Here's everything that happened this week at the NIL Store!

Long Live the King!

On Wednesday, All-American Illinois men's basketball player Kofi Cockburn announced he would be leaving college and declaring for the NBA Draft.

CEO Steven Farag penned a heartfelt letter to Kofi, who changed the trajectory of Campus Ink in the NIL space from a passion project to a bonafide business entity.

Steven postulated that it's quite possible Mark Cuban would have never given Campus Ink the time of day if it wasn't for the proof of concept that both Kofi and teammate Andre Curbelo had so much success with.

As for what happens for Kofi's locker room? Steven answered that with a video where he shares Kofi's locker room will remain available online as long as he so chooses. 

Campus Ink supports a number of former Illinois athletes, including Dee Brown, Deron Williams and Ayo Dosunmu.

Merch Drops!

We had a pair of merch drops this week, as star Alabama softball player Ashley Prange and South Dakota men's basketball star Baylor Scheierman made their debuts!

It was a first for NIL Store, as Prange officially dropped her merch on TikTok live! It made all too much sense for her, as she has more than 44,000 followers on the platform.

Prange's design, which she developed herself, showcases the infamous "Crimson Crane." The celebration became famous in Tuscaloosa during football season and has since spread to all the sports on campus.

Scheierman's art features the "Headband Wonder," Baylor Scheierman, who has become famous in Brookings, South Dakota, for his patented headband.

Helping Athletes During Tax Season

The first tax season of the NIL era is behind (unless you filed an extension, of course).

Adam Cook wrote a great blog on how Campus Ink helps ease the process for athletes.

He notes that Campus Ink has its athletes fill out W-9's immediately when they sign their agreements. We also provide a dashboard for athletes that allows them to track their sales and commission in real-time!

Anatomy of a Merch Drop

Sean Ellenby took a deep dive into the anatomy of a merch drop, and everything that happens throughout the creative process.

With Ashley Prange as the example, the blog details the process from start to launch.

Check it out here!

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