How Penn State Is Redefining Its NIL Initiatives for Athletes

Penn State introduces ROAR Solutions, which combines five Nittany Lions organizations into a central NIL hub.

A general view of Beaver Stadium following a Penn State Nittany Lions football game. / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Penn State has introduced a consolidated Name, Image and Likeness program for athletes that will help them "uniquely tell their stories and propel their careers forward," according to a news release. The program, called ROAR Solutions, will offer a central platform through which Penn State athletes can partner with brands and advertisers, create content, build personal brands and generate NIL income. It also seeks to fundraise for individual Penn State teams under the new revenue-sharing model coming to college athletics.

This is the latest initiative Penn State has devised to give athletes opportunities to earn money via NIL opportunities.

"This is not the time to rest on our achievements," Penn State Athletic Director Patrick Kraft said in a department video announcing the project. "We must act boldly, providing our athletes with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive in this evolving landscape."

Penn State's ROAR Solutions will deploy resources from five existing organizations devoted to Penn State's athletic fundraising and NIL efforts. The idea is to combine the expertise of these different organizations into one point of access for Nittany Lions athletes.

RELATED: Penn State football's next big hire? A contracts expert for revenue sharing

The Nittany Lion Club: Penn State's Nittany Lion Club is the fundraising arm of Penn State athletics, endowing scholarships and raising money for capital projects and each sport's Excellence Fund. These Excellence Funds cover all 31 Penn State varsity sports and will be used to fundraise and provide more scholarship money for athletes, since team scholarship limits will be replaced by roster limits in the forthcoming revenue-sharing model. Penn State hopes the fundraising efforts can help individual teams pay for more scholarship opportunities for their athletes.

The Brand Academy: Run by former Penn State football player Omar Easy, the Brand Academy represents Penn State's entry into marketing and promotion for athletes. Easy said that the Brand Academy, which began with a $5 million endowment, helps athletes build personal brands, identify and sign deals that fit them, understand contracts, pay taxes and invest their money.

Happy Valley United: Penn State's official collective is the fundraising and engagement platform connecting athletes to fans. The collective has been the primary source of paying Penn State athletes for their NIL deals. It will continue to serve as a donor and membership fund that enhances Penn State's revenue-sharing program.

DisruptU-PSU: LaVar Arrington's content creation platform is "where storytelling meets innovation," Arrington says. The former Penn State linebacker is helping athletes create social media content, podcasts, etc. and then using his radio and TV connections to provide athletes with marketing opportunities and endorsements.

PlayFly Max: Penn State signed with PlayFly to be its multimedia rights partner. As part of the deal, Penn State introduced PlayFly Max, an initiative that helps athletes sign marketing deals with businesses. PlayFly said the program would help athletes find "untapped revenue" opportunities with companies and brands that want to partner with the Nittany Lions.

Introducing Roar Solutions…

A powerful, dynamic group of resources assembled to deliver the best student-athlete endorsement and support in the country.

📰: https://t.co/YvlSAryV5K#WeAre pic.twitter.com/QcRRToMOS2

— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) January 31, 2025

More Penn State Football

What it costs to run the Penn State football team

ESPN analyst picks Penn State to win the 2026 national championship

Penn State football has the championship blueprint. Can the Nittany Lions follow it to a title?