(Joplin, MO) – The Missouri Southern State University Athletic Department has announced the launch of Icon Suite, an innovative name, image, and likeness tool from Icon Source, the leading digital marketplace connecting brands and athletes for endorsements and partnerships for all Lion student-athletes and community members.
Southern is the first Division II institution to partner with Icon Source as the collaboration will continue to position MSSU athletics at the forefront of NIL opportunities, providing a seamless, compliant system for connecting brands, alumni, and other interested parties with student-athletes for NIL deals. For additional details on MSSU’s new local exchange application, click here.
The Icon Suite local exchange application software will greatly enhance the NIL experience for those involved in the MSSU ecosystem. The software will connect local companies with student-athletes through a custom MSSU marketplace, simultaneously simplifying the NIL administrative processes for Lion athletics administrators tied to deal disclosure and compliance. Interested businesses and MSSU supporters will be able to readily identify and engage with potential student-athlete partners through this compliant marketplace software.
“We are excited to partner with Icon Source and to be the first Division II institution to utilize the Icon Suite platform,” said MSSU Director of Athletics Rob Mallory. “The first year of NIL activity in college sports proved that there is a market for Division II student-athletes, especially in the MIAA. Joplin and the Four-State Region has a diverse economy made up of both national and local brands. Icon Suite will provide an avenue for Missouri Southern student-athletes to take advantage of that through their innovative marketplace and engagement tools while making disclosure and compliance easier for everyone. This partnership allows us to further our efforts to educate and empower our student-athletes to thrive in the NIL era.”
Icon Suite is a full-service system that makes it easy for athletes to disclose NIL deals through the student login and allows compliance officers to access contracts and review analytics across demographic breakdowns and other key metrics in the compliance section. The MSSU-branded gateway also services local businesses and alumni through the platform by providing access to athletes, as well as guidance, education, and facilitation of the athlete sponsorship process supported by Icon Source.
“Icon Source is thrilled to partner with Missouri Southern State to adopt this type of software and provide the Icon Suite for all Lion student-athletes & the MSSU athletic department. We believe that all student-athletes can take part in the NIL era, and by utilizing the Icon Suite, it is clear that MSSU believes that too,” said Drew Butler, Executive Vice President of Collegiate at Icon Source.
Icon Source has an established history of facilitating deals for professional and college athletes, handling all the administrative aspects of name, image, and likeness deal-making including contracts, tax documentation, and payment services to ensure successful connections for both brands and athletes.
“Icon Source exists to connect athletes and brands, and our new Icon Suite software takes that a step further on the collegiate level, removing the heavy lifting for those involved in student-athlete and local business partnerships,” said Chase Garrett, founder, and CEO of Icon Source. “From finding relevant student-athletes for an event or promotion to handling contracts, 1099’s, and payment services, Icon Suite alleviates the administrative duties and offers assistance along the way to ensure successful connections.”
About Icon Source:
Icon Source is a digital marketplace that brings agents, athletes, and brands together. The Denver-based company is the only platform that provides brands of all sizes direct communication with agents or the athletes themselves, eliminating unnecessary intermediate steps to engage with potential professional or collegiate partners. Its proprietary AI technology pairs athletes and brands based on social audience demographics. For additional information and to create a free account, visit www.iconsource.com.
Reference:
Ryan Snyder, Assistant AD for External Operations
Missouri Southern State University
snyder-r@mssu.edu
Be the first to comment