NORMAL – BloNo Pizza Co. is partnering with all fourteen Illinois State women's basketball student-athletes to provide both cash and gift-in-kind as a part of a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal during the 2024-25 academic year. This is the first full-team NIL deal that any local Bloomington-Normal business has done with a team in Illinois State Athletics history.
BloNo Pizza Co. is located 1.8 miles west of CEFCU Arena where ISU Women's Basketball calls home, and recently opened the new Westside Smoke restaurant in the same location. "We could not be more excited to invest in women's sports and the Illinois State Women's Basketball program," BloNo Pizza Co. Owner Brett Matthews said.
NIL deals must be quid-pro-quo under the State of Illinois Student-Athlete Endorsement Rights Act and all fourteen student-athletes will provide the services listed below as part of their fulfillment for this deal:
• Full team commercial shoot in CEFCU Arena promoting BloNo Pizza Co. that will be played on the video board during women's basketball games
• Special event at BloNo Pizza Co. to meet the ISU women's basketball team and promote their newly renovated Westside Smoke portion of the restaurant
• Each student-athlete will post on their own Instagram account to advertise BloNo Pizza Co. and the team event that will take place on a yet to be determined date
"We're thrilled to see BloNo Pizza Co. step up and support our entire Women's Basketball team with this NIL partnership," ISU Head Women's Basketball Coach Kristen Gillespie stated. "This is a game-changer, not just for our student-athletes, but for Illinois State Athletics as a whole. It shows the incredible community we have here in Bloomington-Normal, the belief in our program and the amazing student-athletes who make it special. We're proud to be part of this milestone and grateful for BloNo Pizza Co.'s commitment to empowering our female student-athletes on and off the court."
Empower the Nest, the Official NIL Collective for Illinois State Student-Athletes, has seen over 400 percent growth since the start of 2023-24 academic year. The ISU Women's Basketball program has started its own program-focused efforts (Fly With Us) which function under the Empower The Nest umbrella.
"As the Director of NIL, I'm thrilled to see the entire Women's Basketball team partnering with BloNo Pizza Co.," ISU Director of NIL Brennan White said. "This deal not only highlights the incredible talent and marketability of these student-athletes but also exemplifies the power of local businesses investing in the future of collegiate sports. It's partnerships like this that pave the way for lasting community connections and empowering our female student-athletes to excel both on and off the court."
Any fans or supporters of ISU Athletics that are interested in donating to the Official NIL Collective for Illinois State Student-Athletes, Empower The Nest, or supporting Illinois State student-athletes directly, please contact White by email at bjwhit3@ilstu.edu.
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