CHICAGO (February 23, 2023) – Community leaders in Chicago have partnered with Blueprint Sports, the industry leader in full-service Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collectives, to unveil ‘Keepers of the Culture’ (KOTC) -- the first NIL collective supporting the men’s basketball team at Loyola University Chicago, part of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

To mark the start of this exciting partnership, the collective will host an all-team student-athlete engagement on Sunday, February 26, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. CT, at Misericordia Heart of Mercy, located at 6300 N. Ridge Avenue, Chicago, IL 60660 (corner of Devon and Ridge). During the event, Loyola men’s basketball players will visit and interact with residents at Misericordia, whose mission is to provide a continuum of care and support for children and adults of all faiths and cultures who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“The Ramblers men’s basketball team is a high-performing, dedicated and charismatic group of student-athletes who absolutely will be positively affected by the launch of the ‘Keepers of the Culture’ collective,” said Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball Head Coach Drew Valentine. “This is an important step towards student-athletes connecting with the community, marketing themselves and opening doors for not only immediate opportunities, but also future opportunities down the road.”

This first event, in partnership with Misericordia, is an example of the types of engagements the collective plans to do while supporting the local community. KOTC supporters, alumni, and fans can make tax-deductible donations to the collective, through a partnership with the BPS Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization formed to educate, encourage, and assist Rambler student-athletes in their efforts to engage with charitable causes.

“Introducing ‘Keepers of the Culture’ is an exciting advancement to Loyola University Chicago’s NIL offerings,” said Steve Watson, director of athletics at Loyola University Chicago. “We are truly energized by the opportunities that will be streamlined through launching this new NIL collective, helping our hardworking student-athletes as they navigate these waters.”

Through KOTC, local and national businesses and brands, in addition to community supporters and fans, have multiple options to engage with Loyola student-athletes. Student-athlete activations include custom marketing campaigns, planned speaking engagements, autograph sessions, participating in charity events, and more.



“We are thrilled to partner with the team at Loyola,” said Tim McLaughlin, Blueprint Sports vice president of donor relations – East. “Loyola student-athletes are fortunate to have the support of a tight-knit community, who believe in keeping its athletic programs competitive and supporting players on and off the athletic arena. I look forward to forging many strong relationships within the Rambler community.”

For more information visit keepersoftheculturenil.com and follow @kotcnil on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Blueprint Sports Founded in Las Vegas in 2020 and backed by Andre Agassi, eight-time Grand Slam tennis champion, Blueprint Sports (BPS) powers the industry's leading name, image, and likeness (NIL) collectives for alumni, supporters, and businesses, connecting them with student-athletes at their favorite university. BPS' national portfolio of collectives supports student-athletes across the country, including around Florida State University, Penn State University, Boston College, NC State University, Villanova University, Gonzaga University, University of Arizona, University of Tennessee, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Nevada, Ohio University, University of Toledo, Montana State University and more. The Blueprint Sports management team possesses over 50 years of college and professional sports experience, spanning the Pac-12 Conference, IMG, Learfield, and Nevada Athletics Commission, among others. For more information, visit www.blueprintsports.com or its pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Name, Image, Likeness (NIL)

On June 30, 2021, the Division I Board of Directors approved an interim name, image, and likeness policy. This new policy allows all NCAA DI, DII, and DIII student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL as of July 1, 2021. Student-athletes can now engage in paid community appearances, autograph sessions, youth coaching engagements, and sports marketing campaigns.

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Media Contact:
For "Keepers of the Culture" and Blueprint Sports – The Ferraro Group
Halley Metcalfe - (702) 969-9004 / halley@theferrarogroup.com