LSU launches Bayou Traditions as its 1st official collective to help pay athletes
For the last year, a small group of wealthy donors funded a collective to support LSU in the new era of college sports. While similar organizations around the country promoted their activity, Geaux Enterprises quietly gathered millions of dollars designated for name, image and likeness payments to help the Tigers remain competitive.
Conversations about how to evolve were ongoing, and after the NCAA let schools align with collectives last October, Geaux Enterprises began to form a public-facing section of the company called Bayou Traditions.
On Monday, Bayou Traditions was announced as the first official collective of LSU athletics. The partnership marked the department's next step in the NIL space and made LSU the latest school to promote a local collective. The company was also named the title sponsor of LSU GOLD, an in-house content platform.
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward talks with LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) on the bench during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday Oct. 23, 2021, in Oxford, Miss.
STAFF PHOTO BY BILL FEIGAccessible to everyday fans, Bayou Traditions offers various perks in exchange for donations, widening the potential donor pool. The subscription model is considered more sustainable, which has been a priority for athletic director Scott Woodward.
"After a year of Geaux Enterprises doing as much as they did but being behind the scenes, those people and a few other individuals who got involved said, 'This could be good now to make it more public-facing,'" said Taylor Jacobs, the head of LSU's NIL department. "I think it was a mixture of seeing that a lot of other schools were more public-facing but also allowing the general fan to have an opportunity to support NIL efforts."
Before this, most fans didn't have a clear avenue to help pay players. One-time, monthly and annual donation options now range from $10 a month to $50,000 per year. Six payment tiers come with perks like merchandise or a personalized video from an LSU athlete. Fans can specify which sport they prefer their money goes to.
Under NCAA rules, players have to do something for the money. They may participate in community service events, sign autographs or advertise on social media, among other options depending on the terms of their deals. The partnership with LSU GOLD could also open the door to receiving money from Bayou Traditions in exchange for appearing on the platform.
Bayou Traditions must ultimately determine how to allocate the funds and arrange the NIL deals. LSU cannot technically direct payments under NCAA rules. But through the partnership, the collective has direct access to coaches and teams, "collaboration" Bayou Traditions president Brent Cunningham said will help dictate how to spend the money.
"It's our responsibility to understand those needs and create the opportunities for student-athletes," Cunningham said. "Being able to get to know the coaches and the athletes on a deeper level than the fan might see helps make our job a little bit easier in trying to determine how to allocate all these funds."
Other schools took similar steps once the NCAA let them promote collectives, the donor groups that sprung up around teams nationwide to fund NIL payments. While some may eventually face rule violations, they have become an integral part of the system. Texas and Florida State publicly supported their collectives in recent weeks.
Previously, Geaux Enterprises operated behind the scenes after it formed last February. The company met with representatives from Altius Sports Partners, which works closely with LSU on its NIL efforts, about how to get more involved. Within six months, a source said it had raised several million dollars while striking 15-20 deals.
Louisiana law restricted collaboration until amended NIL legislation passed last summer. The revised legislation let LSU facilitate deals, review legal contracts and communicate with collectives while continuing to provide important education. The school soon joined Altius' general manager program and created a separate NIL wing within the athletic department.
After the NCAA released its clarifications, Geaux Enterprises added staff and began negotiating a partnership with LSU sports properties. Cunningham, who had overseen the collective at TCU, came aboard to run Bayou Traditions. He was impressed by what the small group of private donors had accomplished.
"LSU is already at the front of the pack," Cunningham said. "This piece is only going to make it bigger and separate that gap."
Jacobs said the partnership won't change internal operations. On its end, LSU still plans to focus on education through marketing seminars and financial literacy sessions. Bayou Traditions has to write its own contracts like any other business.
But the athletic department and its employees will promote the company and make introductions with players. On Monday afternoon, every head coach appeared in a social media video. They encouraged fans to donate to the collective.
"We want to help them in any way that we can and make sure that they are successful," Jacobs said, "because it's going to, at the end of the day, help our student-athletes."
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