https://wvmetronews.com/2022/01/19/prominent-wvu-alumni-form-country-roads-trust-to-assist-in-nil-deals/
Prominent WVU alumni form Country Roads Trust to assist in NIL deals
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Recently-passed name, image and likeness legislation has given student-athletes across the country the chance to capitalize on their own brands in a way that professional athletes have always enjoyed. At WVU, high-profile figures like Jalen Bridges, Sean McNeil, Taz Sherman, Zach Frazier, Dante Stills, Doug Nester and James Gmiter have all cashed in on endorsement opportunities since the start of the current academic year.
The newly-formed Country Roads Trust has been established to help engineer deals for current Mountaineers. The group has been launched by several prominent WVU alumni, including Arizona Diamondbacks owner/managing general partner Ken Kendrick and former WVU Director of Athletics Oliver Luck.
"We determined that somebody needed to step up and produce a platform in a very organized and professional way that would help us at WVU and their student-athletes to take advantage of this new playing field that the Supreme Court created," Kendrick said on Wednesday's edition of MetroNews Talkline.
ICYMI: Ken Kendrick, a WVU alum & head of the newly formed @CountryRdsTrust, joined @HoppyKercheval today. They talked about how Country Roads Trust came about, and what role it will play in NIL. You can find the full discussion below:https://t.co/yCFQ3nDJuy
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) January 19, 2022
"This is a game-changer for Mountaineer student-athletes," Luck said. "The changing landscape of college athletics makes the coordinated services Country Roads Trust will offer the donors as well as the athletes a necessity. We want West Virginia University to attract the most competitive student-athletes, not only because of our fine land-grant institution, our excellent coaches, staff and facilities, but also because of top-notch NIL opportunities. We believe our Mountaineer athletes and fans deserve the very best."
In announcing the formation of Country Roads Trust on Wednesday morning, several WVU sports legends are included in the group's "Athlete Advisory Team". Jerry West, Don Nehlen, Pat McAfee, Pat White, Da'Sean Butler, Ginny Thrasher, Daryl Talley, Jaida Lawrence Hart, Mike Gansey and Jedd Gyorko will all be involved in the organization.
"We have engaged this group and all are volunteering," Kendrick said. "There's no compensation to any of us. A hundred percent of the funding we have obtained through our own contributions as well as those of others, other than the overhead of operating the business, will go to the athletes."
Kendrick says all WVU student-athletes are welcome to work with the trust to pursue NIL opportunities.
"We then could engage with them and with corporate enterprises that might want to use them in some fashion to promote their product or service. In exchange, the athlete would receive a stipend from the business arrangement we would make.
"We think we can provide some guidance to connect them with the corporate community around West Virginia who might be interested in working with them."
In addition to endorsement deals where athletes are involved in promoting goods or services, the trust will also be involved in setting up public speaking and appearance opportunities.
"We will help them to connect them in all the settings that an athlete may be desired to be a part of an organization or an event," Kendrick said. "Athletes who would be a part of our group will be able to appear in charitable settings where they will receive some compensation or commercial settings where they will receive compensation.
"We are going to have a leadership team that in the next few days will be full-time employees of the trust. They'll be on the ground in West Virginia. They will be people you will know and many of our Mountaineer fans will know."
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