The Southern Athletic Association showcases Division III excellence in the Southeast and Texas. From Sewanee’s Opendorse marketplace to Trinity’s San Antonio market access, SAA athletics blend academic rigor with innovative NIL infrastructure. Here’s how SAA fans can support their athletes on platforms like RallyFuel.
Why the SAA Matters in NIL
The SAA has become a unique NIL environment for important reasons:
- Division III Excellence: The Southern Athletic Association is a premier NCAA Division III conference spanning Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas, combining high-achieving institutions with competitive athletics.
- Texas Expansion: Trinity University (San Antonio) and Southwestern University (Georgetown, Texas) become full members on July 1, 2025, integrating the SAA into Texas’s highly deregulated NIL environment and expanding conference market access in the nation’s 7th-largest city.
- The University of the South (Sewanee) signed a department-wide partnership with Opendorse in April 2023—becoming the sixth NCAA Division III institution to do so and launching the ‘Official NIL Marketplace of the Sewanee Tigers.’
- SAA schools build diverse NIL infrastructure with Opendorse (Sewanee, Trinity, Berry), Influxer (Centre), MOGL (Rhodes), and Legacy League NFTs (Southwestern).
- NIL Club Density: Athlete-led subscription communities operate across the conference—Rhodes Football, Trinity Football, Centre Men’s Basketball, Sewanee Baseball, Berry Cross Country—enabling grassroots fan monetization.
- D1 roster caps now displace ‘walk-on caliber’ talent to elite DIII conferences like the SAA. Schools must offer ‘NIL-lite’ environments to capture this talent.
- Liberal Arts Mission Integration: SAA institutions frame NIL as an extension of educational mission—Athletic Director John Shackelford (Sewanee) positions NIL as a “networking tool” for internships and professional development.
As a result, SAA athletes engage communities across the Southeast and Texas, and NIL support directly connects these passionate fanbases with their student-athletes.
SAA NIL by School
NIL activity spans SAA programs:
- Berry College: Vikings with Mount Berry, Georgia community support. Opendorse integration for compliance and deal tracking. Explicitly “supports student-athletes receiving compensation” and directs them to compliance resources. Men’s Cross Country NIL Club is active.
- Birmingham-Southern College: Closed in May 2024, creating a recruiting vacuum in Alabama.
- Centre College: Colonels with Danville, Kentucky community support. June 2024 Influxer partnership provides personalized merchandise webpages to all 600+ student-athletes. Democratizes NIL access—field hockey players have the same opportunity as quarterbacks. Men’s Basketball NIL Club is active.
- Hendrix College: Warriors departing SAA summer 2025, returning to SCAC.
- Maryville College’s Scots will join as affiliates in football and women’s golf for 2025-26, then transition to full membership in 2026-27. They will carry out a phased integration strategy.
- Millsaps College’s Majors enjoy community support in Jackson, Mississippi, while developing NIL infrastructure with regional market access.
- Oglethorpe University: Stormy Petrels with Atlanta metro market access. Urban location provides unique NIL opportunities.
- Rhodes College: Lynx with access to the Memphis corporate hub. March 2023 MOGL partnership—”first-ever Division III all-athlete NIL partnership.” MOGL positions itself as an active “digital agency” vs. a passive marketplace. Clean Energy dealprovided sports nutrition products to 150+ athletes. Football NIL Club is generating $795/month. Men’s Lacrosse NIL Club raising $205/month.
- Sewanee (University of the South): Tigers with Tennessee community support. April 2023 Opendorse partnership—sixth NCAA DIII institution to sign department-wide deal. “Official NIL Marketplace of the Sewanee Tigers” provides a sanitized, university-sanctioned portal. NIL is framed as a “networking tool” for internships and professional development. The Baseball NIL Club and Cheerleading NIL Club are active.
- Southwestern University: Pirates with Georgetown, Texas community support. Full member July 1, 2025. First DIII institution to partner with Legacy League for NFT collectibles (2022). Tech-forward positioning in crowded Texas recruiting landscape.
- Trinity University: Tigers with San Antonio (7th largest US city) market access. Full member July 1, 2025. “Trinity Tigers Marketplace” on Opendorse allows direct commercial engagement in the major media markets. The compliance office monitors the quid pro quo nature of deals. NIL prohibited during “official team activities.” Football NIL Club is active.
RallyFuel hosts verified athletes from SAA schools for direct fan support.
SAA NIL Beyond Football
The SAA excels in NIL across multiple sports:
- Football: Rhodes Football NIL Club generates $795/month—demonstrating grassroots fan monetization at the DIII level. Trinity and Southwestern bring Texas market access. Maryville joins as a football affiliate for 2025-26.
- Men’s Basketball: Centre’s Men’s Basketball NIL Club is active and has an engaged fanbase. Strong programs across the conference with regional rivalries.
- Baseball: Sewanee Baseball NIL Club provides subscription-based support. Strong programs across the conference with devoted regional fanbases.
- Men’s Lacrosse: Rhodes Men’s Lacrosse NIL Club raising $205/month. Growing sport across the conference.
- Cross Country: Berry Men’s Cross Country NIL Club demonstrates the viability of non-revenue sports in the DIII NIL economy.
- Cheerleading: Sewanee Cheerleading NIL Club extends monetization to spirit programs.
Fan-powered platforms like RallyFuel enable support across all SAA sports—not just football.
How SAA Fans Can Support Athletes
SAA fans can fuel current roster athletes through RallyFuel in a few simple steps:
1. Create an account on RallyFuel.com or the mobile app.
2. Select your SAA school affiliation.
3. Browse verified athletes currently on your program’s roster.
4. Fuel athletes across any sport
5. Track your support through your fan dashboard.
How It Works: When you purchase Fan Fuel, you’re purchasing Conditional NIL Engagement Rights (CNERs). If conditions are met, RallyFuel or its affiliate offers an NIL Agreement to the athlete. If conditions aren’t met—for example, if an athlete transfers—you receive an automatic refund.
Additional Support Channels:
- Opendorse Marketplaces: Book athletes from Sewanee and Trinity for shoutouts, social media posts, or appearances
- Influxer Merchandise: Purchase athlete-branded apparel from Centre (600+ athletes with personalized stores), with royalties going directly to student-athletes
- NIL Clubs: Subscribe to team-specific fan communities ($5-$10/month) with proceeds split equally among roster members—active at Rhodes Football, Centre Basketball, Sewanee Baseball, Berry Cross Country, Trinity Football
- MOGL Partnerships: Rhodes athletes benefit from sourced corporate deals like
RallyFuel’s conditional model protects Fan Fuel (money contributed for athlete support using Conditional NIL Engagement Rights) with automatic refunds if athletes transfer or conditions aren’t met. SAA fans can support players without financial risk.
Important: Fan support through RallyFuel is voluntary and subject to conditions. Fuel purchases are not charitable donations. RallyFuel is not a guarantor that any athlete will accept an NIL Agreement (a contract for the athlete’s name, image, and likeness). Purchasing Fan Fuel does not guarantee athletic performance, playing time, or any specific outcome.ome.
SAA Battleground Competition
RallyFuel’s Battleground tracks SAA rankings:
How It Works:
- Every Fan Fuel contribution adds to your school’s total.
- Real-time updates as transactions occur
- SAA schools ranked against each other and nationally
- Championship counts display alongside NIL totals.
Conference Competition:
- See how your school compares to SAA rivals.
- Sewanee vs. Rhodes rivalries extend to Battleground.
- Centre vs. Berry continues year-round.
- Track your personal contribution to the school totals.
Battleground measures fan engagement for current roster athletes—showing which SAA fan bases are most active in supporting their programs.
The Transfer Portal and NIL
The transfer portal has intensified NIL activity across the SAA:
For Athletes: Players entering the portal evaluate multiple factors, including NIL opportunity. Athletes make independent decisions—NIL is one consideration among academics, playing time, coaching, location, and other factors.
For Fans: RallyFuel’s conditional model allows fans to support athletes in the transfer portal. If an athlete selects a different school during the conditional period, fans receive automatic refunds.
Conditional Protection:
- Automatic refunds if the athlete selects a different school
- Automatic refunds if the conditional period expires
- No financial risk to fans
Important: Fan support does not guarantee any athlete will transfer to a specific program. RallyFuel is not a guarantor that any athlete will accept an NIL Agreement or join a specific school. Athletes make independent decisions based on many factors. Ready to take the next step as an SAA supporter? Athletes? Explore verified SAA athletes on RallyFuel, see how your school ranks on Battleground, and start fueling your program’s success today. Join the movement—your support makes a difference!y.
Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.
RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information on athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure of modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in greater depth.
Visit RallyFuel
Learn More About the NIL Landscape
Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.
RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information about athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure behind modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in more depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can SAA fans support athletes through NIL?
SAA fans can fuel athletes directly through RallyFuel by creating an account, selecting their school affiliation, and browsing verified athletes. The conditional model provides automatic refunds if athletes transfer or if conditions aren’t met. Additionally, fans can use Opendorse marketplaces (Sewanee, Trinity), purchase Influxer merchandise (Centre), or subscribe to NIL Clubs.
Which SAA schools are on RallyFuel?
Athletes from SAA schools are available for fan support on RallyFuel, including Sewanee, Rhodes, Centre, Berry, Oglethorpe, Millsaps, Trinity (full member July 2025), Southwestern (full member July 2025), and Maryville (affiliate 2025-26, full member 2026-27).
Why is NIL important for Division III athletes?
NIL creates meaningful opportunities for Division III athletes who receive no athletic scholarships. An extra $50-$100/month from NIL Clubs can cover incidental expenses (food, gas, books) that academic or need-based aid often doesn’t cover. SAA institutions also frame NIL as professional development and networking tools.
Can I support SAA athletes in sports other than football?
Yes. RallyFuel hosts verified SAA athletes across all sports—basketball, baseball, lacrosse, cross country, and more. NIL Clubs are active for Sewanee Baseball, Berry Cross Country, and Centre Basketball, demonstrating the non-football viability of NIL Clubs.
What happens if an athlete I supported transfers?
If an athlete transfers or selects a different school during the conditional period, you receive an automatic refund to your original payment method. No manual request is required.
How is the SAA expanding?
Trinity University and Southwestern University become full members on July 1, 2025, expanding SAA into Texas. Maryville College joins as an affiliate 2025-26, becoming a full member 2026-27. Hendrix departs in the summer of 2025. Birmingham-Southern closed in May 2024.
What makes the SAA NIL ecosystem unique?
The SAA utilizes multiple platform models: Opendorse (Sewanee, Trinity), Influxer (Centre), MOGL (Rhodes), and Legacy League NFTs (Southwestern). This “best-of-breed” approach allows each institution to select platforms matching its culture and market position.
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