NDSU Bookstore empowers Bison athletes through NIL partnerships

The NDSU Bookstore has entered a new chapter in supporting Bison athletes, serving as a gateway to lucrative Name, Image and Likeness opportunities that allow student-athletes to monetize their personal brands while maintaining their NCAA eligibility.

Through strategic partnerships with two leading NIL merchandise platforms — Campus Ink's NIL Store and Athlete's Thread — the bookstore now provides NDSU athletes with professionally managed online storefronts where fans can purchase officially licensed merchandise featuring their favorite players' names, numbers and likenesses.

When Bison fans visit the NDSU Bookstore website and click on the NIL Store page, they're presented with two distinct options for supporting NDSU athletes:

• The Campus Ink NIL Store, backed by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, launched at NDSU in August 2023 and has quickly become a cornerstone of the university's NIL ecosystem. This platform offers athletes personalized "digital locker rooms" housing custom merchandise ranging from jerseys and t-shirts to specialty items commemorating viral moments and standout performances.
• Athlete's Thread provides an alternative platform, partnering with over 380 schools and supporting more than 38,000 athletes nationwide. The company prides itself on providing officially licensed merchandise for athletes across all sports, regardless of their level of fame or fan following.

What sets these partnerships apart is the compensation structure. While traditional merchandise models historically paid athletes just 4% or less of sales, both Campus Ink and Athlete's Thread have revolutionized the economics by offering what they describe as "industry-leading" commission rates — ensuring most proceeds go directly into athletes' pockets.

NDSU Athletic Director Matt Larsen emphasized the significance of this approach. "We looked at a lot of different platforms," Larsen said when the NIL Store launched. "We liked this platform a lot because the majority of the proceeds go back to the student-athlete and that's what you want to see."

The power of these platforms extends beyond simple jersey sales. Campus Ink has proven particularly adept at "moving at the speed of sport" — capitalizing on memorable moments in real-time. When NDSU football player Hunter Poncius blocked a game-winning kick that left a football imprint on his arm, that viral moment was quickly transformed into a popular t-shirt design, generating substantial earnings for the athlete.

Similarly, running back TaMerik Williams became one of the early success stories with his comic-inspired "TMAK" limited release shirt. Williams praised the partnership's simplicity.

"The NIL Store has given us an opportunity to sell our merch and make money from our names. Working with this company has been great and easy throughout the whole process," Williams said.

Both platforms embrace an inclusive philosophy that extends opportunities to athletes across all sports, not just high-profile football and basketball players. From wrestlers to volleyball players to track athletes, every Bison who opts into the program gains access to the same merchandising infrastructure and professional design support.

Troy Goergen, NDSU senior associate athletic director, praised the NIL Store's comprehensive approach to athlete support, noting how it has become an essential resource for student-athletes building their personal brands.

While the NDSU Bookstore doesn't directly manage these NIL transactions or maintain physical inventory of athlete-specific merchandise, it serves as the critical launching point as the trusted portal that connects Bison fans with legitimate, officially licensed athlete merchandise.

This arrangement protects both fans and athletes. All merchandise is officially licensed by North Dakota State University, ensuring quality standards and legal compliance. The bookstore's involvement provides institutional credibility to these NIL ventures while keeping the university appropriately separate from individual athlete business transactions.

NDSU's NIL Store partnership places the university in prestigious company. The Campus Ink NIL Store network includes powerhouse programs like LSU, Florida State, Nebraska, Michigan State, Penn State, Duke and Indiana — schools that have collectively helped the platform surpass $2.5 million in athlete payouts as of early 2024.

"We're in really good company in terms of a lot of the programs that have chosen to do this, and I think our brand certainly helps us with the ability to do this," Larsen said, referencing NDSU's nationally recognized athletic programs and passionate fan base.

The NIL opportunities facilitated through the bookstore's partnerships have become valuable recruiting tools. Larsen acknowledged that prospective student-athletes and their families frequently inquire about NIL support during the recruitment process.

"A lot of our coaches get asked on the recruiting trail, what opportunities or what level does NDSU support name, image, likeness opportunities for student-athletes," Larsen said. Having robust, professionally managed NIL merchandise platforms demonstrates NDSU's commitment to athlete welfare beyond just athletics and academics.

The NDSU Bookstore's role in facilitating NIL opportunities represents what Larsen calls "the new world of college athletics." Since the NCAA lifted restrictions on NIL compensation in July 2021, college sports have undergone a fundamental transformation, one that allows athletes to benefit financially from their talents, popularity, and personal brands.

For decades, college athletes generated billions in revenue for their schools, conferences and the NCAA while being prohibited from receiving any compensation beyond scholarships. The NIL era has corrected this imbalance, at least partially, by allowing athletes to profit from endorsements, social media promotions, personal appearances, and, crucially, merchandise sales.

Importantly, NDSU athletes aren't required to participate in either NIL platform. The opportunities are provided on an opt-in basis, allowing each student-athlete to make their own business decisions based on their comfort level, time availability and entrepreneurial interests.

For those who do participate, the platforms handle the heavy lifting. Campus Ink and Athlete's Thread manage design, production, inventory, fulfillment, customer service and financial reporting allowing athletes to focus on their sports and studies while still building their brands and generating income.

As NIL continues to evolve with potential changes on the horizon, including direct revenue sharing between schools and athletes following the House v. NCAA settlement, the NDSU Bookstore's partnerships position Bison athletes to capitalize on current opportunities while remaining adaptable to future changes.

The bookstore's NIL portal at NDSU’s Bookstore remains the starting point for fans who want to support their favorite Bison athletes. Every purchase through these platforms doesn't just buy a jersey or t-shirt, it directly supports the financial futures of NDSU student-athletes, helping them build personal brands that may extend well beyond their college careers.

In this new era of college athletics, the NDSU Bookstore isn't just selling merchandise, it's opening doors to opportunity, one athlete at a time.