Frequently Asked Questions
Answering Your Questions
Here are some common questions about the Black Bear NIL Collective and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for student-athletes. If you don’t see your question, please contact us.
NIL stands for the right of student-athletes to earn money from their Name, Image, and Likeness. This can include things like signing autographs, attending events, endorsing products, promoting on social media, or selling personalized merchandise.
Yes. The laws in many states, including Maine, and the NCAA’s interim policy allow student-athletes to benefit from NIL opportunities. The Black Bear NIL Collective follows all NCAA rules, Maine laws, and other applicable policies.
No. The Black Bear NIL Collective is an independent organization, not affiliated with the University of Maine Orono (UMO).
Our goal is to create NIL opportunities for UMO student-athletes by connecting them with marketing opportunities and providing direct support. We rely on donations from individuals and businesses to make this possible.
We aim to support all men’s and women’s varsity sports at the University of Maine, based on the interests of our donors.
For donations of $1,000 or more, you can choose which sport your contribution supports. For donations under $1,000, we allocate funds across all sports to maximize efficiency and impact. This approach helps ensure that the majority of each donation directly supports student-athletes, rather than being used to manage administrative processes.
We can’t guarantee that all student-athletes will work with the Black Bear NIL Collective for their NIL opportunities.
No. Because we are a Maine limited liability company, contributions are not tax-deductible as charitable donations. However, business owners may be able to classify contributions as a marketing expense.
No. NIL opportunities vary, but we work to ensure representation across all varsity sports.
No. To protect student-athletes’ privacy, agreement details will remain confidential.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @blackbearnilcollective for the latest news and updates on our student-athletes and University athletics.
Our goal is to maximize the portion of funding that directly benefits student-athletes. As donations grow, we aim to allocate the majority of funds to support their NIL opportunities while maintaining the operations needed to make these programs successful.