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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Desert Takeover Football Collective Joins The Collective Association (TCA)

(TUCSON, AZ) Aug. 17, 2023 – The Collective Association (TCA) has added 10 new members, including Desert Takeover Football Collective, representing a diverse group of universities, geographies, and conferences to their growing mission of advocating for student-athletes and further development of the NIL marketplace. The TCA made national news this summer by founding the first-ever collective trade association, creating a unified voice for this vital group in the ever-evolving landscape of name, image, and likeness. 

Desert Takeover Football Collective is the first NIL collective dedicated to Arizona Football student-athletes. Desert Takeover connects Arizona football student-athletes with NIL opportunities to help them grow their brand and connect with the community.  

The 10 new members of The Collective Association are as follows:  

  • Wildcat NIL (Kansas State University) 
  • Garnet Trust (University of South Carolina) 
  • Mass St. Collective (University of Kansas) 
  • The 1870 Society (Ohio State University) 
  • The 5430 Foundation (University of Colorado) 
  • Desert Takeover Football Collective (University of Arizona) 
  • Every True Tiger (University of Missouri) 
  • The Royal Blue (BYU) 
  • Sun Angel Collective (Arizona State University) 
  • 502Circle (University of Louisville) 

Desert Takeover is the second collective powered by Blueprint Sports to join the TCA. Among the TCA’s goals are the implementation of an agent registry, lobbying for uniformity across state laws, and finding points of commonality between key stakeholders in creating a sustainable NIL model.  

About Desert Takeover 

Desert Takeover is a fan-driven and alumni-led Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collective for University of Arizona football student-athletes, alumni, and fans. Community members who commit their support to Desert Takeover, are pledging to maximize opportunities for football student-athletes to build their brand and earn compensation. In addition, community supporters gain access to exclusive events, autograph sessions, and more. Desert Takeover is powered by parent company Blueprint Sports. For more information visit deserttakeover.com and follow @DesertTakevoer on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.# # #Media Contacts:

Ray Wells, Desert Takeover Executive Director 

ray@deserttakeover.com  

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Nate Brown

General Manager

Nate Brown is the General Manager of Zags Collective, leading the charge to help amplify the opportunities for the Gonzaga student-athletes through NIL partnerships with local charities, fans and businesses. With over a decade of experience in the professional sports industry and as a former business owner in Spokane, Nate is a seasoned professional who knows what it takes to succeed. Most recently, he served as the National Sales Director for a prominent west-coast real estate company, where he was responsible for driving growth and retention. With a deep understanding of sales and marketing, Nate brings a wealth of knowledge to the table and is always seeking innovative ways to drive revenue and create partnerships.With a passion for ensuring the success of student-athletes both on and off the field, Nate is dedicated to providing the necessary resources to keep Gonzaga competitive on the national stage. He understands the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with the community and local businesses, and works to maximize opportunities for Gonzaga’s student-athletes. As the son of two Gonzaga alumni, including a father who was a baseball pitcher and also a coach for the school, Nate has a great connection to the university and a passion for ensuring its continued success. Outside of work, Nate enjoys spending time with family, including his wife Jessica and their 16-year-old daughter Brooklynn and 12-year-old son Marcus. When not working or spending time with family, you can find Nate at any one of the amazing golf courses in Spokane, honing his swing!

Mike Smith

General Manager

Mike Smith joined Micconope 1851 in March 2023 and is excited to be the General Manager and looks forward to working with Blueprint Sports increase NIL revenue generation for Florida State University student-athletes. Smith comes to Micconope 1851 from Catawba College where he held the title as the Senior Director of Athletics, Development. Prior to working in Athletics at Catawba College, Mike served as the Associate Athletics Director for External Relations at Charleston Southern University. Smith has an impressive background in the collegiate athletics industry, having held senior level development and corporate sponsorship sales roles at The University of Southern Mississippi, Limestone University, the Sun Belt Conference, Florida Atlantic University, and with multimedia rights-holders Tele South Communications at the University of Mississippi, Learfield Sports at UNC Chapel Hill, and with International Sports Properties at Georgia Tech. Smith is a graduate of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and holds a master’s degree in Business Management from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In his new role here at Micconppe 1851, Smith will be responsible for raising major gifts for NIL deals as well as securing NIL corporate sponsorships for Florida State University student-athletes. Mike looks forward to helping ensure the FSU student-athletes have the resources and leadership opportunities to remain competitive nationally and positioned for success well beyond graduation. Mike is married to Katy Smith; the couple looks forward to relocating to Tallahassee, Florida, and becoming a part of the Micconope 1851 and Seminole family!

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