Eighteen Hawkeye Marching Band members ink NIL deal with local kitchenware store
Eighteen students from the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band's mellophone section have signed a first-of-its-kind NIL deal.
The Hawkeye musicians are partnering with The Brick Kitchen in Independence, marking the first time Hawkeye Marching Band members are compensated for using their Name, Image, or Likeness for advertising and marketing.
The Brick Kitchen is a family-owned and operated kitchen store located in Independence, about an hour from Iowa City. It opened in 2021, specializing in cookware, bakeware, drinkware, kitchen cutlery, cookbooks, and other kitchen gadgets.
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How'd the deal come to be?
The Brick Kitchen owners, Shelly and Nate Whited, have deep roots in the musical world while their son also plays in the Hawkeye Marching Band.
The couple was inspired by Kwik Trip's (KwikStar) first NIL student partner, Will Hazeltine, a mellophone player in the University of Wisconsin-Madison marching band.
"[The marching band] provides the entertainment and spirit at game days and providing the entertainment and being a big part of the community, we wanted to be able to support the students," Shelly said. "We are also excited to be the first business to have a deal for a full instrument section with an NCAA Marching Band."
Eighteen students play in Iowa's mellophone section. Student-athletes gained the right to profit off their names, images, and likeness in 2021's landmark legislation.
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The Brick Kitchen worked directly with Eric Bush, Hawkeye Marching Band Associate Director of Bands, to organize the deal.
"It is a way of recognizing students; these students put in an incredible amount of work and are great ambassadors for the university," Bush said. "I do think we're gonna see more band members getting deals and other members of other spirit squads getting in on it."
The marching band grind
Dedication within the marching band knows no limits. Full-time students invest at least 20 weekly hours perfecting their craft alongside rigorous class schedules and other commitments. Yet, on game days, before the football team's triumphant entrance, the marching band effortlessly becomes the unrivaled conductor of enthusiasm inside Kinnick Stadium.
In the moments of victory's crescendo or the somber notes of defeat, the Hawkeye Marching Band remains an unwavering beacon of boundless energy. The Hawkeye Marching Band is an integral thread that weaves the tapestry of what makes football season in Iowa City extraordinary.
The students hope their deal with The Brick Kitchen will inspire other collegiate organizations to ink similar contracts.
"It's not just the student-athletes who put in a lot of work to create something wonderful for the University and the community," Chen You Wu, a 4th year Hawkeye Marching Band member, said. "I hope I can be a trailblazer for other students."
Nick Feingold, another 4th year Hawkeye Marching Band member, agrees.
"This could be the first step towards business, both small and large, investing in collegiate music across the country," Feingold said. "Maybe one day it will be just as common for a band to get NIL deals as athletes."
Images posted on The Brick Kitchen's Facebook, the mellophone section, or the "mellies" pose in black shirts that say "Mellies" with a yellow heart and The Brick Kitchen's logo.
The store is planning to shoot a commercial with the band members.
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@presscitizen.com.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Hawkeye Marching band's mellophone section sign NIL deal
