NIL has been criticized by a few big-name coaches like Nick Saban, but many athletes are using it for good and to foster change.
Former Miami Hurricanes QB D’Eriq King allocated much of his NIL funds to help out needy teammates.
Michigan running back Blake Corum used some of his NIL funds to host a turkey drive in his hometown of Ypsilanti, MI, and to help kids in Detroit through the Detroit PAL.
Now another positive story about NIL fund usage has come out of the Big Ten.
In a crucially important NIL deal, the Indiana Hoosiers partnered with Hoosiers for Good and Stop the Violence Indianapolis to address and stop gun violence in the state.
“Hoosiers for Good Inc and Stop the Violence Indianapolis have partnered with 114 Indiana University Football athletes for a first-of-its-kind charitable NIL campaign that challenges young people to team up for peace and put an end to gun violence.“
Utilizing their over 500,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram, Indiana players will “share messages about positive alternatives to gun violence.”
It’s a crisis that has plagued Indiana, especially Black people in the state.
According to the release, African-Americans are 14 times more likely to die from gun violence in Indiana.
In addition, the homicide rate in Indianapolis is three times higher than both the national and statewide rates since 2014 according to 2021 research from the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform. In the city, 550 young people are currently being prosecuted for gun crimes.
Even more sobering, gun violence nationally is the leading cause of premature death; it has led to more than 38,000 deaths and approximately 85,000 injuries each year.
But the Hoosiers are taking action to tackle this grave issue.
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