes, it’s a practical experience in business that I don’t think you can get elsewhere.”

Supporting the next generation of student-athletes is a full-circle moment for Zajac.

“I’ve accomplished anything and everything in my life with a large majority of the credit going back to Western Michigan—from the football experience to the academic experience being in Lee Honors College and the engineering college and all the great professors and people I met there,” he says. “I know Jason and Scott feel the same way, that we are a product of our roots. And that passion that we have for the University is what drove us to form the collective.”

They hope fellow alumni will join in the movement to help Broncos grow both personally and professionally while cultivating a championship culture at their alma mater.

“I’m proud to have been part of a program that cares about its athletes and the community,” Kneeland says. ■