By Brandon King
Howard University has enacted a creative way to build its NIL coffers.
The Mecca Society is an “alumni-led Name Image and Likeness (NIL) Collective for Howard University.”
The Society is offering the public the opportunity to own pairs of team-specific footwear. A donation of $300 to the collective will allow the donor to choose between a team-exclusive pair of Jordan Brand signature athletes, Luka Dončić’s Luka 2 or Jayson Tatum’s Tatum 1. Gifts of $500 will net the giver both the Tatum 1 and the Luka 2.
The Tatum 1, made for Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, sports a navy, red, grey, and white graphical pattern on its upper. The left tongue sports a Bison logo, and the right has Tatum branding. The “Howard PE” Luka 2 sports a white leather and patterned textile upper that forms a stability cage to lock the foot in place. Like the Tatums, these feature the athlete’s branding on the right tongue and a Bison on the left.
Howard entered into a 20-year agreement with Jordan Brand in 2022 in a partnership that will elevate Howard University’s athletic department, unlock new recruitment opportunities, and inspire a new generation to dream of excellence,” according to a press release.
Jordan Brand and its namesake will also invest $100 million in the black community to advance the work of eradicating systematic racism.
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