P.J. Fleck 'really excited' about where Gophers football stands with NIL

The U's NIL collective, Dinkytown Athletes, announced its largest partnership to date last week.

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck looks on during the second half against Southern Cal at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Oct. 5, 2024. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

While “it’s always a work in progress,” Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck told reporters at his weekly press conference on Monday that he’s “really excited” about where the program is as far as its offerings for name, image and likeness (NIL) offerings to keep top student-athletes in Dinkytown.

“It’s always a work in progress. It always will be, always has been. We’ve had some very generous donors step up big time for us and continue to do (so) and work with Dinkytown Athletes,” Fleck said of the progress with NIL. “… I’m really excited about where we are and the progress we continue to make every single day.” 

Last week, the Gophers’ NIL collective, Dinkytown Athletes, announced its largest partnership yet with Minnesota-based Nepsis, an investment services business, which is matching upgraded memberships and donations up to $1 million from now until Nov. 10. The matched funds will directly benefit the U's football and volleyball programs, per Dinkytown Athletes.

NIL offerings are becoming increasingly more important in the new age of college athletics. It’s become crucial for not only recruiting, but also retaining players. Coming off last season, the Gophers were notably able to return star running back Darius Taylor and top wide receiver Daniel Jackson as well as bring in transfer quarterback Max Brosmer, all key contributors to the team's 5-2 start this season.

“The job of the head football coach is even more important now in fundraising, not just for facilities and stuff, but for your student-athletes and getting out there and making sure people are really, really aware of what’s going on in college football and how people can keep things together and then go get the needs that you need to be able to get,” Fleck said. “I think people are really becoming more aware of it, especially our fans, our donors, our boosters, our supporters, and I can’t thank them enough. And we’ve got to continue to keep doing more. 

“I got to continue to keep working harder and making sure everybody understands that. But I think we have a really good understanding of where we are and our administration and our people that are involved in our NIL in Dinkytown are working really, really hard as well.”