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Wolverine Boots Expands NIL Program with Michigan Football

Defending National Champions are joined by skilled trades professionals in "Blue-Collar Crew"

Michael Ehrlich

Michigan celebrates the touchdown by running back Donovan Edwards (7) during the 1st quarter against Fresno State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.
Michigan celebrates the touchdown by running back Donovan Edwards (7) during the 1st quarter against Fresno State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Wolverine - the 141-year-old boot and clothing company based in Michigan - has renewed and expanded its NIL collaboration with the defending College Football Playoff National Champions. The brand announced this week that their 2024 NIL roster will include Michigan football players in addition to skilled trades professionals and local high school students pursuing education in the trades.

According to Wolverine, the blue-collar philosophy of No. 10-ranked Michigan mirrors the work ethic practiced by hands-on, skilled trades professions, so this new campaign looks to highlight that blue collar isn’t a line of work, but rather, a mindset that should be celebrated.

Michigan football players featured in Wolverine’s “Blue-Collar Crew” include Donovan Edwards, Mason Graham, Max Bredeson, Colston Loveland, Will Johnson, Alex Orji, Benjamin Hall and Blake Frazier.

In conjunction with the Blue-Collar Crew announcement, Wolverine has launched a new collection of Michigan-inspired boots and apparel with a portion of sales benefiting student-athletes through the brand's ongoing partnership with the school's NIL collection, Champions Circle. The new collection includes a Overman Hooded Canvas Shirt-Jacket, Bucksaw Hooded Flannel Shirt, Floorhand Moc Toe Work Boot and Team #144 Commemorative 1000 Mile Boot.

“The trades workers that keep our country moving day after day deserve to be in the spotlight as much as the collegiate athletes we cheer on every weekend,” said Scott Schoessel, Wolverine Boots’ Chief Marketing Officer. “As a society, we celebrate the grit and toughness of college football stars getting the job done on the grid iron, but we often overlook those practicing that same work ethic and grind in their professions. Our goal is to show that being blue collar is badass, no matter your trade.”

Michigan hosts No. 3 Texas in the game of the week on Saturday with ESPN College Gameday traveling to Ann Arbor.

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Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

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