Hundreds of thousands of dollars are transacted between businesses and college athletes across the country now that athletes are able to profit off their own name, image and likeness like any other person.

While huge endorsement deals have made headlines and collectives emerge at larger schools that detractors say seem to skirt pay-for-play rules, it’s a different goal for a set of Weber State fans who have thrown their hat into the NIL ring.

The Purple Dub Club launched this summer, with official announcements going out Thursday on social media, and organizers say their purpose is to create a stronger connection between athletes and the community, provide athletes with assistance in marketing and digital strategies, and connect them with businesses looking to enter this segment of advertising.

“The purpose is to help athletes monetize their name, image and likeness, build community and engage with fans so that they can have what I call the Dame Lillard experience,” said Tom Lakey, one of the group’s organizers. “Stay for four or five years, become part of the community, become the beloved athlete and the hero, and have the Weber experience, instead of two years here and a transfer and whatever. We want these athletes to feel well-connected and appreciate Ogden for what Ogden is.”

A big part of that is helping players make ends meet just a little more comfortably.

“We know of a player who was working 40 hours, and that’s on top of everything else. So if we can reduce that load so their focus can be on school and on their sport a little more, and not worrying about where money is coming from to pay rent — it’s really to make their living conditions better,” Lakey said. “Because rent keeps increasing but stipends aren’t. So we want to put some money in their pockets, but we’re not talking about making people rich here. We’re talking about doing the right thing for the players.”

Lakey, who lives in Clinton, works in computer security. Some NIL collectives around the country have launched seemingly as full-fledged businesses with people working on them full time. But, says Lakey, the Purple Dub Club is an all-volunteer effort made up of people like him who have full-time jobs and want to spend some of their off-work time helping WSU athletes.

The club is classified as for-profit, as the IRS recently issued a memo saying that it does not see college NIL collectives as nonprofit entities even though some launched as such. Lakey says the club board won’t take any money beyond what covers operating costs, and the rest will go to players.

Purple Dub Club will host events with athlete appearances to raise money and serve as ways for business owners to network for NIL opportunities with athletes.

The collective’s first event is what it calls the “All-American Football Kickoff,” a $20-per-person dinner at Ligori’s Pizza & Pasta. Fans can meet a handful of football players for dinner and autographs from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26. Tickets are available at the organization’s website, purpledubclub.org.

Fans can also purchase club memberships on the website at levels ranging from $100 per year to $1,000. Each one comes with varying levels of merchandise included, discounts on event tickets and increased opportunities to meet players.

Lakey says the idea was to give entry points to any and all kinds of Weber State fans to be part of the collective.

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