Razorbacks Announce Big Push with Arkansas Edge

Hogs' athletics administration counting on incentives to drive numbers to help NIL

Razorbacks athletics director Hunter Yurachek sports an Arkansas Edge sweater shortly after the new collective was announced. / Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Public pushes by college NIL collectives have become much more visible as of late. For instance, Aggies United recently made a push in advertising in cooperation with Hulu.

While the Arkansas Razorbacks may not show up in the middle of your latest streaming session any time soon, there will definitely be much more visibility from the Hogs' NIL collective Arkansas Edge in the coming days. In a recent release by the athletics department Wednesday, the university revealed its plan to push forward with more urgency to increase membership within the collective.

Arkansas unveiled "the launch of their “Drive for Five” membership campaign, which seeks to increase the collective’s fan membership club to 5,000 members and grow NIL support for Razorback student-athletes by offering fans a stake in their favorite team’s success. In a letter written to fans and supporters by Arkansas Edge’s Executive Director, Chris Bauer, it was revealed that the collective will unlock exclusive benefits and giveaways for members throughout the Drive for Five event, including VIP experiences, discounts with local businesses, signed memorabilia, and more."

The university is looking to gain its best possible advantage through sheer membership numbers, something the Razorbacks are already far behind on when it comes to NIL collectives. The goal is 5,000, but the hope is to possibly scrape together double that to compete with other schools.

“It’s no secret that NIL has changed college athletics,” Bauer said. "Just like having state-of-the-art facilities and other student-athlete support services, opportunities for NIL have become a critical component. While charitable contributions and business partnerships also play a big part, it’s important we also stay competitive with other schools whose collectives claim membership rolls of over 5,000 and sometimes up to 10,000 members. A strong NIL program is a necessity in this changing landscape to attract top talent and support and retain the talent we already have.”

The incentives are the anchor to the whole thing. Arkansas is banking, quite literally, on fans becoming motivated by getting something directly in return for their investment

“This isn’t just about us," Bauer said. "As Arkansas Edge grows, we want this to be fun and engaging, and we also want to reward our members too for the part they play in helping us stay competitive.”

"The Drive for Five membership campaign will involve exclusive giveaways at each major milestone, starting off with opportunities to win sideline passes for the Razorback Spring Football game, tickets for a home baseball game, dinner for two at local restaurants, and memorabilia signed by baseball student-athletes, all of which will be given away to members – both current and new – once the collective reaches its first milestone. More giveaways will be introduced as Arkansas Edge reaches each milestone on its way to 5,000 total members."

As for Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek, he hopes to appeal to the competitive nature of Razorbacks fans. He chose to point to the pride of outshining other fan bases as a strong reason for Hogs fans to reach into their pockets once again on top of all the costs associated with team gear, tickets, parking, lodging, and various fees associated with the process.

“Our vision is to be the best in every area of competition that faces our athletics program, and this includes our newest competitor, NIL,” Yurachek said. “One thing I know about our fans and our state is how passionate they are about the Razorbacks and our success. The Drive for Five kicks off a remarkable opportunity to showcase that pride and take part in our success by growing Arkansas Edge’s membership to help support our Razorback student-athletes.”

The collective also plans to partner with local business partners for discounts and other benefits for all Arkansas Edge members to be unveiled with each milestone. Beginning April 1, current members will receive 10% off their order at Wright's Barbecue.

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Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports