FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
As a member of the Big Ten, UCLA competes in one of the most competitive conferences in college sports. All Bruins should value and appreciate the student-athletes who represent UCLA on the field and in the classroom. In order for UCLA to compete in NIL, it is necessary to pool and harness the marketing agency resources of the alumni, fans and supporters of the UCLA Bruins worldwide. Champion of Westwood allows us to be a unified group, stronger together, providing the platform through which all alumni, fans and supporters of UCLA may quickly and easily contribute to these student athletes' success.
Even though we strive to make sure everyone is treated the same we cannot guarantee that all student athletes end up getting the same values. The contract amounts vary based on the specific student-athlete and the value of their publicity and marketing cache. For instance, higher-profile athletes may receive more compensation than lesser-known athletes. Each NIL Agreement is individually negotiated and agreed upon by the student-athlete and Champion of Westwood Inc. Champion of Westwood may also assist its student-athletes when they desire to enter into third-party NIL Agreements, by which the student-athletes may earn additional compensation. ALL Champion of Westwood NIL deals require the student-athlete to participate in some form of charitable function at the bare minimum.
Champion of Westwood offers UCLA student-athletes near limitless opportunities to engage in NIL activations, including but not limited to:
- Autograph & Memorabilia signings
- Social Media Promotions, Mentions, Campaigns, etc.
- Camps and Clinics
- Private Lessons
- Charity Events
- Special Appearances
- Commercials/Ads- Online, TV, Radio, Print
- Selling athlete specific merchandise
- NFTs
and many more!
Most NIL Agreements entered into by Champion of Westwood are limited in time and scope to provide protection of funds in the event of unforeseen circumstances. In addition, all agreements have morality clauses as well as good standing clauses.
No. All deals are non-exclusive. We want our student athletes to maximize all earning potential.
Champion of Westwood and its funds are led by dedicated Bruin fans:
Ken Graiwer - CEO/Founder Champion of Westwood, Men of Westwood
Tyler Rutkin - CMO, Champion of Westwood
Jeffrey Gavenman - Legal Counsel, Champion of Westwood
James Washington - Founder, Bruins for Life
John Manuck - Founder, Bruins for Life
Geoff Suddleson - Advisor, Champion of Westwood
Michael Price - President, Champion of Westwood
Our goal is that 90% of revenue raised will go to the student-athletes. As we grow and incur more costs, we believe the number will end up between 80%-95% Champion of Westwood overhead costs are very low, since much of the work to establish it, including necessary legal work and costs related to engagement with UCLA student-athletes and third parties, is being done pro bono. In order to continually service its student-athletes, Champion of Westwood could be incurring expenses for accounting; taxes; website maintenance and hosting; content creation; credit/debit card transactional fees; fan-player events; and other routine costs associated with operating an NIL collective. Whenever possible these costs will be absorbed by leadership. All expenses incurred prior to the website going live, including website development costs, were funded by the generous contributions of Champion of Westwood founders and a host of other Champion of Westwood supporters. As we continue to grow it is quite possible that Champion of Westwood might need to employ full time employee(s) to support the program, but Champion of Westwood will always be supported by the contributions of numerous individuals who will continue to freely invest their time and effort. The mission of Champion of Westwood is to deliver the maximum NIL value to UCLA student-athletes. This is NOT to make money for Champion of Westwood.
No. The NIL program must be a separate legal entity from a university. NIL rules prohibit universities from being parties to NIL Agreements entered into withstudent-athletes. The UCLA athletic department has endorsed Champion of Westwood as “The Official NIL Collective.”
No. Champion of Westwood is not a 501(c)(3) entity to which non-advertising contributions are tax deductible. Early legal investigation by the founders of Champion of Westwood indicated that the purpose for which the NIL law authorizes operation of Champion of Westwood - to compensate student-athletes for their publicity rights - was not likely to qualify as a charitable purpose. Champion of Westwood is aware of NIL programs that are operating under 501(c)(3) status and is monitoring those. Until Champion of Westwood receives legal and accounting approval to protect all we will remain confident in our decision. Champion of Westwood may have charitable events with 3rd parties that donations may qualify for tax deductions. In those cases please consult your tax advisor/professional. However, donations may be tax-deductible as business marketing expenses. Again, please consult your tax advisor/professional.
Anyone can give a one-time donation or set up a monthly recurring charge thru the website www.championofwestwood.com. Individuals and businesses interested in giving larger donations or thru other means (checks/wires/etc.) to Champion of Westwood can contact us directly at bruins@menofwestwood.com. ALL contributions can be specified for which sport you wish to support.