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Nevada student-athletes now have NIL representation via Blueprint Sports

Today, key community supporters of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) student-athletes unveiled "Friends of The Pack," the first significant name, image, and likeness (NIL) collective supporting men and women's sports at Nevada, starting with men's basketball. The initiative is made possible by many long-time Wolf Pack supporters, including Rick Reviglio, co-owner, president, and general manager of Western Nevada Supply, and Greg Ferraro, president and founder of The Ferraro Group, a leading public affairs and public relations firm in Nevada.

"We're proud of our student-athletes in Reno who compete at the highest athletic levels, strive for success in the classroom, and aim to make a difference in our community," said Matt White, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Basin Street Properties and Chairman of the Advisory Board for Friends of The Pack. "Our focus is on helping these student-athletes achieve their dreams and become future leaders.”

Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame member and former Harlem Globetrotter Eathan O'Bryant knows first-hand the importance of supporting student-athletes at the University of Nevada. He added, "I’m honored help support the community and University of Nevada athletes by working with this collective. These opportunities are overdue and well-deserved by the men and women who play sports at Nevada. I am looking forward to helping the community get in touch with them and continue strengthening the relationship between the school and the city.”

Powering "Friends of The Pack" is NIL technology and marketing agency Blueprint Sports, co-founded by Cisco Aguilar. “So many student-athletes make their communities better and are often the embodiment of civic engagement. It’s an honor to support these young people as they embark on this exciting phase of life,” Aguilar said.

On the new Friends of The Pack website, supporters have multiple options for ways to engage with the student-athletes. Friends of The Pack allows for streamlined communications between Reno businesses, brands, and University of Nevada student-athletes for marketing opportunities, including online influencer campaigns, local appearances, youth sports coaching, charity event attendance, and more. An additional option includes one-time or recurring crowdfunding and monthly "behind the red rope" memberships for exclusive access to various student-athletes. Supporters can also rest assured their engagements will occur in an NCAA-compliant manner with all Nevada student-athletes.

“My teammates and I feel blessed to be given the opportunity to learn about how to manage our finances and build a future,” said Kenan Blackshear, a senior member of the Wolf Pack Men’s Basketball Team. “We are very grateful to Friends of The Pack for making that happen.”

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. Friends of The Pack is the latest collective powered by Blueprint Sports to launch in 2022. Other collectives include Friends of Spike, around Gonzaga University, Friends of Wilbur & Wilma, around the University of Arizona, Friends of Smokey, around the University of Tennessee, Friends of Rocky, around the University of Toledo, and Friends of UNILV, around UNLV. The Blueprint Sports management team possesses over 50 years of college and professional sports experience, spanning the Pac-12 Conference, IMG, Learfield, Nevada Athletics Commission, and more. For more information on Blueprint Sports and to see samples of their work, visit www.blueprintsports.com.

About Name, Image, Likeness (NIL)

On June 30, 2021, the Division 1 Board of Directors approved an interim name, image, and likeness policy. This new policy allows all NCAA D1, D2, and D3 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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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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