BUILD IT TOGETHER CAMPAIGN Launch
Securing UMass Basketball's Future in the NIL Era
The upcoming offseason presents a unique challenge in the evolving world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in college athletics. We are fortunate to have one of the most dynamic duos in the frontcourt, with both players (
Matt Cross and Josh Cohen) having a year of eligibility left, along with other key pieces that we need to retain. Additionally, we want to be ready to take advantage of opportunities in the transfer portal if they arise. It's worth noting that our peers in the A10 and competitors nationally are all preparing for a competitive offseason in the NIL world.
(See St. Bonaventure, this coming Saturdays opponent, call to action here with a $150,000+ campaign 
https://awfulannouncing.com/college-bas ... ctive.html)
To be well-positioned for the challenges ahead, we believe we need to raise a competitive fund of approximately $400,000. This figure represents more than double our budget for the current year. However, at this point, we are short of reaching this goal, and that's where we need your help.
We have less than a month until the transfer portal opens, the day after Selection Sunday. While we enjoy the most successful UMass team in 10 years, we have to face reality. The $175,000 budget we had for this current season will not cut it to keep the players we want around, plus we want to be BUYERS not SELLERS in the transfer portal, presenting opportunities to transfers (while following NCAA rules and regulations). We need a little over $200,000 to reach our goal of $400,000 for next year. We have hesitated to make this number public before, but it is an absolute necessity to stress the urgency.
This team could look a lot different in just 5 weeks if we don't do our job as supporters of the program. There is no reason to sugarcoat it anymore. The time is NOW to step up and work together to advance the interests of the program.
How can you help?
1. JOIN or INCREASE your monthly commitment or make a one-time contribution OR pledge to our cause. Pledges can be paid over time, but must be fulfilled by January 30th, 2025.
2. Encourage your business to join us as a supporter or recruit other businesses to join our efforts.
3. Rally fellow fans to become members of the UMass Collective.
Please visit the campaign page here
https://www.themasscollective.com/build-it-together
