Boise State's iconic blue turf is being sold in pieces as part of a fundraising effort. This move reflects broader trends among universities seeking innovative ways to finance athlete payments amid changing NIL regulations.
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Boise State Broncos quarterback Jack Sears (16) hands off to Andrew Van Buren (21) during a college football game at Albertsons Stadium in Boise in 2020. Boise State's famous blue turf is being replaced and the sold in chunks as part of a fundraising move. | " "
As the college sports landscape dramatically shifted in 2021, from a state where athletes were punished for receiving payments of any kind to the current free-for-all where athletes can strike sponsorship deals with little oversight, the schools have been scrambling to find ways to pay athletes.
The name, image of likeness, or NIL, deals morphed into contracts athletes worked out with collectives, like Cody Campbell’s Matador Club that fostered large-scale deals for Texas Tech. Now universities are trying to find ways to fund $20.5 million in revenue sharing to pay athletes across the school directly.
It’s an area of concern for many athletic programs, especially for programs struggling to stay afloat before name, image and likeness came into play. Some universities are exploring private equity options, like the University of Utah, and many are exploring creative ways to raise funding.
From selling off pieces of Boise State’s iconic Smurf Turf to exclusive team sneakers, schools are finding fun and unique ways to compensate their athletes.
Here are some of the creative programs in the current landscape.
As Boise State replaces the Smurf Turf ahead of its inaugural Pac-12 season, the school decided to put its iconic turf to use. The New York Times reported Tuesday that a 400-square-foot piece sold for $25,000 at an auction. Another 6-by-12-foot piece of the 40-yard line marker to signify the field’s 40th anniversary sold for $4,000.
Boise State is selling pieces of its blue turf as a fundraising strategy to help finance athlete payments under new NIL regulations.
NIL deals allow college athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness, significantly changing the financial landscape of college sports.
Universities are looking to fund approximately $20.5 million in revenue sharing to pay athletes directly.
Other universities are exploring private equity options and creative fundraising methods to support their athletic programs amidst financial pressures.
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The Idaho school is selling pieces of its turf for $40 to $300 for various modified items, such as small rectangles or even rings made of the Smurf Turf scraps. With 57,600 square feet in a college football field, the Gem State may see a lot of Smurf Turf memorabilia.
Much of the NIL scene means a millionaire somewhere writing a large check to fund a university’s athletic recruiting funds, but “Pipeline Jerky” provided a way for the common man to contribute.
Each pack of the snack purchased produces a certain percentage of to Nebraska’s NIL — specifically for the Cornhuskers linemen.
“Pipeline Jerky” has taken a pause on sales for the time being as a “jerky war” broke out with a larger company called “Cornhead by 1890,″ which forced itself into the jerky NIL for Nebraska, according to Nebraska on SI.
Utah Utes scholarship football players celebrate getting a Dodge truck given to them by the Crimson Collective during an NIL announcement at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
In recent years, members of the Utah football team received Ram trucks as part of their NIL proram, leased for six months. Partnered with the Ken Garff dealership, the deal was a unique way to attract athletes to the university.
Known for flashy jerseys due to the school’s close connection with Nike, Oregon leaned into exclusive fashion design to raise NIL funds by releasing its own limited-edition sneaker line.
The Ducks of a Feather, or DOAF, collective released wilderness-inspired shoes called the “Lumber Yard” and “The Woods,” paying homage to Oregon’s trees and greenery.
The DOAF line recently unveiled a futuristic design called the “Metallic Nova.” According to a post by Complex Sneakers, the shoes will drop May 9, and only 300 exist in the world.
Along with other universities, Ohio State is taking fans through a behind-the-scenes tour of the historic “Ohio Stadium.”
The university provides guided, group, educational and even game-day tours. The tours are branded to different experiences, allowing tourists to dine in the press box, or a visit a wine cellar at the stadium.
Other universities doing the same, include North Carolina, Oklahoma, Auburn and Buckeyes rival Michigan.
Oklahoma State announced plans to place a small 1½-inch QR code on the back of helmets for fans to scan and easily donate to the program. The idea was swiftly shut down by the NCAA, which called the stickers advertising and/or commercial marks.
In response, the university put QR codes everywhere it could think of, from bag tags, drink coasters to stadium signage.
Beginning in the 2026-27 season, the NCAA announced commercial patches would be allowed on uniforms. The patches must fit the required size guides and are limited to two patches. Perhaps QR codes will appear on helmets after all.
Oregon football announced that it would send select players to Tokyo, Japan, in an NIL event that would introduce and teach Japanese students football with a 7-on-7 emphasis, Ducks on SI reported.
According to the report, Nike founder Phil Knight was heavily influenced by the Japanese culture when he created Nike, so a trip to Japan for the local university is natural. The event is part of a deal with Flight Club, which specializes in exclusive footwear.
The livestreaming network designed for college sports by the TheLinkU and Twitch enables colleges to run their own branded channels. According to internet influencer Ross Dellenger, content could include watch parties, Q&A sessions and coach interviews to drive NIL revenue.
According to a post on LinkedIn, it will also include gaming tournaments where athletes may interact and potentially play with fans.