JMU Athletics Introduces Honors1: JMU’s Unified NIL Approach

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Athletics unveiled the "Honors1" program, JMU's Unified NIL Approach, which serves as a comprehensive name, image and likeness (NIL) framework to bring student-athletes and key stakeholders together to boost NIL opportunities for JMU student-athletes.

The "Honors1" moniker derives from the JMU Fight Song lyric, "Fight for Glory, Honors Won" and aims at honoring the heart and soul of intercollegiate athletics, the student-athlete. The multi-faceted program includes the launch of the JMU Dukes Exchange in partnership with Teamworks Influencer. The program also strengthens JMU Athletics' partnership with the Montpelier Collective (MC), including the addition of Duke Club priority points for gifts to the collective retroactive to July 1, 2024. Other key features include access to student-athlete licensing, educational efforts to assist NIL pursuits, the formation of an internal Honors1 committee within JMU Athletics and more.

"The Honors1 program is an essential piece to our climb for James Madison Athletics to be a thriving program in this ever-evolving college athletics landscape," JMU Director of Athletics Matt Roan said. "The comprehensive nature of this program truly allows our student-athletes to maximize their overall experience and potential at James Madison University, and specifically the value of their name, image and likeness. This has been a major priority since the early summer, and I'm grateful for the leadership of Associate AD Stephen LaPorta, as well as our incredible partnership with Cliff Wood and the officers and board of the Montpelier Collective. JMU Athletics is well-positioned for excellence in the current and future environment of college athletics with the addition of Honors1."

The Montpelier Collective launched in May of 2023 and operates independent of JMU Athletics as a non-profit entity to provide NIL opportunities to JMU student-athletes in exchange for promoting charitable partners of the collective. With the launch of Honors1, JMU Athletics will bring greater visibility to the work of the collective and how it partners with JMU student-athletes while enhancing support and resources to help MC reach its goals.

Among other benefits of the alignment, prospective contributors can now benefit from a gift to the Montpelier Collective in a similar fashion to gifts to the JMU Duke Club's annual fund. Coinciding with the effective date of changes to NIL law in the Commonwealth of Virginia, donors will receive points for all MC gifts dating back retroactive to July 1, 2024. In order to receive credit, however, all MC donors must also make a minimum $75 gift to the Duke Club Proud and True Fund. Similar to annual fund gifts, all gifts to the collective will have points assigned with a 0.08 multiplier in the current year and 0.02 for lifetime giving. Gifts for each month will be calculated on the 15^th of the following month. For example, a $1,000 gift to the collective on Nov. 1 would be credited on Dec. 15 with 80 priority points for the current year and then 20 points for future lifetime giving credit, assuming that the contributor has made the minimum $75 annual gift to the Duke Club Proud and True Fund.

As part of the Honors1 announcement, James Madison Athletics has expanded its partnership with Teamworks to launch the JMU Dukes Exchange. The new platform connects JMU student-athletes directly with businesses and individual for Name, Image and Likeness activities.

The JMU Dukes Exchange is a free platform to both JMU student-athletes and to individuals or entities seeking to partner with athletes. Student-athletes can register for NIL activities of their choosing and be listed within the searchable database. Likewise, interested individuals, businesses and other entities can search the database or post targeted opportunities to be available to student-athletes.

The JMU Dukes Exchange and the Teamworks Influencer platform streamlines all aspects of the NIL agreement. All communication occurs within the marketplace, as does the financial transaction, the formation of a legal agreement between the parties and the producing of tax forms. The platform also facilitates the requirement for all student-athletes to disclose NIL activities to JMU Athletics. All activities conducted via the JMU Dukes Exchange are reviewed to ensure compliance with James Madison University, Sun Belt Conference, Commonwealth of Virginia and NCAA policies.

"We're excited to partner with JMU Athletics to support their vision for maximizing NIL opportunities for student-athletes," said Teamworks Influencer Senior Account Executive Sean Kelly. "The JMU Dukes Exchange will unlock new opportunities for their student-athletes, allowing them to monetize their brand and pursue NIL deals at a larger scale."

Continuing a foundation already laid with the Dukes Lead program, education will be a key resource to student-athletes to help maximize NIL potential. Tools include a variety of programmed and independent avenues to learn best practices and strategies in the NIL space. Honors1 can also assist student-athletes with professional representation services. Individuals interested in assisting with such services can contact Associate AD Stephen LaPorta.

Multiple licensing opportunities are also available to JMU student-athletes with access to such third-party programs as Influxer and Athletes Thread. Co-licensing inquiries can also be addressed to Garrett King and the JMU Foundation, which manages all licensing for James Madison University. Inquiries about the use of JMU logos in media and marketing arrangements should go to JMU Sports Properties.

The Honors1 program was an initiative of JMU AD Matt Roan with direct leadership for initial implementation and on-going oversight provided by Associate AD for Governance and Compliance Stephen LaPorta. Other members of the committee include Roan, Deputy AD Geoff Polglase, Senior Associate AD for Student-Athlete Development and Senior Woman Administrator Jenn Phillips, Associate AD for Ticketing and Strategic Revenue Brad Burgess, Associate AD for Development Scooter Renkin, Associate AD for Communications and Strategic Initiatives Kevin Warner, Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Leadership Cassidy Clements, Assistant AD for Creative Services and Fan Engagement Melissa Wyant and General Manager of JMU Sports Properties Mike Chatburn.

About Teamworks Influencer
Influencer, available on Teamworks' Operating System for Sports™, is the leading athlete brand-building and NIL business management app for elite sports organizations. The Influencer athlete app educates student-athletes, coaches, and staff for the NIL era in a safe and compliant environment. Powered by our best-in-class content delivery engine, student-athletes can easily access and share content with their fans. Influencer's Exchange helps companies, fans, and collectives easily find, communicate with, pay, and report NIL transactions with student-athletes, maximizing their NIL earning potential and streamlining reporting for their institution and personal tax returns. To learn why more than 90,000 student-athletes at 270 elite collegiate and professional sports organizations have partnered with Influencer, visit teamworks.com/influencer.

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