BYU’s 36 walk-on football players this season will again have the opportunity for compensation through an NIL deal with Built Brands, the school’s current corporate partner announced Tuesday.
Also, Built Brands is producing a new CougarTail energy bar, modeled after the maple bar confection sold at BYU athletic events, and 15% of the sales of that flavor bar will go to BYU football players and the BYU athletics program.
Built Brands garnered national headlines last year when the program was announced because it not only provided NIL opportunities to scholarship players, but walk-ons as well.
“We are grateful for Built Brand’s continued innovation and support for our Built4Life program that helps empower our players to build upon a foundation of love, learning and service,” BYU football coach Kalani Sitake said in a school news release. “Nick (Greer’s) vision, like our own, focuses on the whole and elevating everyone around us. We look forward to this next chapter of our relationship, including partnering with Built on the Built for Good campaign, and providing even more player development opportunities for our entire team.”
The Build for Good campaign Sitake referenced provides food for children in need and seeks to end childhood hunger.
Players first learned that Built Brands was re-upping this year after a scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium last Saturday. The school’s mascot, Cosmo the Cougar, parachuted into the stadium with details of the deal.
“We created a new bar, just for you guys. Fifteen percent of all sales go back to you guys,” said Greer, co-founder and CEO of Built Brands. “People are going to love it. People are going to know about Cougar Nation.”
Built will also provide additional funding to the BYU football program as part of its corporate partnership with BYU, according to the release.
Last year Built placed fueling areas in the two football locker rooms — one in the Student-Athlete Building and one in Edwards Stadium.
Built sponsorship will be displayed on the team benches on the field at Edwards Stadium this season, a new element to the agreement.