Spyre Sports Group Announces NIL Totals

Spyre Sports Group, a marketing agency led by James Clawson, Hunter Baddour, and Sheridan Gannon, as well as several other important behind-the-scenes

Spyre Sports Group, a marketing agency led by James Clawson, Hunter Baddour, and Sheridan Gannon, as well as several other important behind-the-scenes employees, is the leading NIL initiative regarding Tennessee Athletics. Prior to last year's July 1st NIL effective date, Spyre had already put in countless days and hours getting ready to help Tennessee athletes secure Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities. Now, almost a year later, the group has released totals for NIL deals since July 1st. 

We’re pleased to announce that since July 1, we have secured NIL deals for 126 student-athletes totaling $3.6 million and counting.

It is because of the support of Volunteer Club members and fans that we are able to get here. It takes all of us. 🍊🧡 pic.twitter.com/meoesnGIKM

— The Volunteer Club 🪶 (@TheVolClub) June 22, 2022

One hundred twenty-six student-athletes across all respective sports at Tennessee have earned $3.6 million dollars in less than one year's time. Sure some have earned more than others, but looking at it as an average, that has each student-athlete making roughly $29,000 dollars over the eleven-month period. 

NIL is a foreign topic to many, as some may not understand, or others simply may not agree with it. But at the end of the day, Spyre's efforts have clearly been productive, as they continue to work tirelessly every day. 

"Education has been the biggest obstacle to overcome," Baddour, one of Spyre's founding partners, told Sports Illustrated's Volunteer Country in January. "Helping the community, helping business leaders, donors, the fans understand what name, image, and likeness is, how a business or person can use a student-athlete to help their individual business or causes, and also support the athletic department at the same time. Continuing education is a big part of it—not just in Knoxville, but traveling around to all the major markets that Tennessee is currently and has historically recruited in—Charlotte, Atlanta, Tri-Cities, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Memphis."

"The second part, outside of understanding and education, is fundraising," Baddour added in the January interview. "It is building a collective war chest, or whatever you want to call it, to where the Tennessee community is going to be able to put together NIL deals and packages. It is going to make Tennessee as competitive as anyone in the country."

The Volunteer Club, mentioned in the post above from Spyre, is an opportunity for even the casual fan to participate in the NIL efforts. It offers multiple levels of membership, which includes perks and access to events, and it has been something that Spyre believes can be a difference in how successful they are at Tennessee. 

"We really believe in the power of numbers, and I think the fans understand that as well," Sheridan Gannon, described by Baddour as "the point guard of the business," said of the power of the fan base. "It takes all of us. We want fans to understand that it is not just going to be the big-time donors that control this, but they have a voice in this as well, and they are able to make a difference in this too. So whether it is a hundred-dollar one-time donation or whatever it may be, they are still going to be involved in this and be a part of this movement."

For the marketing agency, this number is not an end goal or a milestone. At the end of the day, assisting Tennessee to return to the prominence it once had has always been the primary focus.

"We want Tennessee to be the premier NIL destination in the country," Baddour said of this in January. "I understand if that sounds like coach speak, but if we are not shooting to be number one, then what are we doing? We would like Tennessee to be year-after-year in the top three in recruiting in football. Why the top three? Because depending on what website or ranking service you use, nobody is ever number one in all three. So if you are in the top three, I think it is fair to say you are a consensus number one. We also want to take care of all sports at Tennessee, and that includes Women's sports. There is definitely an opportunity for everybody to get in on and experience NIL in a positive way."

To learn more information about Spyre, you can find their website by clicking here.