NIL has been criticized by a few big-name coaches like Nick Saban, but many athletes are using it for good and to foster change.
Former Miami Hurricanes QB D’Eriq King allocated much of his NIL funds to help out needy teammates.
Michigan running back Blake Corum used some of his NIL funds to host a turkey drive in his hometown of Ypsilanti, MI, and to help kids in Detroit through the Detroit PAL.
Now another positive story about NIL fund usage has come out of the Big Ten.
In a crucially important NIL deal, the Indiana Hoosiers partnered with Hoosiers for Good and Stop the Violence Indianapolis to address and stop gun violence in the state.
“Hoosiers for Good Inc and Stop the Violence Indianapolis have partnered with 114 Indiana University Football athletes for a first-of-its-kind charitable NIL campaign that challenges young people to team up for peace and put an end to gun violence.“
Utilizing their over 500,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram, Indiana players will “share messages about positive alternatives to gun violence.”
It’s a crisis that has plagued Indiana, especially Black people in the state.
According to the release, African-Americans are 14 times more likely to die from gun violence in Indiana.
In addition, the homicide rate in Indianapolis is three times higher than both the national and statewide rates since 2014 according to 2021 research from the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform. In the city, 550 young people are currently being prosecuted for gun crimes.
Even more sobering, gun violence nationally is the leading cause of premature death; it has led to more than 38,000 deaths and approximately 85,000 injuries each year.
But the Hoosiers are taking action to tackle this grave issue.
“These athletes have an outsized voice in their communities, and young people look up to them,” said Tyler Harris, executive director of Hoosiers For Good, in the release. “We hope that the IU Football team can help change the conversation around gun violence so that more young people are able to make choices that promote peace in their communities.”
His sentiments are echoed by Anthony Beverly, director of Stop the Violence Indianapolis.
“We need support to reach more people in Indianapolis and around the country, and the IU Football players have a huge presence on and offline,” said Beverly. “At Stop the Violence, we see that high school students, those who might be most influenced by these athletes, are afraid to go to school. If they see their role models promoting positive prevention in their communities, they may be inspired to make better choices.”
The team will use #teamupforpeace in their messages.
The Hoosiers understand the seriousness of the situation and are ready to make a difference through the program, which also works with members of the Hoosiers men’s basketball team.
“We have a large following, and whether it be one life or a lot of lives. Just trying to help the cause, because it’s bigger than us. It’s always been bigger than us,” said Trayce Jackson-Davis, a Hoosiers basketball player who is from the Indianapolis area.
You can learn more about the Stop the Violence Indianapolis program here.
