Current:Home > StocksOklahoma State football to wear QR codes on helmets for team NIL fund -DollarDynamic
Oklahoma State football to wear QR codes on helmets for team NIL fund
View
Date:2025-04-25 00:21:27
From the moment it was announced that college athletes would be able to earn money off their name, image, and likeness, everyone knew that the collegiate athletics landscape would change forever. However, it's hard to imagine anyone predicting that a university's football program would start wearing QR codes on their helmets leading fans to a donation page to the team's general fund.
With college football's stars earning exponentially more in NIL than offensive and defensive linemen, Oklahoma State's general fund could be very beneficial for helping recruit players at less star-studded positions. Even at Alabama or Georgia, an offensive lineman isn't very likely to secure many brand deals, so a team fund that gets distributed to the lesser-known players could be very enticing.
That said, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy insists that this will be more impactful for the fans than anyone else.
In an official statement from Oklahoma State football, Gundy said, "This is a revolutionary step forward to help keep Oklahoma State football ahead of the game." He continued, "It gives a chance for everyday fans across the world to have a real impact when it comes to supporting the NIL efforts for Cowboy football."
College Football News:Georgia, Ohio State start at top of college football's NCAA Re-Rank 1-134
How can fans donate?
There are obviously going to be tons of college football fans willing to donate to their alma maters in order to take their football program to the next level. However, Oklahoma State might be hoping for big generosity. When going to the fund online, the cheapest donation option given to fans is $100, and goes as high as $5,000 for a one-time payment. The site does enable fans to input their own figure to donate, but that is the last option that the site offers.
Some fans have joked that certain donations will enable them to have a more direct impact on the program.
How will this help Oklahoma State?
As stated earlier, the money from this fund would likely go to helping non-skill position players earn money that they wouldn't be able to get from NIL deals. This should entice more players at these positions to pick Oklahoma State in the future, but that likely won't be for a few years, and only if this general fund winds up earning those players serious compensation.
Didn't Mike Gundy just tell players not to take NIL money?
Earlier this week, Gundy told the media that, with his team's season opener less than two weeks away, he wants his players to stop negotiating for more money and NIL deals and start focusing on the season.
Gundy does not seem to be telling players to stop trying to earn money, but that the time for negotiating deals is behind them. "Tell your agent to quit calling us and asking for more money," he said. "It’s non-negotiable now. Start again in December."
Perhaps that is what sparked the decision to start advertising their team fund. It could be a compromise where players no longer have to ask for money but can instead earn from the fund. The biggest issue, of course, is the uncertainty of just how much each player will earn.
Is the fund only reachable through the QR codes?
No. According to the team's statement, links to the fund will also be available on the team's social media channels (X, Instagram, Facebook). The QR codes on the helmets are simply meant to intrigue fans who are unaware of the fund and willing to tip the team after big plays.
When does the college football season start?
The college football season starts this weekend, Saturday, August 24 with Florida State taking on Georgia Tech at 12 p.m. ET. Oklahoma State starts their season with a home matchup against South Dakota State on Saturday, August 31 at 1 p.m. ET. That game will air on ESPN. It will also be available for streaming on ESPN+.
Stream the game:Watch college football with ESPN+
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
veryGood! (917)
Related
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Leah Remini and Husband Angelo Pagán Break Up After 21 Years of Marriage
- Kelly Osbourne's Boyfriend Sid Wilson Says His Face Is Basically Melted After Explosion
- Harris, Walz will sit down for first major television interview of their presidential campaign
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- Federal authorities announce additional arrests in multistate pharmacy burglary ring
- 5 members of burglary ring accused of targeting rural Iowa and Nebraska pharmacies, authorities say
- Afghan refugee accused in a case that shocked Albuquerque’s Muslim community reaches plea agreement
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Leah Remini and Husband Angelo Pagán Break Up After 21 Years of Marriage
Ranking
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- Score Big at Abercrombie & Fitch’s 2024 Labor Day Sale: 20% Off NFL Drop & Up to 82% Off More Bestsellers
- Typhoon lashes Japan with torrential rain and strong winds on a slow crawl north
- Kelly Ripa Reveals the Bedtime Activity Ruining Her and Mark Consuelos' Relationship
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Boxes of french fries covered Los Angeles highway after crash, causing 6-hour long cleanup
- 10 years after Ferguson, Black students still are kicked out of school at higher rates
- Sneex: Neither a heel nor a sneaker, a new shoe that is dividing the people
Recommendation
EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
No. 1 Jannick Sinner moves into the third round at the US Open, Hurkacz and Korda ousted
Criminal charges weighed against a man after a country music star stops show over an alleged assault
Taylor Swift Terror Plot: CIA Says Plan Was Intended to Kill “Tens of Thousands”
Trump's 'stop
Fall is bringing fantasy (and romantasy), literary fiction, politics and Taylor-ed book offerings
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Premiere Date and New Look Revealed
Hiker in Colorado found dead in wilderness after failing to return from camping trip