ATHENS — A college football version of “Go Fund Me” could be coming to a stadium near you, if Oklahoma State’s latest NIL initiative catches on.
Coach Mike Gundy’s Cowboys will wear QR codes on their helmets enabling fans to link up and donate to a general team fund that goes toward the players’ NIL deals.
SEC coaches, however, aren’t too sure they want to see NIL-related advertisements involved on college football game days.
“We haven’t discussed it and aren’t to the point of wanting to do that in terms of commercializing that part of our game,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said, asked if his program had any plans to follow suit.
“Many of our players do capitalize on the NIL and soon, also revenue sharing (per an NCAA settlement still in progress), but I would argue that people are trying to also keep our game as pure as they can.
“I’m probably more of a traditionalist, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Gundy explained the brainstorming behind Oklahoma State’s idea, equating it to the popular “Go Fund Me” campaigns that help raise money for people and families in need.
“I thought why don’t we set this up for NIL and give the Oklahoma State people a chance that, when they’re sitting there and they see a player make a great play, they’re going to pull that (QR code) up on social media and bang that money.”
LSU coach Brian Kelly, however, is more interested in hearing the drum beats of marching bands amid a traditional game day environment, sans NIL involvement.
“Putting a QR code on your helmet doesn’t feel collegiate to me,” Kelly said, “as much as we can keep this game with the band and college age kids playing the game.
“I get it, NIL is here to stay, but I think we can be separate and still at the end of the game go to work on NIL.”
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables understands the importance of NIL, which allows players to benefit from deals associated with their Name, Image and/or Likeness.
“Nobody has come to me and asked me whether I would support QR Codes,” Venables said. “I think (NIL) is an ongoing, non-stop piece of every day for these guys. I think it’s a good thing, hopefully it’s not a distraction for these guys.”
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer understands the importance of creativity when it comes to raising NIL money.
“We’re all for our student athletes and doing everything we can to help them capitalize on their name, image and likeness,” Beamer said, asked about the QR codes on helmets.
“We want to be on the forefront and cutting edge of things like that, without a doubt,” He said. “You won’t see anything like that here (South Carolina) to my knowledge, but never say never, that’s kind of where I am.”
Smart agreed, referring to a proposal which would enable NCAA schools to share 22 percent of the average power conference revenue with student athletes.
That figure, per reports, would be approximately $22 million annually in 2025-26 and could grow to $32.9 million by the end of the proposed 10-year agreement.
“I don’t think anything has to be decided in that world,” Smart said, " until we get to this revenue sharing and we know how the settlement comes out.”