A letter from Harlan

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It certainly is a new day in intercollegiate athletics, and the University of Utah is prepared to fully embrace it! The approval of the settlement in the House vs. NCAA case allows institutions to provide additional scholarships, enter into institutional Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreements with student-athletes and devote even greater resources to help them develop their brand and maximize their earning potential in NIL, in addition to other elements of the settlement.

The settlement puts in place consistent guidelines and structure that serves as a road map for the years ahead, one which will allow us to serve our student-athletes in new ways and enhance their experience at the University of Utah with even more impactful opportunities.

I’m incredibly proud of the work that has been done by our tremendous Utah Athletics staff to prepare for this moment. That work includes a reorganization of our staff to create a dedicated team that will focus on delivering expanded resources and education to empower Utah student-athletes to be standout brand ambassadors and grow their own brands while thriving in the new opportunities afforded to them.

WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
We launched our comprehensive Elevate U program in June of 2021 to educate and equip our student-athletes with skills to maximize their opportunities in NIL once it became a permissible by the NCAA in July 2021.

Through Elevate U—and the eventual formation of the Crimson Collective and Who Rocks the House Collective—our student-athletes earned millions of dollars in NIL while participating in, and leading, meaningful service-focused events and activities in partnership with various charitable organizations throughout the Salt Lake valley. Through these opportunities provided by the Crimson Collective and Who Rocks the House Collective, our student-athletes spent nearly 7,500 hours helping 14 different organizations achieve their mission and goals. To date, our student-athletes have earned more than $10 million through these charitable NIL activities.

The success our student-athletes have experienced could not have been possible without the work of our incredible Utah supporters, who are passionate about our student-athletes and our sport programs, and who stepped forward and provided our student-athletes with tremendous opportunities to make an impact in our community and grow their brands.

WHERE WE ARE GOING
We are all-in on investing up to the maximum allowable in revenue share, which is approximately $20.5 million for 2025-26, though we are finalizing our plans for how the revenue will be shared. We also will add 23 new scholarships with a total value of $1.15 million, implement NIL contracts between the institution and student-athletes, and expand student-athlete endorsement opportunities with businesses and organizations.

Through our existing Elevate U program, we have increased our investment with the addition of a Brand Strategy and Governance team dedicated to providing Utah student-athletes comprehensive support as they build their brand, enter into non-exclusive contracts for limited-use rights to their NIL, and profit. You can learn more on that here.

In recent years, our athletics programs have enjoyed significant and sustained success, and we are committed to building upon that as we compete for championships at both the conference and national level. We have a renewed commitment to the culture of excellence that supports our student-athletes for success in the classroom, competition and community.

To further empower our student-athletes and enhance their experiences, I invite you to consider making a donation to the Crimson Club. Your support is vital in providing the resources necessary for our student-athletes to reach their full potential. Together, we can cultivate an environment of success and opportunity.

Thank you for all that you do!

Go Utes!

Mark Harlan
Director of Athletics

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