The NIL competition continues across the country, and the collective, designed to improve Rutgers’ standing in the region, continues to play a role. Earlier today, the Knights of Raritan announced a first-of-its-kind deal with the Somerset Business Partnership (SCBP). This is important because it is the first commercial organization in New Jersey to promote KTR’s NIL business subscription model to its members.
“Somerset Business Partnership is proud to partner with the Knights of Raritan (KTR) in this historic agreement. Many Somerset County businesses are only a few miles from campus and have been using the school’s Great appeal,” SCBP President and CEO Chris Edwards said in a statement released by KTR. “By partnering with KTR, we can help our members grow their audience by engaging directly with student-athletes. We look forward to helping spread the word as the business community continues to understand the benefits of this new business industry.”
The Knights of The Raritan introduces a tiered NIL subscription model that allows businesses to work with Rutgers student-athletes through a variety of avenues, including in-person, social media promotion and commercial endorsement.
“We’ve always believed that business and corporate engagement is a key piece of the puzzle for KTR and Rutgers’ NIL,” said Raritan President Knights Jon Newman“A partnership as important as SCBP is critical to helping educate business leaders and owners about NIL and the ROI that working with Rutgers student-athletes can provide as they grow and promote their businesses to key target audiences. We hope other groups will join us as businesses see the benefits of working with these students.”
Since the inception of the Raritan Knights, many Rutgers student-athletes have benefited from partnerships with companies that allow them to monetize their names, images and likenesses. Companies and fans have the opportunity to participate in KTR. In a recent news conference, Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano recently talked about the NIL as a tool that can bridge the gap between programs.
“In my opinion, if we actually have these resources, this is an opportunity to close the gap. It’s a different way of thinking, and it’s a sudden change,” Schiano said. “The same goes for your supporters, your supporters, your local businesses, do they feel the need, is it that important to them? Well, it can be to our advantage. It can actually be a more A quick way to close the gap, but it’s all about how your personal community feels and then eventually does that.”