When Matt Roan first became an athletic director, in 2016 at Nicholls State, name, image and likeness opportunities for college athletes were still five years away from being permitted.
By the time Roan took over at James Madison this year, after a four-year stint at Eastern Kentucky, the NIL space had emerged as arguably the most significant business aspect of college sports.
"All I've ever known is change," Roan said. "A static nature in college athletics has never been something I've experienced. It has always evolved and I feel like, just more recently, it's more rapidly evolving."
With that in mind, one of the first projects Roan tasked his staff with was developing a comprehensive NIL program for JMU, one that would complement and expand on the work begun by the Montpelier Collective while carrying a distinctive Dukes flair.
Led by Roan and Associate Athletic Director Stephen LaPorta, JMU designed Honors1 – the name is a nod to a line in the school's fight song – and Roan believes it positions the athletic department to continue the remarkable success it has enjoyed over the past few years.
"I think we lead in our league," Roan said. "Not just the dollar figure but the partnership that exists between our department and the collective itself. NIL interfaces with every single thing we do on a daily basis. It's permeating throughout our department. I think we've positioned ourselves really well within our league and with national peers outside our league."
The Collective, a non-profit launched in May, 2023, focuses on paying athletes for their charitable work in the community.
When softball player Bella Henzler partnered with the American Red Cross in July to encourage donors for the Broadcasters for Blood Drive, the organization said the turnout was the best it had been in years.
And 71% of donors, according to an exit survey, indicated that they learned about the drive from Henzler's involvement, said LaPorta.
In September, football players Chauncey Logan and Taji Hudson did a spot for the Red Cross promoting blood donors to help people who suffer from sickle cell trait, a much-needed resource, particularly among the African American community.
"The contribution that the JMU athletes are making in raising awareness and driving participation in blood donation is significant," said Todd Cahill, regional executive for donor services with the Red Cross. "We have observed an increase in both number and diversity of donors participating in our blood drives. The diverse coalition of student-athletes is providing a broad voice on campus and through social media platforms. Their message is reaching out to educate and provide a call to action in the communities that contribute to our diverse and robust blood supply."
Now, Honors1 will work in collaboration with the Montpelier Collective while aiming to broaden the Dukes' NIL footprint. That framework includes an exchange market for athletes to connect directly with local businesses interested in pursuing NIL opportunities, negotiate and sign contracts and receive payment.
It also has components designed to aid athletes with education about NIL opportunities, help understanding contracts, tax planning and more.
"The landscape has changed," said Cliff Wood, a former JMU athletics employee who now serves as the president of the board of directors for the Collective. "We want to be able to recruit and retain the best student-athletes that we can."
With JMU football heading to a second straight bowl game, the men's basketball team coming off an NCAA tournament appearance, and field hockey and men's and women's soccer continuing their recent runs, interest in and support for the Dukes has never been higher.
The challenge for the athletic department has been communicating to potential business partners exactly what NIL is and how they can benefit from relationships with athletes.
"That's been the most difficult thing," Wood said. "Explaining it, it's not a quick conversation."
LaPorta has a unique grasp of JMU's relationship with the community. As a 2009 graduate who has worked in the athletic department since 2010, he has spent most the past two decades in and around Harrisonburg.
Like Wood, he said educating local business owners about the benefits of partnering with JMU athletes on NIL deals has been a big part of his push.
"Our student-athletes may have a different reach than anything they've done in the past," LaPorta said. "At the end of the day, Harrisonburg is a college town. If that's where half of your business is going to come from, you can use the most useful tool to attract those customers or clients."
Wood said he understands some supporters may still have an issue with athletes being paid, but he believes their desire to support JMU will ultimately outweigh that concern.
"You may not like what's happening, but it's here," Wood said. "If you enjoy the success that we've had, it's something we need to participate in."
For Roan, Honors1 isn't an endpoint. He's seen enough in his time as a college athletic director to know the landscape is constantly shifting. With the House settlement on the horizon, the exact nature of NIL in college sports is anyone's guess.
But Roan is confident JMU is well prepared for whatever that future may hold.
"I'm all for NIL, true NIL. NIL done the right way," Roan said. "I'm proud of the fact that I think JMU has a unique NIL approach, but I think it's also the right NIL approach nationally."
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