The Massachusetts Collective - NIL initiative

[MikeUMA]

Right now, Im leaning toward selling sections of the floor as is and letting folks repurpose them however they’d like — whether that’s a desk, a display, a wall piece, or something else. We’ve heard some great ideas, like signed sections, coffee tables, clocks, etc., but the time and logistics involved in customizing each one would be tough to take on at scale.

Sounds fair. Customizing wood mementos isn't your line of business.

How big are each section pieces? From the photos I'm guessing 4' x 8'.
Any estimate on how much each one weighs?
I'm playing out in my head how I might get one home

As we talk more over the next few weeks and during the member meeting, I just want to be transparent about the time and financial commitment that’s gone into this so far — not for credit, but to help manage expectations around what’s practical and what we can realistically produce.

I think it's good to share how much of an expense you've taken on to make this happen, not to brag but to be honest about what it took to do this. The transparency goes a long way.


On a related note, any idea what's to come of the old A10 member banners hanging in the rafters? Or the scoreboard? One of the side panels would be an awesome display piece.

[doubledribble]

Pat, great job and I hope you are tremendously successful on this project. It may not be possible, but never say never. Maybe working through Ryan or someone else with pull, it would be fantastic if you could get 25 pieces autographed by Dr. J, Marcus and Cal. Maybe each signs 25 different ones or they sign the same ones. It costs nothing to make the proposal and if it works it would raise the value of these piece significantly.

Obviously, logistics are an issue, but with your ability to move things, maybe they all wouldn't have to come to Amherst.

Great idea!

[eldonabe]

Pat, great job and I hope you are tremendously successful on this project. It may not be possible, but never say never. Maybe working through Ryan or someone else with pull, it would be fantastic if you could get 25 pieces autographed by Dr. J, Marcus and Cal. Maybe each signs 25 different ones or they sign the same ones. It costs nothing to make the proposal and if it works it would raise the value of these piece significantly.

Obviously, logistics are an issue, but with your ability to move things, maybe they all wouldn't have to come to Amherst.

Great idea!

Why stop there.... Try to get the entire Final 4 team to sign a couple while you are at it.

[wmmmfan]

Pat, great job and I hope you are tremendously successful on this project. It may not be possible, but never say never. Maybe working through Ryan or someone else with pull, it would be fantastic if you could get 25 pieces autographed by Dr. J, Marcus and Cal. Maybe each signs 25 different ones or they sign the same ones. It costs nothing to make the proposal and if it works it would raise the value of these piece significantly.

Obviously, logistics are an issue, but with your ability to move things, maybe they all wouldn't have to come to Amherst.

Great idea!

Why stop there.... Try to get the entire Final 4 team to sign a couple while you are at it.

Why not host a fundraiser at the HOF in Springfield? Have Dr.J, Cal, Marcus and the Final Four team there to sign in person and celebrate the history of UMBB as we usher in this new era of UMBB. Include WBB as well. You might get people to join the Collective.

[inthescoop]

This reminds me of when they sold the bricks from Satriale’s pork shop after they knocked it down.. great idea!

[Juice Stand]

Great idea!

Why stop there.... Try to get the entire Final 4 team to sign a couple while you are at it.

Why not host a fundraiser at the HOF in Springfield? Have Dr.J, Cal, Marcus and the Final Four team there to sign in person and celebrate the history of UMBB as we usher in this new era of UMBB. Include WBB as well. You might get people to join the Collective.

We all love the Final 4 team, but why not try to feature the team that played the final Rage in the Cage game? That was the '92/'93 team. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think some of the Final 4 guys never played in the Cage. https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id ... -93#roster

[DoctorJ]

Oh, they ALL played in the Cage, at least during practice.

We talking PRACTICE??? How did they make their teammates better?...

IN PRACTICE!!! At the CAGE!!!

May god pity the fool that allowed that floor to be ripped up...

In all seriousness, I'm not sure who was on the final four team not to have played a game in Curry Hicks.

[Juice Stand]

The last game was in the 92/93 season and the Final 4 year was 95/96, so anyone that was not a senior probably didn't play in the Cage. The juniors on that team were Camby, Edgar Padilla, Travieso, and Ty Weeks. All four of those guys began their careers in the '93 season and played their home games in the Mullins Center per Mike's page https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id=season_1993-94. They definitely practiced there, but I think the team to play games in its final season make for a more appropriate link to the piece of memorabilia.

[LS71]

Why not try get as many players and coaches as possible who played in the Cage to sign pieces and auction them off?

Sign two pieces…one for auction, the other for a trophy case for the Bill so fans can check em out.

Any of you who’ve been to the ‘new’ Yankee Stadium and have visited the museum there….think the UMass version of the ball wall.

[69MG]

All good ideas. If done over a period of time, maybe we could get multiple signers. We also have to take into account the logistics involved, and the coordination required to get anything this complicated done. I guess it depends on how soon Pat wants to start the sales process. Anyhow, I hope it is a huge success.

[Steve81]

Oh, they ALL played in the Cage, at least during practice.

We talking PRACTICE??? How did they make their teammates better?...

IN PRACTICE!!! At the CAGE!!!

May god pity the fool that allowed that floor to be ripped up...

In all seriousness, I'm not sure who was on the final four team not to have played a game in Curry Hicks.

Regarding MassCo selling pieces of the floor. Perhaps you can make end or coffee tables from the floor with the prominence of the floor attached to the back or framed on the wall. Sure there are many more ways to display the Cage floor. There was a time that UMass auction stuff and I have a signed Kansas ticket, which was DK's first win. Plus have the Stephane Lasme poster dunking over BC, Oates. Wish we feed him more as he had his way with Oates, faking and playing him. Hope Stephane is ok as he seems to dropped out of sight. Do have his poster boxed to send him, just need an address.

[Old-School]

I would buy a section if they were cut smaller, I don't need a 4x8 piece.

[doubledribble]

I would buy a section if they were cut smaller, I don't need a 4x8 piece.

Me too!

[DanaDingle3]

Dean Wendell has a column out in the Daily Collegian about the finances for UMass athletics: https://dailycollegian.com/2025/06/the- ... handle-it/

I'd love to know the basis for this comment from the AD on basketball spending: '“We’re going to be in a position in two or three years where we may be spending more than potentially some of the high-end [Atlantic 10] schools and maybe even lower-end ‘Power 4’ schools in basketball,” Bamford said."

[doubledribble]

Dean Wendell has a column out in the Daily Collegian about the finances for UMass athletics: https://dailycollegian.com/2025/06/the- ... handle-it/

I'd love to know the basis for this comment from the AD on basketball spending: '“We’re going to be in a position in two or three years where we may be spending more than potentially some of the high-end [Atlantic 10] schools and maybe even lower-end ‘Power 4’ schools in basketball,” Bamford said."

See Wendell/Collegian column. Did not know this !?!?

“ There was a tumultuous relationship between the school and the external football-centric Midnight Ride Collective. The handling of the two parties’ dissolution was considered to be controversial, but there are benefits to an internal setup. Primarily, older donors may feel more comfortable donating their money directly to a university.”