(MENAFN- EIN Presswire)
VC-backed creator company is teaming up with Cincinnati, Alabama, Oklahoma and other top schools to make NIL more stable and sustainable for NCAA athletes
MANCHESTER, NH, UNITED STATES, December 23, 2021 /EINPresswire.com / -- Retrieve Technologies today announced that TeamPaper, a new publishing platform for elite college teams, is working with players at many of the top teams in college football. With TeamPaper, players team up to create a digital fanclub where they provide exclusive content, merchandise, and fan giveaways to subscribers.
Already 23 players at Cincinnati, 17 players at Oklahoma, and nine players at Alabama have partnered with TeamPaper to build a content business and rally fan-fueled support for the players. TeamPaper helps to celebrate the connections between players and fans in iconic college communities like Tuscaloosa, Cincinnati and Norman, and allows every fan to support the teams they love with small dollar subscriptions.
Leveling the Playing Field
TeamPaper was founded as the NIL era rolled out in July 2021, and it seemed the prevailing business model would be for college athletes to be limited to becoming social media influencers or endorsers.
TeamPaper co-founder Patrick Griffin is drawing on his experience in helping mainstream creators to allow student-athletes to participate in NIL in a way that is more fair and sustainable.“Advertising works really well for top athletes but may not be the right fit for most athletes who have little free time outside of school and sports. In many cases going directly to fans is much more efficient than trying to be a spokesperson,” said Griffin.
Based on current figures, the majority of NIL dollars are going to the top 1 or 2% of participating students.“It takes a team to win championships and bring joy to the fans, so we created something where players can cooperate as a team – just like they do on the field.”
How it Works for Fans
TeamPaper allows fans to support athletes by subscribing to digital fan clubs that the athletes create. This allows for large numbers of fans to provide economic opportunity for players with smaller donations, as opposed to the typical route driven by big-dollar boosters and brands. Alabama and Cincinnati fans can go to or to support their teams. Fans can subscribe for a little as $10 per month, and all subscribers will receive exclusive content and shirts, stickers, and digital badges to signify that they are #fortheplayers and part of a five-star fanbase.
Griffin observed that“Fan support for the team is the most powerful energy source in college sports. When fans band together they can create a steady, reasonable income for these young people that will positively impact their lives, whether the next move is pro sports, coaching, or a new chapter altogether.”
As part of its commitment to the community, TeamPaper will donate $1 of every subscription every month to support the Boys and Girls Club of America, to ensure that the next generation of kids benefit from the fun and learning that sports can provide.
Taking Athletes and Teams to the Next Level
TeamPaper aims to simplify NIL for athletes and save them time: individual players will not have to rely on catching the attention of businesses or fans on their own. Working as a group, every player on the team has a chance to build a business and financial stability through NIL, not just the most recognizable individual stars. To give a sense of how powerful fan-power can be: if just 1% of the fanbase subscribed to the team's TeamPaper, it would very easily double the total pool of NIL dollars flowing to the players than if there were brand endorsements alone. And because the proceeds are split evenly, it would greatly improve the distribution across the team.
“As a former NCAA Division I college athlete and someone who works with influencer advertising, it was clear to me the current status quo would mostly benefit the star players,” continued Griffin.“Yet as any player or fan knows, winning goes way beyond the one star who gets interviewed after the game, it's the entire roster. So we feel great that we've allowed these players to work together to positively impact NIL and the local community.”
About TeamPaper
TeamPaper was founded by Dave Arnold and Pat Griffin at Retrieve Technologies, a creator economy platform based in Manchester, NH. Retrieve is funded by New Enterprise Associates, a leading global venture capital firm.
Fact Sheet
TeamPaper is taking off nationwide as word of mouth spreads among players.
Players signed with TeamPaper: 208
Teams with players already live: Oklahoma football, Florida State football
Players going live as a team in the next week: Alabama football, LSU football, Cincinnati football
Cities and Teams with Players on TeamPaper include (as of 12/22/21):
Norman and Oklahoma City, OK (U. of Oklahoma), football, softball, men's and women's basketball
Baton Rouge, Louisiana (LSU) - men's football, men's basketball
Tuscaloosa, Alabama (U. of Alabama) - football
Tallahassee, FL (Florida State) - football, softball, men's basketball, women's basketball
Cincinnati, OH (Cincinnati) - football, men's basketball, women's basketball
Baltimore, College Park, MD (U. of Maryland) - men's basketball, women's basketball, softball
Morgantown, WV-men's basketball
Houston, TX (U. of Houston) - men's basketball
Iowa City, IA (U. of Iowa) - football, men's basketball, softball, women's basketball
Media contact:
Tim Turpin
Spark PR
+1 415-244-9699
Tim Turpin
Spark PR
+1 415-244-9699
email us here
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