The Student Athlete Sessions
D3Direct shares the stories of NCAA Division 3 student-athletes, and explores their journeys from Recruit to the Real World.
The Student Athlete Sessions
#54: Is This the Future of D3 NIL? - Center of the Universe NIL (Buzz Anthony & Miles Mallory)
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A Senior-Focused D3 NIL Collective?
Center of the Universe (COTU) NIL was created by Buzz Anthony & other Randolph-Macon Men's Basketball alumni to reward Seniors who stay & play all years with the Yellow Jackets.
Could this help alleviate donor fatigue and also ensure better student-athlete outcomes overall? We think so.
They launch soon. Find out more about what they're doing in this week's episode!
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Welcome back to another episode of the student athlete sessions. Today, we are joined by two former D3 men's basketball players, and we're talking NIL. They are from Randolph Macon in Ashland, Virginia, aka the center of the universe. They're both overseas playing in Germany right now. And they're teaming up with some other alumni from Macon to start Center of the Universe in I.L. to support the men's basketball team there. Uh today. We're joined by Buzz Anthony and Miles Mallory. Guys, thanks for joining the program.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, thanks for having us.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. We're catching you in the off season, and uh, but you guys are still hard at work. We've been covering a little bit about what you're doing, but uh in the run up to uh your launch on July 25th of this new collective, I'd just love to hear kind of what's top of mind. What are you guys what are you guys trying to nail down before you go live with uh Center of the Universe?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's uh it is the offseason, and I think some people are just built to sit on the beach every day, and uh there's definitely plenty of time for that, but some people like we wanna uh it's time for creative and and getting to do things that we're passionate about. Um, and so I think that's that's where this stemmed out of. Um, I'd say our main goal has been articulate, communicate the mission, our identity, who we are. I think it's something that we're proud of. It's something we feel like is unique. Um and so really every every phone call, every email, uh things like this, I think the biggest, most important season that we're in right now is communicate our mission. Um and in that, you know, uh trying to turn some fans or turn people interested into advocators, into people who are like, yeah, this is this is something I can get behind. Um, this process of rebranding, uh, these three letters uh convict people and pretty strong feelings. So NIL trying to take those three letters and rebrand them um and put them in a place that can be sustainable is probably uh our main our main goal right now. And we can get into that mission, and I'm sure we'll touch on that a lot later. So I'll leave it at that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. And then uh I think uh, you know, I would just be for people that are haven't been following along, you guys are are are creating maybe a different type of NIL um a focus instead of just trying to get people into the program, which is normally what NIL is uh used for, especially you know, high major division one, that's what people are familiar with. But you guys are taking a different approach. You're you're rewarding four-year seniors that have been at Randolph Macon, have built the program, have carried that mantle. Um why does that focus work there in particular? And and what has the reception been like with the school and the coaches and the coaching staff that you've pitched this to?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's uh it's our most unique element to what we're doing is this senior focus. Um just, you know, I I think in realistic terms, I think we're not a division one with 30,000 students, which means 30,000 alumni every year or 10,000 alumni every year. So it's a different network that we work with in a small private division three landscape. Um so your potential for raising money is smaller. So I think in in terms of like a four-year package or four-year understanding of what that could look like, it felt like that was a very large chunk to bite off. And so if it was like, hey, where can we focus and be an inch wide but a mile deep instead of trying to be spread too thin? And I think the idea came to seniors. I mean, when we played there, it was a rally behind, you know, do it for the seniors. Like that was just a recurring theme, like really that loyalty, the um, you know, everything is earned in in college sports. So the guys that have earned it the most, um, you want to rally behind. And and I think as alums, like we look, we look back to that with a lot of pride and um, you know, want to help those seniors have the best end of their career and start to their working life. And the plan is, and what I think will work is that this will be used um as a tool to help them. So it's always been how do we help? How do we connect here as an alum? How do I provide an internship? You know, these have been constant things that have gone on in the college basketball world, all divisions, now with NIL. Can I use the name, image, and likeness of these athletes to now holistically support them? And mainly here um opens up the financial side. So if we can help them financially pay off some college debt of the previous year or uh have something to take into their career start, like have something to start with, uh, we think that's just an awesome and awesome thing and something that we think people can get behind.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And Miles, you've been heading up kind of the social content, and I we've had some conversations there. Like uh, how are you guys trying to think about you know, telling their stories or you know, uh maybe help facilitate deals that fit with what they're already doing or or what they're interested in?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean, I I think the biggest thing is is trying to keep, I guess, alumni who maybe not who don't come to every game involved uh with the newsletter. Uh there we'll have a we'll be writing a monthly newsletter every month. Uh and uh we'll get the chance to really tell stories and you know give updates about the feeling. And uh I think that'll start it'll help start emissions for uh social media is really important nowadays with with that. And I think the biggest thing is just yeah, just roping more people in uh on that front.
SPEAKER_01So yeah. Yeah, and and I'm sure like I've seen I I've watched Randolph making home games. You guys do seem to have a loyal crowd and people that that do show up, but but I think yeah, what you're talking about is reaching out to that larger network of alumni and maybe former players who are interested. I've seen on your website you guys already have some commitments from people. Um if if you know someone else is interested in in joining, like how do they get involved? How do they how do they support you guys? And then what uh yeah, what are those next steps? What do they get from there?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Simple answer. Uh, our website is kind of built as a storybook who we are. A lot of the pages are meant to be as transparent. Um, we believe in in what we're doing, we believe it's good, we believe it's uh, yeah, it's it's uh, I don't know, pure might be a strong word, but we're we're not afraid to show that. We're not trying to hide anything. So the website has a lot of tools and information to learn more. Um, and then also we have a membership-based uh model and we have a business model. And so if you're working with business and you want to market, um, or if you're just really interested in in growing together and like really sinking your teeth in and being a part of something, uh, this membership model has different tiers to it and how much access and how involved you are. Um, and that's that's the best way to do it. Otherwise, we'll be, like we said, working with Randolph Making. So whether it's signing up for a weekly newsletter that also will come out with more of what we're doing and how NIL is moving. Uh, the monthly that Miles was talking about is a bit more specific to the seniors, specific to Randolph Macon. Um, so subscribing to that weekly, um, or also coming to our events. So we'll be doing events around Randolph Making home games, we'll be doing uh community events. We're currently right now partnering and working with some nonprofits. Um again, we want to communicate our mission in words, and then when this year starts, we want to communicate our mission um in actions. And so also, whether that's attending, whether that's following, whether that's connecting and reaching out to someone you think would be a great partner, uh, those are all awesome ways that we're looking to invite people to grow with us right now.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And it does feel like a a model that could be replicated at across the division three level. Schools, most D3 schools have pretty dedicated fan bases, but you know, they don't always alumni don't always stay around the town. Sometimes they're very small towns and they move away to a larger city or they want to, you know, go back to where they're from. And um I feel like it's it's yeah, it's one thing just to watch the games and stay tuned in, but as a you know, alumni myself of a D3 school, you do at some point you lose touch with with the team in terms of like you haven't you didn't play with anyone that's that's on the current team. And I think having a way to know their stories and and get a sense of of what they're about and kind of feel that connection, I think, and be able to support them is uh something really special. So commend you guys for what you're doing. And and yeah, I hope it works so that other people at the D3 level can start to implement something similar and reward their seniors.
SPEAKER_00Hey, and I'll and I'll build on that, Carl. Like it's sure. Is it a could it be a competitive advantage? I mean, NIL right now is it's so new, like there's new branches coming out of it everywhere. Um, and I think part of it is that, but part of it is like this is a model that could be replicated. And what I think is great about it too is that, like you said, you're an alum. I am. We have you know one event, maybe in the beginning of the season, like kick off the season event, we'll have maybe an end of the year event, and then maybe there's like that after a home game, you kind of players will come off the court and see their parents and maybe say hi to one or two other people, but there's just not a space that's kind of there yet. And maybe other schools do it better. Um, but I think also what it's doing is for seniors who are older and more mature, um, it's also providing like a bit of a schedule. So, like, hey, this is already something that you would like to do and start to um start to build for your life after basketball. So I think it's also just giving a responsible, mostly responsible 21, 22-year-old, um, some more responsibility and more events outside of just dribbling the ball, which I think is is also educational and important. Um, we'll have little onboarding courses too with the seniors this summer, um, kind of talking them through how they'll be paying taxes, um, how they'll be doing some of this stuff. So hopefully there's some practical skills they can work on and develop, um, which again can be replicated anywhere. And I think it's all learning reps as much as it could be tangible money gained. I think it's also reps outside of dribbling the ball that this can help seniors in their transition. Just want to add that, add that piece in there as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. And then, like, do you guys have a vision? Maybe you don't, and maybe it'll depend on each individual's appetite for doing you know, commercial engagements or like someone has a big brand or like personal brand that they've developed on their own, they'll have they'll be a little more marketable. But like, do you guys have a vision on what what you'd like like to be able to set each senior up with in terms of deal amounts, or is it gonna be more dependent on like how many people you you get to join the membership and then and then that'll determine what you can give each year?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's a good question. Um, I mean, we're in year one. So if I sat here and gave you, hey, this works, this is good, I'd be lying. Uh we're gonna we're gonna hop on the bike and we're gonna kind of learn and wobble a little bit as we do it. Um, I can tell you theoretically, our idea um is kind of that idea of how many members do we have, how much money are we generating out of that um income that we get, then it's a process of um, and a lot of these are already built in. So what a member gets is um, you know, maybe it's a breakfast with the seniors monthly, or it's VIP events with the seniors uh after Saturday home games, um, or it's a chalk talk with the seniors breaking down edge defense, like whatever these guys want to talk about. So there are events that are based on the seniors, which is their name, image, and likeness, because they're seniors playing college sports. Um, so then every time that they do those events, they'll be able to get paid. So the process of how many events they're doing throughout the year, it'll be paid in this fair market value gray area. Um, but those will just be broken down in payments, and every senior uh will be paid the same amount, whether they're the starting point guard or the leader of the nation in blocks, uh, or if they're um the best bench energy guy, the best big brother, the freshman, uh, they'll be paid the same amount. Um, they'll be all in all the same events. Um, that's our theoretical model right now. Um, and then your you mentioned commercial stuff, the business side. I think what we're trying to do right now is kind of have more of a sponsor approach. So we have an event sponsor right now, which is where we're holding our opening event, um, and they'll host our VIP stuff. Uh, we're currently looking for like a merchandise sponsor, so someone who will um front the the shirts and we'll kind of advertise through that. Um, and that's that's something that all the seniors will do. What I want to grow into, you mentioned the vision, is I want to partner with maybe bigger brands or even some of these nonprofits. I know Samaritan's feet um is one we've been talking to a lot. They have personal NIL departments. Um, and I want to be able to have connections where every senior class we get, I can offer them a menu of like, hey, I've worked here before, I've worked here before. If these are of interest and you want to pursue more, then go for it. Um but we're gonna give a base model. Um, but what I think could end up happening is as they get more educated and confident and understand what they're doing, and after a couple years go, we might have a kid or two who's really ambitious or really wants to work with a certain organization and can kind of also drive some of his own um platform and ideas. So that would be a little bit of our growth model in that of maybe a third opportunity coming into play.
SPEAKER_01Right, right. And you guys then come to serve as a facilitator for people that you know they've seen the seniors ahead of them maybe when they join the program as a freshman, taking advantage of this and and being able to benefit from the from the setup you guys have have built, but then they can use those three years ahead of time to build their own brand and start to do their own stuff, and then by the time they get to be a senior, uh, really fully leverage that that network you guys have built for them. Um yeah, I think a big part of this is is getting the word out and and being on social media. You guys have started on Instagram, you're on LinkedIn. Um what where else should people tune in if they can't make it uh in person on the 25th?
SPEAKER_00I think Instagram's probably the the best and the most uh most reaching of all the platforms. Um we're gonna be very intentional about that. We'll be updating the website pretty regularly. Um we'll kind of have some articles that we post on there outside of our monthly kind of exclusive newsletter. Um and then I mean my my personal phone number is on the website, uh my email is on there. So it's also something that, again, I'm passionate about, our team's passionate about. Um, and it's this let's grow, let's rebrand. You can't do it with one person. So I think I'm as much as we're owning a business or trying to make sense financially, the idea phase, the um, hey, let's get, can I have feedback? Like give me your thoughts. Uh, it's something that we're really open to right now. So unlike trying to reach out to customer service and get put on hold, um, we'll definitely get back to you and want to talk, talk shop, whoever, whoever you are, division two, division three, NAIA, um, we're reaching out, and I think this model for any small school can work. Even I believe non-power, non-power five, division one, like it might be able to be accelerated a little bit, but how you find your niche, how you find your identity, um, and then it can turn into you know competitive advantages, I think, down the road as well. So I think those are those are a couple ways, and and kind of small business personalized and customer service-based ideas uh based right now.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01How about how about for your two like your personal involvement? I know, Buzz, you just said your your phone number and email are on the website. So that's that's pretty personally involved. Miles, you're gonna be going back to Germany to play Pro Bowl. How do you envision kind of is is this your way to stay connected with the program? Or um is there, you know, is this is this gonna be something a passion project you just kind of keep doing in the offseason? How do you envision you staying connected to this?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna be staying connected. Um a lot of communication back and forth with our team manager, I feel like will be necessary. Um and yeah, I've watched the games obviously last couple years, but I mean, being yeah, those might be back apart, I guess, of uh open to drive out um that I've gotten to know a little bit. Um so yeah, I mean I'm gonna be involved. Gonna be yeah, posting on Instagram and yeah, with the newsletter. I think that's my way of uh staying in there. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01What time do the games come on in Germany for you guys?
SPEAKER_02Uh on Wednesday it's like 1 a.m. probably, right? So and then Saturday nine, nine p.m. uh around that time. So yeah, I gotta pick and choose. Uh probably watch some games after after the fact the next day, but I'm definitely gonna make it work.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Far and wide. Uh that is that is the uh D3 alumni experience. You can't always be there. You can't see every game after you graduate, but yeah, I think having things like you said, the chalk talk and some breakdowns, if you're not able to catch a game, you can hear it from the words of the players, maybe how they saw it going. And I think that's a cool like uh add-on for for fans of the program, alumni of the program. Um and and even you guys in your in your own fandom. So um, yeah, I would just say anything you guys want to add about um yeah, I think closing thoughts, like advice maybe to other other schools, like what were some of the hardest parts you guys have found about getting this set up and getting it off the ground? Because you have taken it a long way from idea to to launch here. Um you're a week away.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I would uh yeah, I would throw out maybe two things jump jump to mind first for me. And the first is uh yeah, land, land on two feet and be ready to pivot. Pivot, pivot, pivot. Um, you can't be you can't be uh sold like sold on just one one model. You gotta cast kind of a broad net. Um and where you're pivoting, uh the advice I would give is just you have a connecting spot to a university or to a college that you wanna give back to or get this involved with. Um you're gonna want to talk as high up as you can um and feel them out, give your idea, and then find where you can um collaborate, where you can be in a space to work together and not not be seen as competition. I think that this is a big thing where Division I kind of went wild with collectives and um it all you were hearing the horror stories, and um you know it was very separate, it was very shady at times. Um, and then when that revenue sharing and and that stuff got passed, it all kind of got engulfed. So then everything became a part of the athletic department. So now since it's in-house, the communication is better, the monitoring is better. Um, we don't have that in division two, division three. So um I would say the best that you can do to emulate that would be the best advice. And so that's pivoting with the university, that's um having probably over-communicating and where you want to move and making sure that you're in communication. Um, I say all that to say we're not legally connected to Randolph Making College at all, for our example, um, but we heavily work together. So I'm not gonna just blast out things or do moves or anything um without at least my contact point knowing what we're doing. And I think that's created a good uh because there's gonna be feedback, there's gonna be a little pushback in places. So hey, let's pivot. Like we're gonna work together. Um, I'm not sold on you know the my way or the highway. That would be probably the biggest, the biggest piece, biggest couple things I would add in these last couple months that we've been we've been working through and doing. Because it's a new space and you can't can't really call an expert. I mean, that them on their end, they don't they can't call anybody. I can't really call anybody. We're we're again jumping on the bike. We're doing a tandem, tandem bike together, trying to learn as we go.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's a bit of a frontier. Miles, how about from your perspective, anything you would you would kind of advise people getting getting going with this?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'm not not really leading the boat, but I would say just yeah, kind of just receiving uh, you know, you know, buzz will talk to somebody and then come back to me and and tell me, hey, like that's what you gotta do. And I I just think we think yeah, absorb this information be a fun uh and just uh from there, yeah. I mean, just take the words to action. Yeah. Uh rather rather simple, but I think it it is important like to have open communication once a week uh with your team members and yeah, just do your best.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. I've had a little peek behind the scenes. I think you guys are doing a good job with staying coordinated both with your team that's working on this and then also with the school. So, you know, you never know what happens. Uh my alma mater, we we just had an AD change. So institutional priorities can change, but I think I think Buzz, like you mentioned, overcommunicating and trying to really be transparent and clear in every everything you're trying to do is is a great strategy. So um I would just say to everyone listen to this, tune in, uh, follow along, hop on the newsletter, uh, and and if you're if you're interested in supporting, uh check it out. Uh go to their website, everything is on there. Um and and if you just want to follow along, kind of curious about whether NIL can work at the D3 level, check out what Miles is doing on the social, um, what they're posting on LinkedIn and and see how they're supporting these seniors that have served the program for four years.
SPEAKER_02Correct.
SPEAKER_01So thanks guys. I would just say uh any final closing thoughts here?
SPEAKER_00It doesn't have to be negative, it doesn't have to be bad.
SPEAKER_01Up strong. All right. Well, this has been another episode of the student athlete sessions. Uh, we will be checking in with Buzz and Miles and the rest of the Center of the Universe NIL team over the coming weeks to see how things are going. And uh we'll see you on the next episode. Thanks for joining.