Passes and University of Michigan Launch Landmark Partnership to Revolutionize Fan Engagement & NIL Monetization

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Nov 19, 2024, 07:29 ET

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Passes, the premier direct-to-fan engagement and monetization platform, has joined forces with the University of Michigan to unlock athlete Name, Image, Likeness value across 29 varsity sports, recruit and retain top student athletes, and create an ecosystem for unprecedented fan access. This multi-year partnership through Learfield empowers Michigan student athletes to sell exclusive content, mentorships, and merchandise and empowers fans to play a role in the retention and recruitment of athletic and academic talent.

Empowering Athletes, Engaging Fans

The official partnership, which includes the use of the Michigan logo and trademark, offers fans a new opportunity to follow, support, and engage with University of Michigan teams and athletes. Passes will enhance fan engagement and connectivity, while providing student-athletes with powerful tools to develop their personal brands.

The focal point of the partnership is the Michigan Content Hub, where subscribers will be able to select from a variety of tiers to receive access to exclusive content, merchandise, and experiences.

All Michigan student athletes are uniquely positioned to benefit from Passes, which currently features several On3 top 10 athletes earning 6-7 figures on the platform. From exclusive merchandise and signed memorabilia to post and pre-game livestreams, Passes' versatility allows for total customization to best reach the unique interests of diverse audiences.

For example, subscriptions to the main Michigan x Passes page will benefit all Michigan sports teams, including next year's 146th football team. Proceeds from all merchandise and content on the main page will be directed towards ensuring that Michigan athletics, through recruiting, retention, and portal transfers, will remain in contention for national championships year after year. The goal of the Hail! Tier, at $5 per month, is to demonstrate that subscriptions of any size can have a meaningful impact on Michigan's ability to be successful in today's dynamic college landscape. Lucy Guo, CEO of Passes, emphasized her excitement for the partnership and its impact on Michigan athletics: "The University of Michigan ranks highly among the world's great institutions of higher learning and enjoys a rich, tradition-laden history in college sports. Michigan fans like myself want to see our teams raise that National Championship trophy every year. Passes is especially proud to partner with University of Michigan and have the opportunity to work with student-athletes and the Wolverine community in Ann Arbor and around the world."

Passes' support of the University of Michigan does not end with its commitment to student athletes. Passes intends to offer summer internships and expects to recruit on campus for a variety of positions at Passes corporate office in Los Angeles. Passes has already hired on-campus support in Ann Arbor to produce content and ensure that student athletes have necessary resources to be successful on the platform.

The partnership is now live on www.passes.com/michigan-athletics where users can purchase merchandise without creating a Passes profile.

SOURCE Passes