Kansas, Kansas State Put Rivalry Aside to Team Up for NIL Fundraiser

Legends of Kansas Collective and Wildcat NIL Collective set joint fundraising event to support student-athletes at both schools

University of Kansas' Legends of Kansas Collective and Kansas State's Wildcat NIL Collective are setting their rivalry aside to join forces for an NIL fundraiser scheduled for March 4, 2024. 

The two collectives will host a dinner and celebrate the history of the schools' football rivalry. The event is named "Unrivaled: United Kansas, Elevating Athletes." 

Kansas coach Lance Leipold and Kansas-State coach Chris Klieman will speak at the event. Tickets to the event cost $5,000 and additional sponsorship opportunities are available. All funds that are raised will go directly to the collectives to support the student-athletes at both schools. 

Legends of Kansas Collective

Legends of Kansas Collective launched earlier this month. The collective is focused on providing NIL opportunities to the Jayhawk football players.

According to the collective's website, "Legends of Kansas is a Fund within Charitable Gift America, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, designed to empower the Jayhawk football players to make positive impacts on communities and charities . . . while utilizing their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)."

Through pooling these contributions together, the organization engages in NIL contracts with KU student-athletes.

Wildcat NIL

Wildcat NIL launched in April 2022 and was founded by several former K-State student-athletes. According to its website, the collective connects its student-athletes to local non-profits and provides "financial literacy education, legal support, investment opportunities, and personal brand development." 

Wildcat NIL is the lead NIL collective for K-State athletics. The collective has facilitated NIL deals through partnerships with companies such as Jack Stack Barbecue, Western National Bank, Kansas Beef Council, and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. 

The collective currently functions as a non-profit corporation. 

With identical 7-3 records heading into their rivalry game on Saturday, No. 23 Kansas State visits Kansas at 7PM ET on FS1.