CHAMPAIGN, IL – During the last two decades, few who have dominated college basketball like Cockburn for multiple seasons would even consider returning to college basketball for a fourth year. But this, of course, is a new era of college basketball — one in which student-athletes are actually allowed to earn money for endorsements and one in which program boosters can openly talk about efforts to funnel funds to players, which now is fully and publicly embraced by the university — as long as the new rules are followed, of course.

CHICAGO, IL – In a demonstration of the powerful reach and impact college name, image and likeness (NIL) programming can bring to the community, Illinois star football players, Isaiah Williams and Alex Palczewski, met with Chicago grade school students on February 26, 2022 at the Evolution Express Art Show on Chicago’s South Side in celebration of Black History Month.

URBANA, IL — Jana Mitchell has owned Illini basketball season tickets since 2006. When the NCAA changed its rules last year to allow student-athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness, she wanted a way to help her favorite Illini, but her independent consulting role didn’t give her much opportunity.

CHICAGO, IL – As the once-taboo, now common practice of paying college athletes continues to spread, a group of University of Illinois boosters aims to give the money chase a do-gooder twist.

CHAMPAIGN, IL – Fleischer is one of a handful of founders of a new name, image and likeness collective called Illini Guardians, a third-party organization that plans to raise and disperse NIL funds to Illini student-athletes in return for marketing and philanthropic appearances. The group of volunteers is a not-for-profit organization of well connected alumni with the goals of boosting the Illini’s NIL opportunities in a way that can also benefit communities in the state and help the student-athletes make meaningful connections.

CHICAGO, IL – “The Illini Guardians will guide student-athletes toward the most lucrative and powerful use of NIL opportunities, while also using their time and talents to benefit local youth organizations, and ultimately to foster the integrity and reputation of a world class university.”