Champions Circle® is a not-for-profit collective whose mission is to raise funds to sponsor NIL programs for University of Michigan student-athletes. Champions Circle® was started by a group of dedicated Michigan supporters who wanted to do their part to ensure Michigan would have the NIL resources required to win championships.

Champions Circle® is governed by a board that is composed of a group of loyal and trusted Michigan supporters who lend their time on a voluntary basis. They are dedicated to the development and implementation of our NIL programs in a manner consistent with Michigan’s high standards for excellence.

Through the generosity of our founding members, 100% of all net proceeds raised through this website will go to support NIL initiatives for the team(s) of your choosing.

A collective is an entity set up to pool financial resources to be used for an agreed-upon purpose. In the case of Champions Circle®, we are a not-for-profit group that was created to bring together the community of University of Michigan fans, alumni and donors to support our student-athletes through NIL opportunities.

‘Net proceeds’ are the proceeds raised through contributions to this website minus any costs associated with payment processing or applicable supporter benefits (such as products, services, or shipping charges). There are no additional fees charged by Champions Circle®, as overhead costs are covered by a group of founding members who pay a fee. This allows us to use 100% of the net proceeds from this website for NIL initiatives that benefit Michigan student-athletes.

The net proceeds raised through this website are earmarked by the supporter for a sport-specific fund or a general fund to support NIL activities for Michigan student-athletes. These funds will be utilized for NIL programs in a manner as determined in the discretion of our board taking into account a variety of factors, including the relative marketability of the applicable student-athletes.

We maintain the funds in cash accounts held with JPMorgan Chase Bank. We have separate accounting for each sport for which funds are raised and funds will only be used for the NIL programs benefiting the sport for which they were intended. The funds for each sport and any general funds are used in a manner as determined in the discretion of our board. Each year our audit committee engages an outside third party to conduct an audit of the accounting and handling of funds and they report directly to the board to ensure the appropriate use of the funds designated for each sport.

No, individual contributions to support our NIL offerings are not tax deductible. While we recognize the desire for individuals to maximize tax efficiency in supporting NIL activities, the laws and IRS regulations governing non-profit entities and the tax deductibility of contributions made to support NIL activities through those entities, create complexities which prevent us from directly offering a tax deductible option. Instead we partner with groups like Hail! Impact who provide distinct programs which may be tax deductible.

Champions Circle® is operated as a not-for-profit entity. A group of founding members pay a fee which covers the cost of operating Champions Circle® and allows us to use 100% of the proceeds from this website for NIL initiatives that benefit Michigan student-athletes.

NIL stands for “name, image, and likeness” and has become the general term used to describe the promotional activities for which student-athletes can be compensated without compromising their collegiate eligibility. In the current amateur athletic environment, NIL is an important factor in being able to attract and retain the talent necessary to win championships.

VMG is the leading sports marketing agency in the State of Michigan, primarily serving University of Michigan student-athletes. VMG provides a wide range of services to Champions Circle® including marketing services, representation management, event management and overall advisory and management services.

Hail! Impact is a strategic partner to Champions Circle® providing a tax deductible 501(c)(3) giving option to donors. The Hail! Impact program seeks to provide an equal base level of income to all members of the football team through the funding of charitable activities conducted by the student-athletes. Taken together, Champions Circle® and Hail! Impact provide a complementary set of NIL engagement and donation options to donors.

In the state of Michigan, high school athletes are not allowed to participate in NIL activities. Furthermore, the NCAA has stated that NIL activities and income cannot be offered as inducements for a recruit to attend any particular college or university. However, university employees are allowed to discuss the NIL landscape with recruits, including providing case studies and other factual information with respect to the NIL activities and earnings of other current or former student-athletes. As a result, having a track record of robust NIL offerings for Michigan student-athletes is essential to maintaining Michigan’s competitiveness in all sports.

Please contact VMG at marketing@valiantuofm.com to let us know more about the nature of your interest and budget. VMG is able to put together a wide variety of marketing activations and events involving Michigian student-athletes that are tailored to your needs.