Deal Facilitation, Expanded Altius Partnership Highlights Critical New Initiatives for NILSU

NILSU, LSU Athletics’ industry-leading name, image, and likeness platform for student-athletes, is taking critical steps forward to maintain its place at the forefront of collegiate athletics.

Deal facilitation, further investment in on-campus NIL personnel, and increased collaboration with Altius Sports Partners highlight a series of new initiatives designed to help student-athletes thrive in the NIL space ahead of the 2022-23 academic year.

“As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of name, image, and likeness, our primary objective remains unchanged: to provide every resource our student-athletes need to maximize their opportunities at LSU,” said Director of Athletics Scott Woodward. “These initiatives give us the necessary leverage to ensure we maintain our presence on the cutting edge of collegiate athletics, as we educate our student-athletes, elevate their brands, and facilitate sustainable success in every area of their collegiate experience.”

On Monday, LSU headlined an announcement from Altius introducing its on-campus general manager program, which will provide personnel to help student-athletes identify, facilitate, and execute NIL deals. Taylor Jacobs, who has worked with LSU Athletics’ senior administration to guide the department’s NIL efforts for the past year, will oversee on-campus operations as Assistant Athletic Director for NIL and Strategic Initiatives, leading a staff fully dedicated to helping student-athletes secure responsible, sustainable NIL deals.

“We are excited about the next year for NILSU,” Jacobs said. “Over the past year, we have worked relentlessly to fully understand the needs of our student-athletes in this space, while continuing to develop a holistic approach to NIL. After focusing our efforts over the last year on brand elevation and student-athlete education, we are excited to take on deal facilitation. Our new, extended partnership with Altius is going to set us apart from the competition, as we work together to provide the very best education, branding, and opportunities for student-athletes at LSU.”

In July, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed Senate Bill 250 into law, permitting universities more freedom to help student-athletes navigate NIL opportunities and leveling the playing field for LSU nationally. Together with Altius, LSU will be able to further engage with businesses and student-athletes to structure deals, ensure deliverables, navigate tax and financial considerations, and provide stronger guidance for all parties involved in an NIL opportunity.

Other new NILSU initiatives include an updated website – LSUSports.net/NILSU – where businesses can pitch opportunities for student-athletes on an inbound request form. This new feature will enable businesses to present specific opportunities and request participation for NIL deals, allowing NILSU staff to connect community supporters with student-athletes in a structured, sustainable, and responsible manner.

Also coming soon is Geaux Time 2.0, the August 24 sequel to February’s unprecedented night of education and collaboration. More details on Geaux Time 2.0 will be released in the coming days.