As name, image and likeness (NIL) become a growing business within the collegiate sports world, each school does its best to ensure every athlete receives the proper compensation. At Florida Atlantic University, one unique initiative supporting this effort is a group known as The Owl Collective. 

On July 1, 2021, the NIL ‘era’ went into full effect, as the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) approved a policy allowing college athletes to benefit monetarily based on their popularity.

NIL collectives are networks that bring in compensation from donors, alumni, businesses and boosters for student-athletes. FAU joins over 120 institutions with at least one of their own collectives.

Bryan Rammel founded The Owl Collective in October 2022. He envisioned turning a general concept into something unique and original.

“We are all about bringing a new twist to NIL and creating fun and engaging opportunities, not only for the athletes but also for the fans,” Rammel said. “We’re basically a small group of people constantly being asked for donations or money, and we pride ourselves on activating FAU fans and athletes in new and creative ways.”

In The Owl Collective, fans can become either members or corporate partners or make a one-time donation. 

For members, there are three donation tiers: red owl, big owl, and paradise owl, ranging from $250 to $1,000 monthly. Each tier unlocks new benefits, including access to signed apparel, special giveaways and more. 

Corporate partners also have three tiers: red sponsor, blue sponsor, and gold sponsor, with a price range of $2,500 to $10,000. Their sponsorship includes social media collaborations and promotions, listings on their website, exclusive access to athlete content, signed memorabilia and more.

Although NIL has been in place for three years, some minor misconceptions remain. NIL began as a way for athletes to get monetary compensation for their time playing in college. However, multiple benefits are available to athletes outside of getting paid to play. 

“[The Owl Collective] has been able to advocate with athletes in the community by setting up food drives, working with nonprofit partners and helping athletes get involved with NIL, which has led to internships,” Rammel stated. 

The Owl Collective has worked with Boca Helping Hands and the YMCA of South Palm Beach County, aiming to give back to the community around them.

Steve King, the director of development for Boca Helping Hands, says the formation of the collectives gave them a larger ability to work with the program and athletes. 

“They’ve helped us distribute food, raise awareness for the organization through the awareness that they garner as student-athletes in our community and they’ve come to some of our events and been a big hit. We’ve benefited not just from their work, but also from the notoriety and recognition they bring with them,” said King.

For recent events, both nonprofits have partnered with The Owl Collective to host a backpack giveaway with FAU football and a food drive with FAU men’s basketball. They’re looking to give hope and support to Palm Beach County.

“The YMCA being a community center and a one-stop shop, and just like a hub in the community, I decided to reach out… I wanted to assist and facilitate this food drive that they were putting on; that’s kind of really where the partnership began,” said Brianna Silva, director of community engagement at YMCA South Palm Beach County. “Having these athletes come out and get to talk to them and inspire them, and having the opportunity to have these athletes come out constantly means so much to these young kids.”

Outside nonprofits, Rammel has found engaging ways for athletes to thrive and succeed off the field. The Owl Collective collaborates with FAU’s Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Sports Management program, allowing students to gain beneficial exposure within the collective.

“Our students’ role is to support The Owl Collective in generating different types of opportunities for our student-athletes here at Florida Atlantic,” said Daniel Cornely, FAU’s graduate sports management program director. “We have students working for The Owl Collective, and they get to learn about NIL in their sports law class. They now get to live, breathe and work with our athletic department hand-in-hand.”

Aside from the organizations that help the Owl Collective flourish, collectives would be nothing without the athletes who make it all possible. Owl Collective’s mission is all for them. 

NaShawn Tyson, FAU men’s golf player, is also an athlete partnering with The Owl Collective. Tyson announced via Instagram his signing with the collective on Nov.  4. 

“I was looking to save up for a ‘TrackMan,’ and I asked [my coach] if he had any ideas, maybe email people and start a little fundraiser or something,” Tyson stated. “His idea was to contact the Owl Collective, so I contacted one of the agents and signed with them about a week ago.”

Tyson hopes The Owl Collective will help him to build more of a name for himself, both on and off the course. He also feels the exposure the Owl Collective brings to the community will serve him well in the future. 

“It means a lot, especially because they’re helping me do something that I can’t do by myself,” Tyson said. “The opportunity to come here and play for the school and represent is a big deal for me.”

Many partners have also commented that Rammel is an inspiring and vital factor in the collective’s success.

“Bryan Rammel is the lifespan that is helping us get these athletes to support charities in the community and helping to make Boca Raton a better place,” said King.

Silvia shares the same sentiment, emphasizing the contributions to Palm Beach County.

“I think my favorite part is how philanthropic they are, and Bryan does a great job with these athletes making sure that they see the value in going out to the community,” said Silva.

As NIL slowly evolves, Rammel points out that FAU is, too. He hopes his collective will help bring exposure and become one of the most prominent collectives in the nation. 

“FAU isn’t the oldest school by any means; it was built in 1961, and since then, it’s gone through a couple of different evolutions,” Rammel said. “We want to make FAU student-athletes some of the country’s most active name, image, and likeness student-athletes.”

Angelina Martell is a sports staff writer with the University Press. Please email her at [email protected] or reach out on Instagram @angieemartell for more information regarding this or other stories.