South Main Collective FAQ

No. The South Main Collective is available to all athletes who participate in any intercollegiate sport at Rice University.

No. The South Main Collective is not a 501(c)(3) entity to which non-advertising contributions are tax deductible. The South Main Collective is aware of NIL programs which are attempting to gain tax exempt status and is monitoring those developments.

Yes. The South Main Collective can work with you to arrange NIL Agreements or NIL transactions with specific athletes.

No. Under Texas State Law, a NIL program must be a separate legal entity from a university - the Act prohibits universities from being parties to NIL Agreements entered into with student-athletes. However, the Act specifically allows communication between Rice Athletics staff and the South Main Collective.

Between 85-90%. The South Main Collective's overhead costs are very low. To service its student-athletes, the South Main Collective incurs expenses for legal and accounting; website maintenance and hosting; content creation; credit/debit card transactional fees; fan-player events; and other routine costs associated with operating an NIL collective. A significant amount of expenses incurred prior to the website going live, including website development costs, were funded by the generous contributions of the South Main Collective's Leadership Committee and a host of other Rice Athletics contributors. Going forward, the South Main Collective will employ an administrator to manage the website and program, but the South Main Collective will always be supported by the contributions of numerous individuals who will continue to freely donate their time and effort.

No. The contractual terms vary based on the specific athlete and the value of their publicity rights. For instance, higher-profile athletes may receive more compensation than lesser-known athletes. Each NIL Agreement is individually negotiated by the athlete and the South Main Collective. The South Main Collective also assists its athletes when they desire to enter into external NIL Agreements, by which the athletes may earn additional compensation.

Yes!

Texas State Bill 1385 (effective July 1, 2021) legally authorizes the activities of the South Main Collective Under the Act, individuals or entities acting independently or “collectively” may compensate a student-athlete for license of his or her publicity rights. The bill prohibits regulatory bodies, such as the NCAA, from infringing upon the student-athletess right to receive NIL compensation and bars the NCAA from penalizing Rice University and its athletic programs for any activities which are permitted by the bill.

South Main Collective is a Texas limited liability company in good standing. The members of South Main Collective LLC are James A Comerota, J.T. Trauber, and William B. “Ben” Westcott.

The South Main Collective enters contractual agreements with Rice University athletes. The athletes are selected by the Advisory Board. Under the NIL Agreement and in return for compensation or benefits, the athlete agrees to specific deliverables, usually an internship, or Influencer Endorsement Agreement. Compensation is paid in monthly installments to the athletes.

For Rice University to compete in the evolving college athletics landscape and compensate our athletes for their publicity rights, Owl fans must unite in a common vision to maintain and foster athletic excellence on South Main. The South Main Collective allows us to be stronger together, providing the platform through which all alumni and supporters of Rice may quickly and easily contribute to NIL opportunities and the future of Rice Athletics.