University of Hawaii Men’s Volleyball Team Scores NIL Trading Card Deal

The University of Hawaii and name, image and likeness (NIL) trading card company, ONIT, have announced the launch of an initiative where 4,500 packs of trading cards featuring members of the Hawaii Men’s Volleyball team will be available for purchase.

The cards are on sale at the University of Hawaii Manoa Bookstore (in-store and online), the H-Zone at the Simplifi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center and at 19 participating Hawaii Texaco stations operated by Island Energy Services.

Facilitated by The Brandr Group, this marks ONIT’s first partnership with a collegiate men’s volleyball team. After another strong season, the Rainbow Warriors expect to advance to the National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship. Following the tournament, members of the team will make appearances at the stores to support the trading card program and engage with fans.

As part of the campaign, participating student-athletes will also promote the launch of the cards through their social media platforms and team members have autographed select cards and inserted them into various packs.

“We really appreciate The Brandr Group facilitating innovative, inclusive and engaging student-athlete NIL opportunities such as this multifaceted program with ONIT and Island Energy Services,” says Craig Angelos, director of athletics, University of Hawaii. “This campaign is a win-win and is true to the original spirit of NIL, allowing participating student-athletes a unique opportunity to profit from their NIL by bringing multiple brand partners to the table.”

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ONIT seeks to build sets of collegiate trading cards with as close to full participation as possible by inviting entire teams to participate in the voluntary program. Team members will be compensated based on a competitive revenue share per pack as well as for the inclusion of their autographed cards and social media content. Island Energy Services will also compensate players for making appearances at its proprietary convenience store concept, called AMA. This creates multiple financial streams from one campaign, ultimately maximizing the participating athletes’ revenue potential.

“Island Energy Services is proud to continue its support for the University of Hawaii Athletics program by teaming up with The Brandr Group and ONIT to make available these unique, one-of-a-kind trading cards featuring student-athletes from the UH Men’s Volleyball Team,” says Al Chee, vice president, retail marketing and community relations, Island Energy Services. “This is a great way for Island Energy Services to give back to Hawaii, and particularly those who passionately cheer on our UH sports programs.”

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“The University of Hawaii has fully embraced how a robust NIL campaign can maximize opportunities for its student-athletes, while creating authentic programs that are the right fits for local brands on the islands,” says Rick Perko, vice president, program development, The Brandr Group. “Working closely together, ONIT, Island Energy Services and The Brandr Group are creating innovative ways to engage student-athletes in meaningful campaigns that make a notable difference for all involved.”