Charitable Gift America Inks 68 Spartans to Charitable-Based NIL Contracts for Fall 2024 Semester

CGA calls on NCAA to recognize collective bargaining rights for student-athletes

EAST LANSING, MICH.--(Oct. 8, 2024)--This Is Sparta!—the original and most trusted Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) fund supporting student-athletes at Michigan State University–today announced that it has signed 68 Spartans to charitable-based NIL deals for the 2024 fall semester, representing national and international athletes competing in a broad range of sports. The announcement comes as the future of compensation in college sports hangs in the balance, due to the ongoing House v. NCAA settlement agreement.

The This Is Sparta! fund, which is powered by Charitable Gift America, will be supporting the men’s and women’s golf team, men’s tennis team, men’s ice hockey team, five football players, eight softball players, and four baseball players, 17 of which are international students.

“We’re honored to once again facilitate the desires of Spartan backers who want to support their alma mater while also giving MSU student-athletes an opportunity to make a positive change in the world,” said Dr. Thomas Dieters, board president of CGA. “Michigan State has the greatest fans in the world, and they deserve a world-class NIL program. We look forward to another academic year of success on and off the field for our students.”

As part of their NIL contracts, all 68 athletes will have the opportunity to give five percent of their earnings to a charitable organization of their choice. More than 300 charities worldwide are already benefiting from CGA’s unique approach to NIL contracts, including St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Plan International, Place of Hope, and the Global Sanctuary for Elephants.

“As a coach, you are not tasked with just coaching your athletes and preparing them to win the next game,” said Sharonda McDonald-Kelley, head coach of the MSU softball team. “When you accept a job as a coach, you are accepting the responsibility of providing the next generation with the tools to be successful in life–long after they hang up their cleats. You are showing them what it means to be a good teammate, to hold themselves and others around them accountable, how to be a leader, and how to set and pursue goals to meet those expectations that they have for themselves. Partnering with CGA is a great way for our program to reflect our focus on creating a positive, empowering culture, and another step toward my goals of coaching and leading these women into their adult lives.”

In addition to This Is Sparta!, Charitable Gift America has provided NIL contracts with charitable giving requirements to Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Horizon League, MAC, AAC, and Southern Conference schools in both men’s and women’s sports. CGA is the only organization in the country that provides opportunities for international athletes to enter into NIL contracts.

“A small percentage of high school athletes will move on to play at the collegiate level, and it is quite the achievement when you make it to that next stage,” said Jake Boss, head coach of the MSU men’s baseball team. “NIL provides a great opportunity for these student-athletes to be compensated for what they provide to the university, and this opportunity becomes immensely more valuable when they get the chance to create change in their communities at the same time. With part of their contract going to the charitable cause of their choice, you really get to know these kids, what drives them, what their ‘why’ is. You can see through their involvement with these charities how much these causes mean to them, and it is truly rewarding to see the ripple effect of these contributions.”

Today’s announcement comes as the NCAA and former college athletes continue to negotiate a settlement that could imperil the future ability of student-athletes to receive fair compensation for their labor. Earlier this month, a district judge in California declined to grant preliminary approval to the House v. NCAA settlement, which is being negotiated without current or future student-athletes having a seat at the table.

Dr. Dieters, a board member of the College Football Players Association, said that student-athletes should have the right to engage in collective bargaining to protect their interests.

“Students deserve to have their voices heard,” Dieters said. “If the NCAA tries to limit athlete compensation through this settlement, that’s only going to lead to more lawsuits and legal issues. Collective bargaining is the best answer for collegiate athletics going forward. Schools and leagues that allow the athletes voices to be heard, and engage in collective bargaining, will have a distinct recruiting advantage over others that attempt to continue the one-sided dialogue.” 

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About Charitable Gift America

Charitable Gift America was established in 2011 and currently supports hundreds of charitable organizations and individual philanthropists around the country. The organization is the nation’s leader in split interest charitable income plans featuring both fixed and variable income. Charitable Gift America’s sophisticated model gives donors the ability to give cash, publicly traded stock, real estate and many other hard to value assets. These contributions are designated for any charitable organization the donor chooses. A completely pro bono board of directors with more than 100 years of non-profit experience is invaluable to organizations that choose to be a partner. We look forward to empowering all student athletes in their support of their philanthropic causes.

Charitable Gift America’s board is led by Dr. Thomas Dieters, who has served as the Associate Director of Planned Giving at MSU prior to founding Charitable Gift America, and won four varsity letters in baseball as a Spartan.

About This is Sparta!

This is Sparta! is a fund within Charitable Gift America, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, designed to empower Michigan State University student-athletes to make positive impacts on communities and charities close to their hearts while utilizing their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).