UIC Athletics Announces Launch of The Chicago Collective
Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) collective established to assist UIC student-athletes
CHICAGO (Aug. 31, 2023) – The UIC Department of Athletics announced Thursday the launch of The Chicago Collective, powered by Student Athlete NIL (SANIL), the primary Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Collective for all Flames student-athletes to leverage their NIL opportunities.
The Chicago Collective, working in tandem with industry-leading SANIL, will leverage the collective power of alumni, fans, and the business community to help UIC student-athletes excel during and beyond their time at UIC.
“As a Division I program competing in the Missouri Valley Conference in the nation’s third-largest media market, UIC Athletics provides a tremendous platform for student-athletes to monetize their personal brands,” said UIC director of athletics Michael Lipitz. “The Chicago Collective focuses the efforts of Flames fans and alumni to maximize opportunities for our student-athletes and elevate our sports programs. We thank our key contributors who helped create this exciting new initiative and encourage all Flames fans to support UIC student-athletes through The Chicago Collective.”
The Chicago Collective will be led by Jonathon Dues, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Swish House, a basketball fitness company with operations in Chicago and New York. Swish House is owned by a team of 40+ investors who are former collegiate athletes and have developed the world’s first basketball fitness class designed to empower anyone who loves the game to get healthier and happier. Swish House also hosts organized pick-up games and various basketball events and activations.
“Chicago is a legendary sports town with a booming economy, and UIC’s campus, incredible athletic facilities and student-athletes are right in the heart of it all,” Dues said. “The Chicago Collective is uniquely positioned among Missouri Valley Conference schools to create amazing opportunities for UIC student-athletes. We look forward to engaging with, educating and opening doors for the Flames, which will benefit them long after their playing days are over.”
The Chicago Collective will allow businesses, donors and members to support and engage with their favorite UIC teams and student-athletes, or contribute to a general fund that supports student-athletes across several UIC sports. Student-athletes may engage in a variety of opportunities, including personal appearances, meet-and-greets, charitable work, speaking engagements, or commercial sponsorship through The Chicago Collective.
As with all NIL entities, The Chicago Collective is independent from UIC, and the University does not receive any financial benefit from the organization. SANIL is not officially affiliated with UIC Athletics but is acknowledged by the department and will operate within NCAA, Missouri Valley Conference, and State of Illinois parameters to enhance opportunities for Flames’ student-athletes.
The Chicago Collective and SANIL's Student Athlete Empowerment work in unison with various University supporters to create marketing activations that maximize student-athlete earnings while ensuring that the university's best interests remain protected. UIC joins a client roster that includes Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, Rutgers, Northern Illinois, Hawaii, Loyola Marymount, Delaware, Santa Clara, and Wake Forest, among others.
Additional information on The Chicago Collective can be found on its official website at TheChicagoCollective.com, as well as on social media through X (formerly Twitter) (@Chicago_NIL), Instagram (@Chicago_NIL) and LinkedIn (@The-Chicago-Collective).
For more information on UIC Athletics, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UICFlames) and Instagram (@uicflames).
ABOUT UIC ATHLETICS (UICFlames.com)
The UIC Department of Athletics supports 18 NCAA Division I sports programs comprised of 300 student-athletes and 85 coaches and staff. Since earning NCAA Division I status in 1981, UIC has amassed 75 conference championships and made 47 NCAA postseason appearances. In addition, 20 Flames have achieved All-America status, 82 have earned recognition as a conference Player of the Year, and 55 coaches have been honored as a conference Coach of the Year. Flames student-athletes have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for 17 consecutive semesters and boast a 93-percent graduation rate. The Flames compete in the Missouri Valley Conference, a league that features 12 public and private institutions that each have impressive academic reputations as well as storied traditions of broad-based athletic programs.
ABOUT THE CHICAGO COLLECTIVE (TheChicagoCollective.com)
The Chicago Collective is the primary NIL Collective for all UIC student-athletes to leverage their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities. The Chicago Collective allows businesses, donors and members to support and engage with their favorite UIC teams and student-athletes, or contribute to a general fund that supports student-athletes across several UIC sports. Student-athletes may engage in a variety of opportunities, including personal appearances, meet-and-greets, charitable work, speaking engagements, or commercial sponsorship through The Chicago Collective. As with all NIL entities, The Chicago Collective is independent from UIC, and the University does not receive any financial benefit from the organization. More information on The Chicago Collective is available at TheChicagoCollective.com.
ABOUT STUDENT ATHLETE NIL (SANIL) (StudentAthleteNIL.com)
Student Athlete NIL (SANIL) is the leading marketing, media and technology agency of record supporting the needs of student-athletes, brands and the ever-evolving era of Name, Image, and Likeness. SANIL operates the collectives of more than thirty universities while marketing and monetizing the rights of thousands of student-athletes through fan experiences, brand partnerships and premium media content. Our national reach and skilled team of experienced professionals offer personalized attention to our student-athletes, fans and university partners while delivering a fully scalable deployment platform for brand campaigns. Each year, SANIL celebrates the achievements of student-athletes at the NIL Summit, a SANIL-produced awards and educational symposium held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, please visit www.studentathletenil.com.
#FireUpFlames | #ChicagosCollegeTeam
For more information, contact:
Chris Masters
Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations
312.413.9340 (office) or 574.532.4166 (cell)
