With the recent changes in NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) laws, marketers now have a new opportunity to collaborate with student-athletes for sponsorship and funding. The MOGL platform played a significant role by democratising access to athlete influencers and providing universities with an operating system to connect their entire network of sponsors, alumni, and fans to their student-athletes.
US-headquartered MOGL, a leading athlete marketplace and NIL operations software provider, has closed an additional $2.6 million in seed funding. The investment round was led by Magarac Venture Partners, an early-stage VC based in Pittsburgh. Other investors in MOGL include PivotNorth Capital, Penske Media Corporation, Chaos Ventures, Litquidity, Sand Hill Angels, Platform Venture Studio, and professional athletes. including All-Pro NFL Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The funds will help grow the monetisation opportunities available for student-athletes, deepen the campaign insights and reporting capabilities for brands, and continue to expand the compliance and marketplace offerings for universities and collectives. This year, MOGL is in plans to launch a mobile application that will improve the ease of access for athletes, brands, and fans alike.
MOGL CEO and Co-Founder Ayden Syal said, “NIL offers an incredible opportunity for athletes, brands, and fans to engage for mutually beneficial partnerships and experiences. MOGL enables these parties to easily connect in a compliant manner. What’s unique about our offering is that we are also providing the technology for universities to harness the power of their networks and connect them to their student-athletes while protecting them.”
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with MOGL, the leading NIL marketplace that’s transforming the sports and entertainment industry,” said Will Allen, Partner at MVP. “Their innovative platform connects student-athletes, universities, brands and fans in a mutually beneficial way, creating endless opportunities for growth and success. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to innovation, diversity and our shared belief in the power of disruptive thinking to drive positive change.”
MOGL Chief Athletic Officer and Co-Founder Brandon Wimbush added “MOGL was founded to empower athletes so to have our largest financial backer be a former high profile athlete himself really enforces our commitment to putting athletes first in everything that we do. It’s important that all college athletes have the ability to maximize their platforms while they are at their peak marketability. Our goal is to bring the necessary resources for monetization and professional opportunities to all 500,000 college athletes.”
Connects student-athletes with brands and fans
Founded in 2019 by Notre Dame graduates Ayden Syal and former starting Quarterback, Brandon Wimbush, MOGL’s platform connects college athletes to brands and fans looking to connect for sponsorships, endorsements, video shoutouts, and other exciting experiences.
MOGL offers a comprehensive solution for brands and universities looking to benefit from influencer marketing in the new era of NIL programs. With a simple click, brands can filter through a wide range of athlete influencers and gain access to key insights to enhance their advertising strategies and achieve scalable results.
On the other hand, Universities use MOGL to manage their NIL program, knowing that they are meeting NCAA compliance requirements through automated monitoring capabilities. It is designed to empower all athletes looking to monetise their brand value. The platform provides brands and fans associated with those universities with a streamlined solution for navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of influencer marketing and the creator economy.
Currently, MOGL is used by over 10,000 student-athletes across the US and over 1,500 participating businesses and brands, including NBC Sports, Toyota, Under Armour, and DoorDash. The company has partnered with universities across all three NCAA divisions including Notre Dame, Holy Cross, and Winona State, among others.
