Appalachian State University is a public research university in Boone, North Carolina, fielding NCAA Division I FBS athletics in the Sun Belt Conference. The Mountaineers compete in a Group of 5 league where NIL economics differ sharply from Power 4 competitors — but App State has built one of the more recognizable NIL infrastructures in the Sun Belt, with a SANIL-powered collective, professional-grade NIL administration, and one of the most passionate fan bases in college football. Athletics are led by Director of Athletics Doug Gillin, with Yosef serving as the long-standing Mountaineer mascot.
App State sponsors 19+ varsity sports across the spectrum — football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, women’s soccer, field hockey, men’s and women’s cross country and track and field, men’s and women’s golf, women’s tennis, women’s volleyball, and wrestling. This breadth is meaningful for NIL: real fan support extends well beyond the football roster.
This is what App State NIL actually looks like in the House v. NCAA settlement era, who the program is now, and how the modern compliance framework works for Mountaineers athletes.
The TIGMA Collective: App State’s official NIL partner
App State athletics designated the TIGMA Collective as its official NIL partner in March 2024. The collective’s name comes from the iconic App State mantra “Today I Give My All for Appalachian State” — a phrase that resonates with Mountaineers fans, alumni, and players.
TIGMA is operated by SANIL (Student-Athlete NIL), the marketing, media, and technology agency that powers more than 45 college NIL collectives nationwide. SANIL was founded by Jason Belzer, and SANIL CEO Chris Brown has been a public champion of the App State NIL ecosystem.
In June 2024, TIGMA hired Josh Thomas as its first General Manager. Thomas is a former App State football standout — twice voted team captain — and an NFL veteran safety who played 56 games and made 30 starts during his Mountaineers career, contributing to a 54-12 collective record, four Sun Belt Conference championships, and five bowl titles. Thomas also competed in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders before a knee injury ended his professional career. He oversees day-to-day TIGMA operations including business development, fan and alumni engagement, and student-athlete support.
TIGMA operates on a grassroots subscription-based membership model, inviting fans, alumni, and businesses to support Mountaineer student-athletes. Membership tiers and event opportunities are detailed at TIGMA.com. SANIL manages administration including student-athlete partnership management, payment and tax management, and contract administration.
App State athletics also operates its own institutional NIL portal at appstatenil.com, which houses Student-Athlete Development resources, compliance information, and educational programming. This is distinct from but complementary to the TIGMA Collective — appstatenil.com supports the educational and compliance side, while TIGMA handles the fan and business engagement side. The traditional athletics fundraising organization is the Mountaineers Athletic Fund (MAF) at mountaineersathleticfund.com, which manages premium seating, the Yosef Club, and general athletic department giving.
Mountaineers fans can also browse athlete pages on RallyFuel to follow specific App State players and the broader JUCO/FBS landscape.
How NCAA NIL actually works in the House v. NCAA era
The legal framework for NCAA NIL changed substantially in 2025. NIL deals for App State and every other NCAA program now operate under the House v. NCAA settlement terms, which became effective in mid-2025. Key rules for Mountaineers athletes:
- All third-party NIL deals worth $600 or more must be submitted to the College Sports Commission (CSC) for review through the NIL Go portal.
- NIL payments must have a “valid business purpose” — promoting goods or services sold to the public — not just be a passthrough payment from a collective to an athlete.
- Schools can now directly share revenue with student-athletes (up to a benchmark of approximately 22% of operating revenue), in addition to third-party NIL deals.
- The compliance window for disclosure is 14 days after starting full-time classes or before the first game, whichever comes first.
The House settlement created meaningful tension for collectives nationwide — many schools shuttered or restructured their collectives in response. TIGMA, by aligning with SANIL’s professional administration and operating under a transparent membership model, was positioned to survive that transition.
North Carolina NIL law
North Carolina has codified NIL protections for student-athletes through Senate Bill 173 (enacted 2024), which establishes:
- Student-athletes have the right to earn compensation from third parties for their NIL.
- Institutions cannot pay athletes directly for athletic performance (House settlement now expands this with the revenue-sharing framework).
- NIL agreements cannot be used as recruiting inducements (this is a meaningful enforcement category given recent national scrutiny).
- Disclosure to the university is required.
App State athletics provides educational and administrative support — financial literacy resources, contract review guidance, and compliance review — but does not broker NIL deals directly.
Florida and North Carolina differ on one critical practical point: North Carolina does have state income tax (currently 4.25%), so App State athletes don’t get the no-state-income-tax benefit that Florida JUCO athletes do.
The 2025 season and the transfer portal challenge
App State’s 2025-26 football season was a difficult one — the program finished 5-8 overall (2-6 Sun Belt) and lost 29-10 to Georgia Southern in the JLab Birmingham Bowl. It was the first season under head coach Dowell Loggains, hired in December 2024 from his post as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at South Carolina (2023-24). Loggains previously served as an NFL offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach with the Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets. He replaced Shawn Clark, who had led the program prior.
The bigger storyline came after the bowl loss: 39 App State players entered the transfer portal, marking one of the largest roster exoduses in college football. Among those leaving were backup quarterback JJ Kohl, starting cornerback Emory Floyd, safety Zyeir Gamble, and wide receiver Davion Dozier. The portal hit reflected the standard pressures of a coaching change combined with the increased mobility built into modern college football: guaranteed player movement, House settlement implementation, and Power 4 NIL competition.
This is precisely the environment TIGMA was built to address. The collective’s stated mission centers on “engagement and retention” — using fan and business support to give Mountaineers a competitive NIL alternative to transferring up the food chain.
App State’s football tradition
Why does NIL matter so much for retention in Boone? Because App State football has built one of the more remarkable Group of 5 traditions in college football:
- Three consecutive FCS national championships (2005, 2006, 2007) — the first FCS team to do so since the playoffs began in 1978
- Armanti Edwards — back-to-back Walter Payton Award winner (2008, 2009), the first ever to win in consecutive years
- The famous 2007 upset of #5 Michigan as an FCS program — the first time an FCS team beat any ranked FBS opponent
- The 2022 upset of #6 Texas A&M (17-14) as a Sun Belt program, a defining Group of 5 moment
- Moved from FCS to FBS in 2014; multiple AP Top 25 finishes (2018, 2019, 2020)
- 22 conference championships across program history
- 661+ all-time wins; .646 all-time winning percentage (16th nationally)
- One of the nation’s best home-field advantages by winning percentage at Kidd Brewer Stadium, named for the 1937 head coach whose squad went unbeaten and unscored upon (206-0)
That history is the foundation for what TIGMA is trying to protect: a winning tradition that survives only if NIL economics make Boone attractive enough to keep talent home.
App State’s other notable athletic moments
App State athletics extends well beyond football:
- CJ Huntley — App State men’s basketball forward signed a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns as an undrafted free agent in 2025, demonstrating the basketball program’s professional-pipeline potential
- App State has historic rivalries with Georgia Southern (“Deeper than Hate,” called by many the best rivalry in the Group of 5) and Marshall (“The Old Mountain Feud”)
- Multiple App State athletes have moved on to professional careers across football, basketball, and other sports
App State’s athletics facilities
The infrastructure supporting Mountaineers athletics demonstrates the institutional commitment that backs the NIL ecosystem:
- Kidd Brewer Stadium — the football venue, named for the 1937 head coach
- Holmes Convocation Center — primary basketball venue (men’s and women’s)
- Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium — baseball
- Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium — softball
- Mark E. Ricks Athletics Complex — named for App State alumnus and major benefactor Mark Ricks
- Mark E. Harrill Basketball Practice Facility
- Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility — football indoor training
- Appalachian Soccer Stadium at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex — women’s soccer
- Dr. Jan C. Watson Field at the Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field Hockey Complex — field hockey
- Randy Marion Track & Field Facility
- Jim & Elaine Jones Outdoor Tennis Complex — women’s tennis
- Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm — cross country
- Varsity Gym — secondary basketball / volleyball historically
These facilities are named for donors, alumni, and major benefactors — the same network of long-time supporters that powers TIGMA. App State’s 2024-25 Annual Report was published in January 2026 documenting the full athletic operations.
What Sun Belt NIL realistically looks like financially
The dollar figures at the Sun Belt level differ sharply from what fans of SEC, Big Ten, or ACC programs see. Sun Belt NIL is meaningfully larger than JUCO NIL but smaller than Power 4 — typical Mountaineers NIL deals run through Boone, Charlotte, and broader North Carolina business networks.
What typical App State NIL deals look like in practice:
- Local sponsorships from Boone-area businesses — restaurants on King Street, outdoor outfitters, fitness studios, healthcare practices
- Regional partnerships — North Carolina-based brands, regional financial services, regional automotive dealerships
- National brand deals for marquee Mountaineers — typically routed through TIGMA’s professional administration
- Social media partnerships — sponsored posts, account takeovers, product reviews
- Appearance deals — autograph sessions, youth camp instruction, charity events
- Custom discount codes — local retailers using athlete-tied promo codes
Total earnings vary widely. Starting quarterbacks, defensive captains, and breakout offensive playmakers earn meaningfully more than rotational contributors — that’s true everywhere. At the Sun Belt level, marquee athletes can earn five-figure annual NIL income through TIGMA and direct deals, while role players typically earn lower-four-figure annual amounts.
Important: NIL deals promote the athlete and the partner business — not the university. Trademark and licensing for App State logos and uniforms require separate agreements with university licensing — TIGMA and individual NIL deals don’t grant rights to use the school’s marks.
Tax basics for App State athletes
NIL income is independent contractor income. App State athletes receiving NIL compensation receive 1099-NEC forms at year-end (not W-2s) and are responsible for self-employment tax in addition to federal and North Carolina state income tax (4.25%).
Standard practice: set aside 25-30% of every NIL payment for tax obligations as soon as the money arrives, before it gets spent. Track every agreement and every payment with written records. Consider working with a tax preparer experienced with 1099 income before the first tax season as an athlete. NIL earnings can also affect federal need-based aid like Pell Grants if total income exceeds specific thresholds.
For House settlement-era deals, athletes must also track NIL Go portal disclosure timing — the $600 threshold and 14-day reporting window apply.
How fans plug in
Three practical paths for supporting App State athletes:
- Attend home events. Kidd Brewer Stadium is one of the most distinctive venues in college football, with the mountain backdrop and one of the strongest home-field advantages by winning percentage in the sport. App State basketball plays at Holmes Convocation Center, baseball at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium, and softball at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium. Multiple Olympic-style sports also host home events on the Boone campus.
- Follow @AppStateAthletics and individual athletes on social media. Engagement — likes, comments, shares — directly affects an athlete’s negotiating leverage with sponsors. Athletes whose accounts have engaged Boone, Watauga County, and broader Mountaineer Nation followings have measurably more value to area businesses.
- Back Mountaineers directly through RallyFuel’s App State page. RallyFuel is a fan-powered NIL platform where supporters can contribute toward specific athletes’ NIL deals. The mechanic is straightforward: fans pledge support to an athlete, and the funds convert to an NIL agreement only if the athlete stays enrolled at App State through a designated period. If the athlete transfers — which has been a meaningful concern at App State given the 39-player portal exodus in early 2026 — funds auto-refund to the original contributor. This is particularly useful for App State supporters because it matches the realistic retention challenges facing Group of 5 programs in the House settlement era. Contributions can be made in any amount, allowing alumni, Boone-area fans, and Mountaineer Nation supporters to participate at whatever scale fits their budget.
Q&A
Who runs App State athletics? Doug Gillin serves as Director of Athletics, overseeing all 19+ varsity sports.
Is App State a Power 4 program? No. App State competes in the Sun Belt Conference, classified as a Group of 5 league in the NCAA FBS structure. The Mountaineers moved from FCS to FBS in 2014.
What is TIGMA Collective? TIGMA — short for “Today I Give My All for Appalachian State” — is App State’s official NIL partner collective, founded in March 2024 by App State alumni and operated by SANIL. The collective uses a subscription-based membership model open to fans, alumni, and businesses.
Who runs TIGMA? Josh Thomas serves as General Manager. Thomas is a former App State football captain, NFL veteran safety, and CFL alum (Calgary Stampeders). He took the role in June 2024.
Who’s App State’s football head coach? Dowell Loggains, hired in December 2024. He’s a former South Carolina offensive coordinator and longtime NFL coach with the Titans, Bears, Browns, Dolphins, and Jets.
What was App State’s 2025 football record? 5-8 overall, 2-6 in Sun Belt play, with a 29-10 loss to Georgia Southern in the JLab Birmingham Bowl. It was Coach Loggains’s first season.
Did App State really lose 39 players to the transfer portal? Yes. After the 2025 season, the Mountaineers saw one of the largest transfer portal exoduses in college football, with 39 players entering the portal. The combination of coaching change, House settlement implementation, and Power 4 NIL competition drove the turnover.
Who is Armanti Edwards? App State’s most decorated football alum and the first player to win the Walter Payton Award in back-to-back years (2008, 2009). He helped lead the Mountaineers to their FCS national championship dynasty.
What is Kidd Brewer Stadium named after? Kidd Brewer was App State’s head football coach in 1937, when his squad went undefeated and unscored upon during the regular season — outscoring opponents 206-0. The stadium is named in his honor and is widely cited as having one of the nation’s best home-field advantages by winning percentage.
Did App State really beat Michigan in 2007? Yes. The most famous upset in modern college football. App State, then competing as an FCS program, defeated #5 Michigan in the season opener — the first time an FCS team had beaten any ranked FBS program. The Mountaineers received votes in the AP Top 25 that week, becoming the first FCS team ever to do so.
Who is CJ Huntley? A former App State men’s basketball forward who signed a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns as an undrafted free agent in the 2025 NBA Draft class. He’s the most recent example of an App State athlete moving on to professional sports.
What categories are off-limits for App State NIL deals? Alcohol promotion is restricted at most NCAA institutions, along with tobacco, gambling and sports wagering, controlled substances, and adult entertainment. App State’s compliance office reviews disclosed agreements against both NCAA and university restrictions.
Can App State athletes earn NIL while keeping financial aid? Generally yes, but NIL income counts toward federal financial aid calculations. Athletes receiving significant NIL income may see Pell Grant or other need-based aid adjusted in subsequent years. The House settlement also creates separate revenue-sharing income that operates under different rules.
What’s a realistic NIL number for an App State athlete? Sun Belt economics put marquee Mountaineers in the low-to-mid five figures annually, with breakthrough athletes (top quarterbacks, defensive captains, basketball stars) potentially earning more through combined TIGMA, direct deal, and personal brand income. Power 4 dollar figures don’t apply at the Sun Belt level.
What’s happening with App State spring sports right now? The Mountaineers baseball team played in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Montgomery, Alabama starting May 19, 2026, following series against Georgia State and Louisiana. App State women’s golf advanced to the 2026 NCAA Regional, demonstrating that the broader athletic program continues to produce postseason results even as football navigates its rebuilding year. Olympic-style sports remain a meaningful contributor to App State’s overall athletic identity.
What does it mean that App State has its own NIL portal? App State athletics maintains appstatenil.com as the official institutional resource for NIL education, compliance information, and Student-Athlete Development programming. This is App State’s direct support of athletes navigating NIL deals — separate from but complementary to the TIGMA Collective, which handles fan and business engagement.
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