About Us

NIL stands for “Name, Image, and Likeness” specifically referring to the use of an athlete’s NIL through marketing and promotional endeavors. Student-athletes at NCAA institutions could begin monetizing their NIL beginning on July 1, 2021.

Generally speaking, all NIL activities are permitted, as they follow these four guidelines: -An NIL deal must require a student-athlete to do an activity in order to receive compensation. -That activity cannot be tied to athletic performance such as statistical achievements, awards. -That activity cannot be contingent upon the student-athlete committing to the university that the collective supports or tied to enrollment. -Institutions do not provide compensation in exchange for the use of a student-athlete’s NIL. NCAA rules also require student-athletes to follow their state law or institutional policy on NIL activities.

No – Bears Hoops Alliance is a third-party entity that is unaffiliated with the Missouri State University.

No – our agreements are intentionally non-exclusive to enable student-athletes to continue to build their brand with opportunities outside of Bears Hoops Alliance.

Student-athletes are paid by helping Bears Hoops Alliance achieve it’s mission of community betterment and engagement. These activities could include service work at non-profit events, promotion of a charities event, visits to local elementary schools, etc.

Bears Hoops Alliance is composed entirely of volunteer board members who share the same passion and enthusiasm for MSU Men's basketball that you do. We have had some initial start up costs to become active but expect over 95% of all money raised annually to go back to the student athletes.

The Bears Hoops Alliance is not registered as a 501(c)(3) organization in alignment with guidance released by the IRS on 6/10/2023. Therefore, contributions to the Bears Hoops Alliance do not qualify as charitable contributions.

The Bears Hoops Alliance was formed to assist Missouri State Men's Basketball players in connecting with fans, the Springfield community and businesses for NIL opportunities.

Bears Hoops Alliance encourages all Missouri State fans to maintain and increase their current level of commitment to the Bears Fund which is vital for the success of Missouri State University athletic programs. The Bears Hoops Alliance was formed to fill a role that the Bears Fund is prohibited from doing by the NCAA to support Missouri State Men's Basketball.

Bears Hoops Alliance is focused on support for the Men’s Basketball program. The ability to support other Bear athletes may exist in the future through other collectives.

No. NIL Contracts between Bears Hoops Alliance and the Players will be entered into by the Board of Directors. If you wish to contract with the Player(s) directly for a specific purpose to promote your business we have the framework set up to facilitate these types of opportunities for businesses in accordance with NIL laws.

Compensation must be at fair market value for the right granted and/or the services provided. Compensation may not be provided in exchange for athletic performance or attendance at the University

Our overhead costs are very low as the purpose of this entity is to support Bear athletes. Bears Hoops Alliance compensates our professional services partners for their time and we have retained legal counsel to ensure compliance with NIL law, and we have other expenses related to IT, marketing materials, content creation (photography and videography), and fan engagement experiences. The goal has always been, and will continue to be, to get the most lucrative NIL deals to the athletes. Our Board of Directors was created to reassure the fans that this is happening.

No. The contracts vary based on the specific athlete and the requirements of the athlete under the contract. For example, an athlete who appears in person at a fan engagement event would earn more compensation than an athlete who posts on social media. Additionally, higher profile athletes may receive more compensation than lesser-known athletes. Each deal is individually negotiated and agreed upon by the athletes and Bears Hoops Alliance.

NCAA NIL regulations prohibits compensation to be paid to athletes to encourage attendance and a particular institution. The Bears Hoops Alliance welcomes the opportunity to work with men's basketball players once they are enrolled at Missouri State University.

Yes. We can work with you to arrange specific NIL deals with the athletes for autographed memorabilia or personalized content. Please message us through our contact page and let us know your interest.

Yes. We have the framework set up to facilitate these types of opportunities for businesses. The actual contract will be between your business and the student athlete, however, we can help facilitate the introduction and provide a contractual framework that has been reviewed by legal counsel to ensure compliance with NIL laws.