University of Montana and The Brandr Group Launch Group Licensing for Student-Athletes
MISSOULA, Mont. – University of Montana Athletics and The Brandr Group (TBG) have established a group licensing agreement for the university’s student-athletes covering all 15 Grizzly varsity sports. This partnership will enable these student-athletes to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) through a number of opportunities that will be co-branded with Montana’s official trademarks and logos.
“We are pleased to further expand our NIL opportunities with this partnership with Brandr,” said Kent Haslam, Montana Director of Athletics. “This agreement is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that we are helping Montana’s student-athletes have access to the types of services necessary to maximize their value in the NIL market and allow them to both earn money and garner practical work experience."
Montana has found plenty of success across its varsity sports, including two national championships and a record 27 appearances in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, and 33 combined trips to the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. TBG will support the collective use of student-athletes' NIL in licensing and marketing programs, facilitating opportunities on behalf of Montana’s student-athletes, while not limiting individual NIL rights. Student-athletes will have the option to voluntarily join a group licensing program.
TBG, a brand management, marketing and licensing agency, will manage and administer the program as well as develop licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes. With decades of collective management experience for some of the world's largest brands, TBG also manages the group rights program for the NFL, NBA and MLB players' associations, as well as bluechip collegiate brands such as Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas.
Products that combine team logos and player names and numbers have accounted for a large portion of licensed sports merchandise sales at the professional level for decades, and this program opens the door for the same opportunities for student-athletes at the collegiate level.
“Montana’s athletic programs are a driving force in the Northwest and Big Sky Conference, and we’re excited to help write a new chapter into their storied tradition by helping to create new, lucrative opportunities for its student-athletes,” said Rick Perko, vice president of program development at TBG. “Thanks to this group licensing agreement, these student-athletes will be able to benefit from their NIL through co-branded opportunities across the Montana merchandising portfolio. We’re excited to enter a new season alongside Montana athletics and bring this program to life for their student-athletes and their passionate fans.”
Fans can expect to be able to purchase official Grizzly and Lady Griz merchandise, including team jerseys with the name and number of players who have joined the respective group licensing program, once TBG enters into agreements with applicable school trademark licensees.
TBG is the latest of several industry-leading organizations Grizzly Athletics has partnered with to provide its student-athletes more opportunities to leverage their NIL assets, including the Good Ol’ Grizzlies Collective and the Griz NIL Exchange.
About The Brandr Group
The Brandr Group (TBG) is a brand management, marketing and licensing agency powered by a team with decades of collective management experience for some of the world’s largest brands. TBG has emerged as the leading agency in group licensing programs, with rights to more than 90 college athletic programs and their student athletes in the Name, Image and Likeness category including the biggest brands in college athletics. TBG partners with prominent brands, colleges, sponsors, corporate trademarks, athletes and events to cultivate, diversify and monetize intellectual property through professional brand management and licensing endeavors. For more information, please visit tbgusa.com.
About The University of Montana
Founded in 1893, the University of Montana continues to reinvent the world as we know it through the courageous creativity of those who call it home. Today, UM is proud to have over 11,000 Grizzlies across a variety of studies, including undergraduate and graduate programs and technical certifications, all of whom contribute their passion and practicality toward stewardship and sustainability for the world around us. A top-ranked research university, UM’s impact is felt locally and globally, with Grizzlies going on to find success as Rhodes, Truman, Goldwater, and Udall Scholars. Known for unbridled curiosity and creativity unmatched on either side of the Rockies, the UM strives to be both accessible and accountable — respected worldwide and responsive at home.
