TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University Athletic Department continues to be a pioneer in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the NCAA Division III level, announcing on Thursday a partnership with Athlete's Thread. The partnership allows every Lute student-athlete to sell customizable gear and jerseys with their name and number and receive monetary compensation for a portion of each sale.
"As Lutes, we strive to be leaders in all areas of our work. The opportunity to be one of the leaders in the Division III NIL space, once again, continues to prove that PLU is willing to be bold leaders to support our student-athletes," said Athletic Director Mike Snyder.
The Lutes become just the second NCAA Division III institution to ink a deal with Athlete's Thread, a company that has partnerships with several Division I Power Five programs including the University of Alabama, University of Southern California, and Syracuse University. In addition to being the second D3 school, the Lutes are the first program from the State of Washington to partner with Athlete's Thread.
"NIL at its core allows student-athletes to build their brand, grow their entrepreneurial spirit, and develop a business mindset that will help Lute student-athletes thrive while here on campus and after graduation. I'm thrilled that we continue to find ways to support our students in this way."
PLU has led the way in NIL, becoming just the second D3 institution to sign with industry leader Opendorse in 2021 and became the first D3 school to open an NIL marketplace through Opendorse the following fall.
"Through discussions with our brand licensing group (Nexus) and discussions with colleagues within the industry, I'm confident that Athlete's Thread will provide a positive and successful experience for PLU student-athletes. We look forward to seeing our student-athletes grow in the NIL landscape through this partnership."
Since partnering with Opendorse, over 70 student-athletes have taken advantage and signed NIL deals, worth over $13,400 and averaging almost $190 per deal.
Athlete's Thread is a leading supplier of NIL merchandise, working with over 110 colleges and providing over 11,000 athletes with high-quality NIL merchandise and jerseys. Lute student-athletes will earn anywhere between 22-27 percent commissions on items sold.
