Champions Circle® Collective Is First to Become An Official Partner of Michigan Athletics

ANN ARBOR, MI – Champions Circle®, the preeminent Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) "collective" supporting University of Michigan student-athletes, today announced that it has entered into a groundbreaking agreement to become an official partner of Michigan Athletics.

Under the terms of the agreement brokered by LEARFIELD’s Michigan Sports Properties, the University of Michigan's official multimedia rights partner, Champions Circle® is permitted to utilize Michigan's intellectual property (including the famed "Block M") in connection with Champions Circle's public events and in Champions Circle's marketing, fundraising and other promotional activities. The collective can also integrate promotional and informational content regarding Champions Circle's NIL initiatives into Michigan football and basketball-related broadcasts and podcasts; employ the reach of Michigan's dedicated online assets (including MGoBlue.com) to promote Champions Circle's NIL-related activities on those platforms; and establish a marketing and promotional presence for Champions Circle inside the gates of Michigan Stadium and within many other University of Michigan venues.

"We are thrilled to welcome Champions Circle® as the first U of M connected collective to achieve the status as an official partner of Michigan Athletics," said Warde Manuel, the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. “Champions Circle® has been thoughtful and proactive in its approach to supportive NIL activities for student-athletes across our entire athletic department. They have done tremendous work to properly leverage our marks to benefit our young people."

The agreement also provides an array of opportunities by which Champions Circle® can collaborate with other Michigan Sports Properties marketing partners to maximize NIL-related initiatives for Michigan student- athletes.

Phil Hollyer, co-founder and Executive Director of Champions Circle®, who led the partnership discussions, commented, "We are very confident that this new partnership will help further our mission of supporting Michigan student-athletes in their pursuit of championships while at the same time creating new and innovative ways for fans, alumni and other University of Michigan sponsors to engage with Michigan student-athletes."

The announcement of the partnership with Michigan Athletics comes on the heels of the unprecedented success of the Champions Circle Golf Classic on July 31 at Orchard Lake Country Club which featured a day of golf and personal interactions between: J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh; coaches and players from the Michigan football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, women’s golf and wrestling teams; other Michigan VIPs; and Champions Circle’s top supporters. Participants in the outing heard firsthand testimonials from Michigan’s student-athletes and coaches about the importance of supporting Champions Circle® to ensure that the University of Michigan remains at the pinnacle of the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics. The event culminated with a live auction that generated financial support for Champions Circle’s NIL initiatives from the sale of bespoke Michigan-related experiences that were exclusively available at the event.

Champions Circle Co-Founder, CEO of Valiant Management Group, and Michigan Football alum Jared Wangler said, “Champions Circle® is proud to be recognized as an official partner of Michigan Athletics. As an alumni-driven organization, we are committed to the success of our student-athletes both on and off the field in this new era of college athletics. We are excited for our partnership to amplify the existing NIL programs that we have built over the past two years."

"The 'Block M' is the most powerful brand in collegiate athletics. This partnership will afford Champions Circle® the opportunity to collaborate with the University of Michigan to greatly enhance the NIL landscape for Michigan student-athletes," added Anna Britnell, Director of Champions Circle®.

“We are excited to work with Champions Circle® as an official partner of Michigan Athletics,” said Jennifer Cadicamo, VP and General Manager of Michigan Sports Properties. “We appreciate the commitment made by their leadership team to elevate their collective through the official use of branding and marketing assets and look forward to collaborating on future opportunities that benefit Michigan student-athletes.”

The first NIL fundraising initiative to benefit from this partnership is Champions Circle's pre-season online auction which offers fans the opportunity to purchase unique offerings with the resulting proceeds supporting Champions Circle's mission of empowering Michigan student-athletes via NIL. Among the items available for bidding are: personal fan experiences with current Michigan coaches, former student-athletes, and famous Michigan alums; rare Michigan merchandise; and VIP access to sporting events, concerts, and other venues.

ABOUT CHAMPIONS CIRCLE® – Founded in 2022, Champions Circle® is a community of fans, alumni, and supporters whose goal is empowering all University of Michigan student-athletes to be the leaders and best through name, image, and likeness. Champions Circle® is committed to operating within the NCAA and university guidelines to ensure Michigan remains at the forefront of college athletics. Champions Circle® partners with Valiant Management Group (VMG) to produce NIL events, curate NIL-related experiences, and assist with fundraising and marketing activities.

ABOUT LEARFIELD AND MICHIGAN SPORTS PROPERTIES: LEARFIELD is a media, data, and technology services leader in intercollegiate athletics. Its locally based Michigan Sports Properties team is solely dedicated to representing the Wolverines. LEARFIELD unlocks the value of college sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. Its services include licensing and collegiate sports properties’ multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics and insights; ticketing software; and ticket sales, premium seating, and fundraising services; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue technology systems. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for NACDA’s acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup, recognizing athletic departments across all divisions.