ORONO, Maine – University of Maine Athletics has created the Black Bear Student-Athlete Experience Fund to support student-athletes and promote the continued competitiveness and excellence of the state's only Division I program, consistent with the recent House vs. NCAA settlement.
 
The new fund will allow fans to give to UMaine varsity athletic programs and student-athletes in meaningful ways, including but not limited to scholarships, nutrition, travel and direct pay.
 
Donors can provide general support to be used at the discretion of the university or direct their giving to a particular team. 
 
"We are excited to offer these new opportunities for our incredible fans to further support their favorite Black Bear teams," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Jude Killy. "As the college sports landscape rapidly evolves, UMaine is committed to securing new private and philanthropic funding that enables us to creatively and compliantly support our talented student-athletes and ensure Maine's leadership and excellence in an increasingly competitive Division I landscape."
 
Black Bear Student-Athlete Experience Fund:
The Black Bear Student-Athlete Experience Fund has been established in conjunction with the University of Maine Foundation to advance excellence. It will do so by providing student-athletes with the best experience in college athletics to ensure that UMaine remains competitive, adaptable and well-supported in this new era of collegiate athletics, including but not limited to scholarships, nutrition, travel and funding for direct payments, which are now allowable. For more information on how to support the Black Bear Student-Athlete Experience Fund, please click here.
 
UMaine fans, including individuals and corporate partners, can also support the Black Bears in Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endeavors through the following ways:
 
Van Wagner – Black Bears Athletics Sponsorships:
Van Wagner is dedicated to enhancing Maine Athletics' brand and designing comprehensive sponsorship packages. Working with UMaine Athletics, Van Wagner negotiates and manages all elements including, but not limited to, digital advertising, broadcast rights, hospitality, premium signage, jersey patches and game day marketing assets. Opportunities exist for companies to work directly with student-athletes for brand representation and integration as official sponsors. To learn more, please contact Van Wagner general manager Laurie Lozier at llozier@umaineas.com.
 
Bear Down Collective:
Fans of UMaine also have the opportunity to support student-athletes directly by joining Bear Down Collective, the official collective of UMaine Athletics. Each membership level offers exclusive benefits, and contributions can be designated by specific sport. To learn more about the Bear Down Collective and how to support UMaine student-athletes, please click here.
 
Icon Source:
Icon Source is a digital marketplace that brings agents, student-athletes, and brands together. The company is the only platform that provides brands of all sizes direct communication with agents or student-athletes themselves, eliminating unnecessary intermediate steps to engage with potential professional or collegiate partners. All athletes at the University of Maine who sign up for the Icon Source NIL exchange are available to sign contracts for sponsorships, endorsements, and engagement deals with no fees to student athletes. However, use of university marks and facilities is restricted to only those companies that are official sponsors (see Van Wagner). The Brand portal facilitates endorsement campaign creation, automatically generates legal and binding contracts, and makes it easy for brands to find the perfect athlete for their purpose. In addition, Icon Source's financial platform makes it easy for brands to pay student-athletes while remaining within NCAA compliance rules. To learn more and begin unique endorsement opportunities with UMaine student-athletes, click here.
 
UMaine is supportive of its student-athletes being able to control and monetize their personal NIL to the fullest extent allowed by NCAA and relevant conference rules, any applicable state and federal laws, and the University Student Code of Conduct, subject to the conditions of its NIL policy, which can be found here.
 
For more information on NIL at UMaine, please click here.