Alabama
These are the power brokers behind Alabama and Auburn’s major NIL collectives
![These are the power brokers behind Alabama and Auburn’s major NIL collectives These are the power brokers behind Alabama and Auburn’s major NIL collectives](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/6MNRCS2X65HYNAKVYBESQBJDYY.jpg?auth=ec28de6941c99c7f0403ca97afe111f3a630011a2f22b856c3bafe86dd268b9c&width=1280&quality=90)
In the fast-changing landscape of college sports, connections matter.
Players want the best NIL deals and businesses want the most lucrative marketing opportunities. It’s all part of the expensive new game for universities to land top recruits and stack their rosters.
Some describe this new landscape as the “wild, wild west,” as players and schools are still figuring out the toddler-aged policy that allows pay for student-athletes.
After the NCAA adopted its name, image and likeness policy in July 2021, allowing student-athletes to financially benefit from their personal brands, booster groups scrambled together to form NIL collectives.
But who are the movers and shakers behind the scenes of the collectives at Alabama and Auburn?
Some of them are former athletes. Others are big fundraisers for the universities with notable nonprofit and business connections across the state. They’re the ones handling the so-far unregulated flow of money, as it moves from boosters and fans to the pockets of student-athletes.
[Read more: Boosters started a nonprofit to pay Alabama athletes millions. Now, it’s shutting down.]
Bill Lawrence, a partner at the law firm Burr & Forman in Birmingham, has advised On to Victory, Auburn’s NIL collective.
He said the return of players like Johni Broome at Auburn and Mark Sears at Alabama, exemplify the impact NIL is having on rosters. Broome, Auburn basketball’s All-American big man, is staying this year.
“Because of what Auburn’s NIL collective has been able to do, and the amount of money it’s been able to generate for its athletes,” Lawrence said, “Broome has decided to forego his professional career in large part due to the NIL compensation he’ll be able to earn next year.”
Alabama guard Mark Sears holds the winner’s trophy after defeating Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)AP
In Tuscaloosa, Sears, the star guard for the men’s basketball team, decided not to go pro.
“The reason he would return at this point is simply because of the NIL compensation he could get returning for another year at Alabama,” Lawrence said. “You’re seeing, two to three years in, the good that can come out of NIL collectives and NCAA dropping its restrictions on compensation for student athletes.”
There still isn’t any federal legislation on NIL guidelines, which means the rules vary by state and even by university. Right now, Yea Alabama operates as Alabama’s official NIL collective, and On to Victory is Auburn’s official group. Both collectives offer membership benefits for fans. They can pay a monthly subscription for tiered access to exclusive events, content and merchandise.
On To Victory has about 3,000 active monthly members, said executive director Brett Whiteside. The collective reported 3,174 members at the end of 2023, growing 154% from August to December.
Meanwhile, it’s unclear just how many members Yea Alabama has. Jay McPhillips, the collective’s executive director, declined an interview and wouldn’t answer questions.
“Yea Alabama is the official NIL agency for student athletes at the University of Alabama,” McPhillips said in an email to AL.com. “Our purpose is to help facilitate licensing and endorsement deals for student athletes.”
In late January, Yea Alabama announced that it gained 900 new members in just six weeks after the hiring of new head football coach Kalen DeBoer to replace Nick Saban.
Kristi Dosh, founder of the Business of College Sports, said many collectives initially had a model where fans could pay between $9 to $100 a month via a membership tier to join.
But now, more collectives have expanded to larger fundraising strategies, such as a yearly donation of $5,000 or a one-time gift of $100,000, she said. That was so they could attract and retain student-athletes.
“What was sort of happening outside of the collective that we’re all very aware of now is that it became a recruiting advantage,” Dosh said. “Offering NIL deals to student-athletes became a way to attract new recruits or retain talent or get someone in the transfer portal.”
Here’s what we know about the people and businesses behind Yea Alabama and On to Victory:
Yea Alabama
The Alabama basketball team held its first practice at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, AL on Monday, Sep 26, 2022.
Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
The University of Alabama’s official NIL collective formed in February 2023. Yea Alabama had a “charitable partner,” an organization called Walk of Champions, which became a public nonprofit in March 2023. But Walk of Champions told AL.com in a statement that it has stopped accepting donations and plans to dissolve.
Yea Alabama pledges that all of its income from subscriptions – starting at $18 a month – goes to student-athletes, and salaries for staff are fundraised separately.
The leaders of Yea Alabama didn’t answer questions for this article.
Staff:
Jay McPhillips, executive director
McPhillips has been leading Yea Alabama since the beginning. He has 17 years of experience working in sales and fundraising. He previously was director of development for the University of Alabama’s College of Arts & Sciences, as well as assistant director of sports for the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission, per his LinkedIn page. He graduated from Alabama in 2005 after earning his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in management and marketing.
Aaron Suttles, director of content
Suttles’ work for Yea Alabama includes publishing blogs with sports analysis for subscribers and hosting Q&As with coaches. He previously worked in journalism as sports writer covering Alabama and the Southeastern Conference for The Athletic and the Tuscaloosa News. He graduated from Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2009.
Peyton Browne, events coordinator
Browne graduated from the University of Alabama in 2024 with both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sport management with a concentration in event management. While in college, she worked in events planning with the Office of the Director of Athletics, per Yea Alabama’s website.
On to Victory
![Caleb Wooden and Malcolm Johnson Jr. A-Day](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/63ZZPRWJENEKLDTP4VJITUESEU.jpg?auth=be9bb879cdc74b90be8c38b96be6607a6df3ef8a503b866319e2a67ba7c73bf4&width=500&quality=90)
Auburn wide receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr. (16) catches a pass for a touchdown as safety Caleb Wooden (21) defends during the A-Day NCAA college spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP
On to Victory, Auburn’s primary NIL collective, launched in July 2022, after the collective acquired a previous collective, called NIL-Auburn, led by Rick Davidson.
“We certainly appreciate their initial efforts in this space and are proud to have built upon that foundation over the last two years,” Whiteside said in an email.
Lawrence represented On to Victory in the deal, one he said is unique for the field.
“They popped up literally overnight, and different collectives, and different owners of the collectives perhaps had different motivations at the outset,” he said. “Some collectives were organized to make money for the owners of collectives. Not only will they compensate student athletes through NIL deals, but the owners of that collective also wanted to make money.”
But On to Victory is different, he pointed out, as its board pledges to not take any profit.
“Its owners aren’t trying to generate income for themselves,” Lawrence said. “They don’t take salaries, and they’re not taking distributions from the collective. They exist to support Auburn athletics, and they cover their overhead and the rest of the money is intended to go to the student athletes at Auburn.”
The collective – a registered corporation in Alabama, not a nonprofit – is owned and managed by Friends of Auburn, LLC, per business entity records filed with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office. Members can join starting at $17 a month. The organization also accepts one-time donations, such as a $1 million founding donation from aerospace engineer Walter Woltosz, 247sports reported.
Wesley Spruill, who organized On to Victory’s board of directors, previously told 247sports that the collective functions as the voice “for a lot of value donors who know we have to make it happen.”
“We want to change kids’ lives, make Auburn competitive. We’re not trying to outspend everybody. We want to have a solid NIL program and do it the right way,” he said. “We will prove every year that nobody in our organization will ever make a penny.”
The organization lists the following businesses as sponsors: The Broadway Group, John Deere, Fulcrum Construction, Momma Goldberg’s Deli, The Sheffield Group, Sun South and CCS Technology Center.
Staff:
Brett Whiteside, executive director
Whiteside has been On to Victory’s executive director since August 2022, per his LinkedIn page. He worked as the chief recruiting officer for the University of Missouri. At Auburn, he was the director of football operations and administration as well as the director of recruiting operations for football. Whiteside earned his bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University in 2012, his and his doctorate and master’s degrees in higher education from Auburn.
JJ Arminio, director of fulfillment
Arminio has worked as director of fulfillment for On to Victory since September 2022, per his LinkedIn page. He was previously head coach for Auburn’s men’s lacrosse team. He played lacrosse for Auburn from 2005 until he graduated in 2009 in the kinesiology school.
Jason Campbell, general manager of NIL – football
The 2004 SEC player of the year led the Auburn Tigers’ football team to an undefeated season before he joined the NFL draft. He went to Washington in the 2005 draft before stints with the Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals.
He held a similar role for Auburn’s original collective, NIL-Auburn. Campbell works on the Auburn Sports Network and hosts On to Victory’s podcast. He’s also an analyst for the Washington Commanders.
Sam Ahlersmeyer, operations coordinator
Ahlersmeyer joined On to Victory in August 2023 after she worked as a data entry coordinator at the South Dakota State University Foundation, per On to Victory’s website. She graduated from Purdue University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness management.
Jamie Armstrong, director of development
Armstrong joined On to Victory in August 2023 after working as Jacksonville State University’s director of foundation and corporate relations and director of professional outreach for Gadsden Regional Medical Center, per On to Victory’s website. She graduated from Auburn in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations.
Brandon Council, coordinator of student-athlete relations
Council joined On to Victory in April, per his LinkedIn page. He played football for the New York Jets and the Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club, a Canadian professional team. He graduated from Auburn in 2023, after playing on the football team’s offensive line, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and the University of Akron in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in sport and fitness administration and management.
Kendra Short, director of membership and marketing
Short has worked for software companies including ADP, Deltek and JumpCloud, per her LinkedIn page. She graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 2014.
Board of directors:
Mike Arasin
Arasin is the founder and owner of Fulcrum Construction, a commercial general contractor. He’s on the industry executive board for Auburn’s McWhorter School of Building Science. As a scholarship athlete on the men’s golf team, Arasin graduated from Auburn in 1988.
L. Nick Davis
Davis is also a founding member of Friends of Auburn, LLC, per his bio on On to Victory’s website. He leads Momma G’s Inc., the franchisor of Momma Goldberg’s Delis, as president, CEO, CMO and majority shareholder, as well as serves as chief executive The Progressive Companies based in Gainesville, Florida, Vision Restaurants Inc. – which operates six Taco Bell restaurants – and Davista Holdings, LLC, which has several real estate holdings in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Davis graduated from Auburn in 1984. He’s well-versed in leading various alumni associations and advisory committees for the university, and is a member of the Auburn Athletics’ Tigers Unlimited, Heisman Society level. He also has a longtime executive suite at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Steve Fleming
Fleming, a retired banking executive, now works as a real estate investor and developer via Fleming Commercial Properties LLC. He owns commercial properties in Auburn and nearby. He graduated in 1983, and now serves on an advisory council for the College of Liberal Arts. He also belongs to two donor societies for Auburn, including the 1856 Society, which recognizes donors who have contributed at least $100,000 to the university.
Keith Jones
Jones graduated from Auburn at Montgomery’s School of Business in 1991. He’s a certified public accountant and realtor for Porter Properties, based in Auburn.
Ned Sheffield
Sheffield recently retired from his role as president and managing principal at consulting firm Jackson Thornton. He graduated from Auburn with an accounting degree in 1978, and has longstanding memberships with the Auburn Alumni Association and the advisory council for the School of Accountancy. He belongs to several donor societies, including the Shug Jordan Society of Tigers Unlimited, which recognizes donors who give between $100,000 and $250,000 to the university.
Wesley Spruill
Spruill runs The Spine Care Center as founder and medical director in Tuscaloosa, and he also is a real estate developer. He graduated from Auburn in 1983, and his son played baseball at Auburn.
Bob Broadway
Broadway is CEO and founder of the Broadway Group, LLC, a commercial real estate developer in Huntsville. He earned his MBA from Auburn’s business school in 1993.
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Alabama
NFL Thursday night: Pick-6 pair have Alabama football roots
![NFL Thursday night: Pick-6 pair have Alabama football roots NFL Thursday night: Pick-6 pair have Alabama football roots](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/52EGHZS2EBC43DE4DWYTBIJNDE.jpg?auth=c5ae13facdc03a9e09cd96d465cf42b412ae9033c46c79f3cdeb08d3ca3a2e12&width=1280&quality=90)
Two defensive backs with Alabama football roots returned an interception for a touchdown during an NFL preseason game on Thursday night.
Former Alabama safety Jordan Battle’s pick-six came in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 27-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Former Troy cornerback Reddy Steward’s pick-six came in the Chicago Bears’ 34-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Battle picked off Indianapolis starter Anthony Richardson and returned the interception 14 yards for a touchdown as the Bengals tied the score at 7-7 with 3:01 left in the first quarter.
Steward picked off former Samford quarterback Chris Oladokun and returned the interception 48 yards for a touchdown as the Bears took a 20-7 lead with 22 seconds left in the first half.
Battle wasn’t the only Alabama alumnus who scored for the Bengals. Rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Logan Woodside
The touchdown was the second of the preseason for the third-round draft choice. Burton caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Woodside during Cincinnati’s 17-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Bengals’ preseason opener on Aug. 10.
Burton had four receptions for 56 yards against the Colts.
And Steward wasn’t the only Alabama prep standout who scored for the Bears. Former Saraland High School star Velus Jones Jr. ran 39 yards for a touchdown with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.
A wide receiver in his first two NFL seasons, Jones has been working at running back this preseason, and against Kansas City, he ran for 111 yards on 13 carries, caught two passes for 11 yards and made two tackles – one on special teams and one after a fumble.
Battle and Steward are in different circumstances.
A third-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, Battle started the final seven games of his rookie season. But he’s back competing for playing time this year after the Bengals signed safeties Vonn Bell and Geno Stone.
Battle also had five tackles on defense and one tackle on special teams against Indianapolis.
A two-time All-State selection for Austin High School in Decatur before becoming an All-Sun Belt Conference choice at Troy, Steward is trying to convert a long-shot opportunity to make the Bears’ roster as an undrafted rookie.
The pick-six was Steward’s second interception of the game. Steward also intercepted Oladokun with 11:28 left in the second quarter with the Chiefs at the Chicago 3-yard line. He intercepted the pass at the goal line and returned it 11 yards. Steward also had two tackles in the game.
Twenty other players with Alabama football roots got on the field as the final week of the NFL’s preseason started on Thursday night:
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle returns an interception for a touchdown during an NFL preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.(Photo by Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Indianapolis Colts 27, Cincinnati Bengals 14
· Travis Bell (Jeff Davis) started at defensive tackle for the Bengals. Bell did not record any stats.
· Colts defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (Alabama) made one tackle. Davis had not practiced at training camp until Tuesday, when he was cleared after being held out because of high blood pressure.
· Allan George (Andalusia) started at cornerback for the Bengals. George made eight tackles.
· Colts safety Ronnie Harrison (Alabama) made two tackles on defense, registered one tackle for loss and recorded three tackles on special teams.
· Shedrick Jackson (Hoover, Auburn) started at wide receiver for the Bengals. Jackson had an 8-yard reception.
· Cedric Johnson (Davidson) started at left defensive end for the Bengals. Johnson made three tackles. He lost a sack to a penalty on a teammate.
· Ryan Kelly (Alabama) started at center for the Colts.
· Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (Fort Payne) made two extra points. He did not have a field-goal attempt.
· Colts cornerback Jaylin Simpson (Auburn) made one tackle on special teams.
· Braden Smith (Auburn) started at right offensive tackle for the Colts.
· Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (Park Crossing) did not play.
Indianapolis and Cincinnati kick off their regular-season schedules on Sept. 8. The Colts host the Houston Texans, and the Bengals host the New England Patriots.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun passes under pressure during an NFL preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Chicago Bears 34, Kansas City Chiefs 21
· Khari Blasingame (Buckhorn) started at fullback for the Bears. Blasingame also had a 4-yard run.
· Byron Cowart (Auburn) started at defensive end for the Bears. Cowart made one tackle.
· Bears tight end Gerald Everett (UAB/South Alabama) did not play.
· Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy) started at defensive tackle for the Chiefs. Farrell did not record any stats.
· Chris Oladokun (Samford) started at quarterback for the Chiefs. Oladokun completed 9-of-16 passes for 66 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions and ran four times for 6 yards.
· Justyn Ross (Central-Phenix City) started at wide receiver for the Chiefs. Ross had two receptions for 16 yards.
· Chiefs tight end Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) had a 3-yard reception.
· Kadarius Toney (Blount) started at wide receiver for the Chiefs. Toney had two receptions for 26 yards.
· Bears cornerback Ro Torrence (Bessemer City, Auburn) made three tackles on defense, broke up two passes and made one tackle on special teams.
· Bears punter Corliss Waitman (South Alabama) averaged 44.3 yards on three punts, with a 39.0-yard net.
· Chiefs wide receiver Montrell Washington (Samford) had a 49-yard reception and a 30-yard kickoff return.
Kansas City kicks off the NFL’s regular-season schedule on Sept. 5 when the Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens. Chicago opens on Sept. 8 with a home game against the Tennessee Titans.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
Alabama
Alabama community colleges see surge in enrollment, bucking national trend
![Alabama community colleges see surge in enrollment, bucking national trend Alabama community colleges see surge in enrollment, bucking national trend](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/LEDNPEVOSNEVBOXUX5KSMXJ4QM.jpg?auth=2635bdf615019eed0903dd28d5ee7ead8efe6fff9e24978530fd2c6632bc796b&width=1280&quality=90)
Alabama community colleges are seeing the highest enrollment numbers in a decade.
According to the Alabama Community College System, more than 170,000 Alabamians enrolled in academic courses, adult education or workforce training in the last academic year.
Enrollment numbers at local community colleges haven’t been that high since 2013, according to the system.
“This enrollment achievement reflects the growing recognition of the critical role that community colleges play in providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality education to students from all walks of life,” said Jimmy Baker, Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System, in a news release.
The trend is pretty different from the rest of the country; nationally, many community colleges have had a string of “crisis” years, according to the Community College Research Center. Two-year public college enrollment has declined since 2010, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Neil Scott, vice chancellor of student success, told trustees recently that the system received 100,285 applications for the Fall 2024 semester, according to The Alabama Reflector.
Alabama officials attribute their increases to scholarships, flexible learning options and support services.
Many students are full-time and working toward a two-year and, eventually, four-year degree. Others are part-time students or are working toward a single credential.
About half of the state’s community college students are eligible for Pell awards and financial aid.
In recent years, several Alabama colleges have made substantial efforts to coach students and get more across the finish line to graduation.
And they now feature a lot of new programs: Hospitality courses, plumbing maintenance, diesel mechanic programs, meat cutter training and more.
Alabama
They're back: Fall 2024 is under way at University of Alabama – WVUA 23
![They're back: Fall 2024 is under way at University of Alabama – WVUA 23 They're back: Fall 2024 is under way at University of Alabama – WVUA 23](https://www.wvua23.com/content/uploads/2024/08/w/l/university-of-alabama-student-center.jpg)
University of Alabama students kicked off the new semester with students starting back to class.
Students are excited to be back and ready for the new year.
“I’m really excited for my classes and to meet a lot of new people. I come from a smaller school, a lot of my friends are here, but I’m really excited to have new friendships,” said freshman Celia Quintera.
Sophomore Jailin West said being back is refreshing.
“I feel like I have an understanding of what I’m doing now classwise,” West said. “I feel like I’ll be better like adapted and ready for classes this year than I was last year.”
Senior Reagan White agreed.
“It’s been great,” White said. “I only had one class this morning but I’m just happy to be back on campus, seeing everybody and getting started with the new year.”
Stillman College and Shelton State Community College started back on Monday.
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