Phil Knight and former Nike execs launch NIL company for Oregon student-athletes

Phil Knight and other Oregon donors formed Division Street, a sports venture to assist Ducks student-athletes in monetizing their NIL.

Several prominent University of Oregon donors, including Phil Knight, Pat Kilkenny, and Jim Morse announced the formation of Division Street, Inc. – a sports company that will assist Oregon Ducks student-athletes in monetizing their name, image, and likeness (NIL).

Sabrina Ionescu, the women’s basketball star and among the most popular athletes in the country, will serve as Chief Athlete Officer. She will serve as a senior advisor to the Division Street team and will “ensure the voice of the athlete is at the center of all the company’s work,” according to an article at Forbes.

“As an athlete navigating the world of brand and partnerships myself, I see a real opportunity to provide today’s college players more professional counsel as they grapple with the new NIL landscape,” Ionescu said. “I’m excited that Division Street also sees that need and is bringing together an all-star team to address this for Oregon. I’m also very passionate about ensuring diversity in gender and sport, and that will be part of my focus in this new role.”

The company will be headed up by CEO Rosemary St. Clair, the former VP and GM of Nike Women, while former Nike VP of Sports Marketing Rudy Chapa will serve as Chairman of the Board.

“Student-athletes have a full plate, and figuring out how to monetize their brands is an incredible challenge,” said St. Clair. “Our team has spent decades building the brands of the world’s best athletes, and we will use that experience to elevate NIL opportunities by bringing in leading expertise across brand, marketing, sponsorship, digital and creative to support all Oregon student-athletes, inclusive of every sport and across gender.”

Oregon student-athletes have already begun exploring the new world of monetizing NIL, with Kayvon Thibodeaux leading the charge with a new cryptocurrency, as well as partnerships with Nike, United Airlines, PlantFuel, and Starface.

In addition to working directly with student-athletes at Oregon, Division Street is also partnering with UO’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center and the School of Journalism and Communication, as part of the Sport and Wellness Initiative and the newly formed Oregon Accelerator – which is a student-led marking collective which focuses on maximizing the NIL earning potential for Oregon student-athletes.
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