Iowa Hawkeyes Marching Band Members Extend Deal After Making NIL History

The bands mellophone section extends deal with kitchenware business after making history last year.

Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

For the second straight season, a group of Iowa Hawkeyes have secured rare NIL Deal.

Members of the Iowa University marching band have signed an NIL deal with a culinary retail store in the area. The band's mellophone section, which includes 19 members, has agreed to a name, image, and likeness deal with The Brick Kitchen in Independence, Iowa.

The deal was historic last year when the unit became the first full instrument section to receive an NIL deal out of any NCAA marching band across the country; now, they will receive the benefits for a second straight year. 

On the company's Facebook page, owner Shelly Whited explained the reason why they re-upped their deal with the group of Hawkeyes. 

“This collaboration lets us promote these talented students while they support The Brick Kitchen, creating a win-win for showcasing dedication and teamwork both on the field and in our business.”

Over the past year, The Brick Kitchen has showcased band members on their social media platforms in advertising campaigns that have compensated the members financially and with products from the stores' inventory. 

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The business expressed their excitement with an announcement of the groups teaming up once again explaining  “There’s nothing mellow about it!” 

The band section member have already been active on the companies instgram helping promote products around the store including a speed tour inside the building. 

The group received its first deal last year with the company thanks to marching band member Will Whited’s parents owning the retail store, making the family decision and easy one. 

Last year, Whited shared with ABC Cedar Rapids that he hopes this is just the beginning of other small businesses to do the same thing and support in unique ways across the new landscape of college sports. 

”We’re happy to be the first of its kind to do something like this, and we hope we can just maybe pave the way for more NIL deals like this in the future..” said Will Whited. 

The deal is a nice reminder that plenty of other student are impacted with the new changes to college sports lately, not just the athletes on the field. Adding in more incentives to more of the auxiliary programs on gamedays will only improve the overall experience for all on campus.