More Than A Jersey Number
Graphic created in Canva by Megan Silva
Athlete’s Thread Partners with University of the Pacific to Elevate NIL Opportunities
Athlete’s Thread, a custom apparel brand officially licensed at 250 universities and representing over 27,000 athletes, has launched a new affiliation with the University of the Pacific.
As of January 2025, more than 450,000 college student-athletes have earned money through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. As a Division 1 institution, the University of the Pacific supports athletes’ right to maximize the impact of their athletic abilities. In May 2024, Pacific Athletics announced the launch of their third-party collectives “Let’s Go Tyges” and “The Pacific Tiger Exchange” to facilitate NIL activation opportunities. Athlete’s Thread is the latest brand in the NIL space, dedicated to designing custom merchandise for student-athletes to provide 100% free merchandise stores for every athlete on campus. Nadia Murray Ceriello from the Beach Volleyball team and Diego Davis from the Baseball team were the first two athletes to join the Athlete’s Thread initiative. Ceriello came upon Pacific Threads through online social media feeds. She recognized Athlete’s Threads with its involvement in other schools and promotion by other athletes. She believes Pacific Threads grants an invaluable opportunity for athletes playing less-endorsed Division 1 sports in the NIL fanscape.
“Beach volleyball is such a niche college sport, there are little to no merchandise opportunities for my family and friends to buy. I think it’s cool that they can now buy merchandise with my name on it and support me directly!” –Nadia Murray Ceriello, ‘28
California, unlike other states, has no state law-mandated restriction on what kind of endorsements student-athletes can accept. This allows for opportunities such as neighborhood-level endorsements from college town athletes, which were previously unavailable before the passage of California’s NIL Bill 23. As a result, University of the Pacific student-athletes have access to a broader range of opportunities. However, student-athletes are prohibited from promoting their Name, Image, and Likeness or athletic reputation to “promote gambling, alcohol products, tobacco products, adult entertainment, and substances banned by the NCAA or products or services that are illegal or not consistent with the university’s mission and policies.”
The Athlete’s Thread network, branded as Pacific Threads for our campus, offers officially licensed and custom NIL merch for every student-athlete. The core mission behind the initiative is to support athletes by ensuring that every purchase directly benefits them, with a portion of the profits tied to their name. The customization allows for one-of-a-kind products with exclusive designs ranging from jerseys, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, bomber jackets, mesh shorts, and more. Athletes earn royalties between 17%-27% along with affiliate fees, and the program does not prevent athletes from signing additional deals. Athlete’s Thread also empowers athletes to grow with resources to help market products, run promotional campaigns to increase earnings, and provide efficient customer service to maximize those earnings.
Pacific Threads represents a significant step forward in empowering NIL athletes, giving them new avenues to earn income while showcasing their personal brand through custom merchandise. Through this initiative, athletes gain greater control over their earnings and promotional opportunities, while also reinforcing the university's dedication to supporting student-athlete success. This collaboration not only benefits individual athletes, but also enhances the campus community, as fans and supporters can come together to support our student-athletes.
Sources:
https://iconsource.com/california-nil-laws/
https://pacifictigers.com/sports/2021/8/6/name-image-and-likeness.aspx?id=1312