Lions Legacy Club Becomes First NIL Collective Dedicated to Penn State Football
New program will connect student-athletes with local and national revenue-earning opportunities
STATE COLLEGE, Penn (September 6, 2022) – Former Penn State football and retired NFL players have partnered with Blueprint Sports to unveil the Lions Legacy Club – the first name, image, and likeness (NIL) collective to specifically support student-athletes in the Penn State Football program. While other NIL collectives have been formed surrounding Penn State athletics, the Lions Legacy Club is the first one dedicated exclusively to football.
The Lions Legacy Club is spearheaded by former Lion’s quarterback, Chris Ganter, who will serve as general manager alongside former Penn State football and retired NFL players including Ki-Jana Carter and Michael Mauti.
“I am honored to lead the Lions Legacy Club and give back to the football program that has given me so much throughout my life,” said Ganter. “Knowing how competitive the college football landscape can be, our goal is to create top notch opportunities for these student-athletes and make a significant impact to ensure a sustainable future for the program.”
Through the Lions Legacy Club, local and national businesses can align their brands with Penn State football players by creating custom marketing campaigns, securing speaking engagements and autograph sessions, and more. Tax-deductible contributions can also be made through the BPS Foundation, a 501c3 organization dedicated to educating, encouraging and assisting student-athletes in their efforts to engage with the local community through charitable causes. The BPS Foundation is one of the first NIL organizations in the country to earn a federal tax exemption.
“We are confident this collective is off to a great start, especially under Chris Ganter’s leadership,” said Michael Mauti, retired NFL player. “The heart of Penn State football lives strong in all of us and we hope to share this passion with the fans, families, and alumni that we will engage with, to grow the organization.”
Chris Ganter’s roots in Penn State football go back decades, as his father also coached at Penn State for nearly 30 years. Ganter has worked in sports and entertainment management for over a decade, with organizations including the Pittsburgh Pirates and The Jonas Brothers Change for the Children Foundation.
“There hasn’t been a more exciting time to be a student-athlete, than right now,” said Ki-Jana Carter, retired NFL player. “The Lions Legacy Club is truly a special group with the expertise and passion to take Penn State football to new heights and help student athletes earn the compensation they deserve for working hard on and off the field.”
Through the Lions Legacy Club, all participating student-athletes will receive guidance on the fundamentals of financial and tax management to ensure all transactions are compliant with current guidelines.
For more information visit lionslegacyclub.com and follow @lionslegacyclub on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Blueprint Sports
Founded in Las Vegas in 2020 and backed by Andre Agassi, eight-time Grand Slam tennis champion, Blueprint Sports (BPS) powers the industry's leading name, image, and likeness (NIL) collectives for alumni, supporters, and businesses, connecting them with student-athletes at their favorite university. BPS’ national portfolio of collectives support student-athletes in communities across the country, including Friends of Spike, around Gonzaga University, Friends of Wilbur & Wilma, around the University of Arizona, Friends of Basevols, around the University of Tennessee, Friends of UNILV, around the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Friends of the Pack, around the University of Nevada Reno, Friends of Rocky, around The University of Toledo and more. The Blueprint Sports management team possesses over 50 years of college and professional sports experience, spanning the Pac-12 Conference, IMG, Learfield, and Nevada Athletics Commission, among others. For more information visit blueprintsports.com and follow @PoweredByBPS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Name, Image, Likeness (NIL)
On June 30, 2021, the Division 1 Board of Directors approved an interim name, image, and likeness policy. This new policy allows all NCAA D1, D2, and D3 student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL as of July 1, 2021. Student-athletes can now engage in paid community appearances, autograph sessions, youth coaching engagements, and sports marketing campaigns.
