FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Edge is the rebranded Name, Image and Likeness collective for the Arkansas Razorbacks, who have partnered with a national NIL platform called Blueprint Sports.
According to a press release, the collective is seeking 5,000 members at each the $50 and $100 monthly donation level. If that threshold is reached it would result in $750,000 monthly and $9 million in annual funds.
The first $1 million donated to the collective will be matched by an unidentified donor. Memberships to the collective begin at $25 per month.
OneArkansas NIL, which launched in August 2022, will cease operations.
“As we continue to strategically position our programs to compete and win championships within the SEC and nationally, Arkansas Edge is the optimum way for Razorback fans to support our student-athletes through NIL,” Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek said in a statement announcing the change. “NIL is integral to the success of our program and is reshaping the future of athletics at every major university nationwide."
According to its website, Blueprint Sports launched in 2020 and has previously partnered with Penn State, Kansas, Arizona, North Carolina State, Maryland, Kansas State, Stanford, Tennessee and Boston College from Power 5 conferences. Other notable partners include basketball powers Villanova and Gonzaga.
The company touts a management team with more than 50 years of experience in college and professional sports. Arkansas Edge will be staffed by a full-time team locally.
Donations, membership fees and corporate sponsorships through the Arkansas Edge program will compensate athletes for the use of their likeness.
“Our student-athletes will have the opportunity to work with the collective to fully leverage their name, image, and likeness opportunities,” Yurachek wrote in an email to supporters. “We encourage every fan, company, alumni and all those who support the Razorbacks to contribute to Arkansas Edge as we work together for the present and future success of Razorback Athletics.
“We will lead boldly, focused on our student-athletes, while galvanizing the tremendous pride and passion of Razorback Athletics,” Yurachek continued. “With today’s announcement, we have taken the first steps in moving forward in realizing this vision and making a defining statement with our commitment to NIL.”
Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman hinted at the coming NIL change during a news conference last week.
“I think financially we’re going to have the money from the NIL to do that,” Pittman said of changing the roster during the offseason for a team that finished the 2023 season with a 4-8 record. “I think when all that happens we can field a really, really good football team.”