Tulane Green Wave Continues Creative NIL Efforts With New Auction Items
The Tulane Green Wave continue to innovate as one of the leading blueprints for Group of 5 programs in the NIL era of college football.
As NIL resources become more critical than ever, head coach Jon Sumrall has been working hard all offseason to raise funds to reload in the transfer portal.
A lucrative golf tournament led to a creative auction launched for funds for name, image, and likeness, with autographed items from multiple NFL teams, including the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints.
The successful Tulane football inaugural Fairways Fore! Football Golf Classic on Feb. 13 illuminated a strong NIL strategy through efforts with local merchandise shop Campus Connection, with proceeds going to the football team through their NIL Collective, Fear the Wave.
Celebrity golfers for the tournament were Sumrall, defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato, linebacker Tyler Grubbs, former Voice of the Wave and current play-by-play caller for the New Orleans Pelicans, Todd Graffagnini, and legendary quarterback Shaun King.
Among the storied Green Wave alumni who appeared at the event were Titans running back Tyjae Spears and Buffalo Bills linebacker Dorian Williams.
Spears, as well as a former and current teammate, are continuing to give back to their former program.
Following the prosperous golf classic, Campus Connection launched an auction for Tulane memorabilia, and the unique collection is available to bid on through Sunday via the linked website.
Another reminder that our Tulane memorabilia auction is still open until Sunday evening! Lots of unique stuff available! All proceeds go straight to @FTWCollective! #rollwave ---->> https://t.co/Ly7plJvBDt pic.twitter.com/1pRzqjz8C3
— CampusConnection💚🌊 (@TulaneShop) February 21, 2025
All of the featured items are autographed.
There are two Jha’Quan Jackson Titans jerseys, a Cotton Bowl football and a replica Tulane jersey by Spears. King signed two 1998 media guides for the undefeated season. Sumrall signed a Green Wave football and golf flag.
The Saints pitched in a team football autographed by Cam Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu, Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler and D'Marco Jackson.
The final auction item is a travel experience for two on the team’s chartered plane to the Sept. 20 game against the Ole Miss Rebels, where they’ll stay at the team hotel and have pregame sideline passes and tickets.
Fans have already bid on multiple memorabilia items to support the football program, a strong collaborative NIL collective and the efforts of local merchants.
As programs chase NIL funds more than ever, it's important to do so carefully in a way that connects with fans rather than alienates. Some schools have added mandatory ticketing fees and urge donations to the collectives with little in return.
A huge storyline following the Ohio State Buckeyes national championship win was the lack of NIL memorabilia available for fans, outlining the idea of name, image, and likeness as somewhat of a farce.
The Green Wave have benefitted from the portal, but they lost a lot of key members in this difficult age of college football.
Sumrall and his team have continued to adapt and offer thoughtful experiences and items for the fanbase as they chase the College Football Playoff next season.
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Maddy Hudak is the deputy editor for Tulane on Sports Illustrated and the radio sideline reporter for their football team. Maddy is an alumnus of Tulane University, and graduated in 2016 with a degree in psychology. She went on to obtain a Master of Legal Studies while working as a research coordinator at the VA Hospital, and in jury consulting. During this time, Maddy began covering the New Orleans Saints with SB Nation, and USA Today. She moved to New Orleans in 2021 to pursue a career in sports and became Tulane's sideline reporter that season. She enters her fourth year with the team now covering the program on Sports Illustrated, and will use insights from features and interviews in the live radio broadcast. You can follow her on X at @MaddyHudak_94, or if you have any questions or comments, she can be reached via email at maddy.hudak1@gmail.com