LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — University of Kentucky Athletics and JMI Sports have announced the creation of BBNIL Suite, an "an innovative name, image, and likeness (NIL) collaborative built and operated by both organizations to serve UK student-athletes, coaches, and corporate partners."
The program is available to all student-athletes and aims to streamline the NIL process, generating revenue while supporting students, a press release on Wednesday said.
The program leverages UK's partners for NIL opportunity as well as pursing new partnerships, helping "student-athletes move quickly to capitalize on “hot market” opportunities to secure new deals efficiently," as well as assisting students in producing "professional-grade content."
BBNIL Suite will also offer support and contract fulfillment services for students as well as ensure compliance regulation.
“We are excited to offer the BBNIL Suite as a competitive new differentiator for the Wildcats” said Mitch Barnhart, UK Athletics Director. “As we navigate this year of significant change in the college sports landscape, BBNIL Suite allows our student-athletes to keep their focus on academics and competition while a dedicated team of professionals work on their behalf to maximize their value in the NIL marketplace. This is another step in providing the student-athletes who commit to our program with the resources they need to succeed.”
Student-athletes will have access to the 20,000 square foot "Downtown Studio" at Rupp Arena, designed for content production and learning.
According to the release, benefits of "centralizing these services" includes establishing a sustainable NIL program that keeps the university competitive, as well as adding a recruitment advantage, empowering student-athletes, and making corporate partnerships more efficient.
“Over more than a decade of partnership, JMI Sports and UK Athletics have built a trusted foundation that includes over 200 partners,” said Erik Judson, Co-Founder and CEO of JMI Sports. “With dedicated local and national sales teams consistently bringing new partners into the fold, BBNIL Suite is a natural next step in delivering real, compliant NIL deals that generate incremental revenue and streamline support for student-athletes, coaches, and brands. This centralized approach strengthens the program and supports the long-term success of UK Athletics.”
