Why the UAC Matters in NIL
The UAC has become a unique NIL environment for important reasons:
Conference Evolution: Formed in 2023 as a football alliance between the ASUN and WAC, the UAC is transitioning to a full multi-sport Division I conference on July 1, 2026—when the WAC officially rebrands as the United Athletic Conference.
FCS Playoff Success: The UAC produced two top-10 seeds in the 2025 FCS Playoffs: Tarleton State (No. 4) and Abilene Christian (No. 10), demonstrating immediate national competitiveness.
Offensive Firepower: Tarleton State averaged 42.4 points and 457.6 yards per game in 2025—one of the nation’s most potent offenses. Austin Peay followed with 35.1 points per game.
Revenue Sharing Leadership: Central Arkansas has formally notified the NCAA of intent to opt into the House v. NCAA settlement for 2026-27, implementing direct revenue-sharing models ahead of the conference’s multi-sport transition.
Regional Footprint: The conference spans Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee—a strategic footprint designed to minimize travel expenses and maximize regional brand awareness.
Institutional NIL Infrastructure: Schools have partnered with Teamworks, Influxer, and established independent collectives to support student-athletes across all sports.
The result: UAC athletes have engaged regional communities across the South and Southwest, and NIL support connects these fanbases directly with their student-athletes.
The United Athletic Conference represents an emerging force in Division I FCS athletics. From Tarleton State’s playoff dominance to Abilene Christian’s championship tradition, UAC athletics combine regional identity with national ambition as the conference transitions to a full multi-sport model in 2026-27. Here’s how UAC fans can support their conference’s athletes through platforms like RallyFuel.
UAC NIL by School
NIL activity spans UAC programs:
FULL UAC MEMBERS (2025-26 Football)
Abilene Christian: Wildcats with devoted West Texas fanbase. 2025 UAC Co-Champions (7-1 conference). No. 10 seed in FCS Playoffs. “Strive On Cats” independent collective supports student-athletes.
Tarleton State: Texans with Stephenville community support. 2025 UAC Co-Champions (7-1 conference). No. 4 seed in FCS Playoffs. 42.4 points per game and 457.6 yards per game—one of the nation’s most potent offenses. Athlete-operated “NIL Club” fan community generates monthly subscription income.
Southern Utah: Thunderbirds with Cedar City fanbase. Joshua Dye earned 2025 UAC Offensive Player of the Year. “Thor’s Hammer Collective” supports student-athletes. Moving to Big Sky Conference in 2026.
Utah Tech: Trailblazers with St. George community support. Moving to Big Sky Conference in 2026.
ASUN MEMBERS (Joining UAC Full-Time 2026-27)
Austin Peay: Governors with Clarksville, Tennessee fanbase. 35.1 points per game in 2025. “For The Peayple” independent collective supports student-athletes across all sports.
Central Arkansas: Bears with Conway community support. Opted into House v. NCAA settlement for 2026-27 to implement direct revenue-sharing. Multi-sport tradition preparing for UAC all-sports membership.
Eastern Kentucky: Colonels with Richmond fanbase. “EKU Colonels Marketplace Exchange” for brand endorsements. Influxer partnership for personalized merchandise. “Maroon Fund” independent collective supports student-athletes.
North Alabama: Lions with Florence community support. “The Mane Exchange” NIL marketplace via Teamworks Influencer connects athletes with local businesses and fans.
West Georgia: Wolves with Carrollton community support. Growing program preparing for UAC all-sports transition.
JOINING UAC 2026-27
UT Arlington: Mavericks with Dallas-Fort Worth metro market access. Currently non-football WAC member. Joining UAC as 9th full member in 2026-27.
Arkansas-Little Rock: Trojans with Little Rock market access. Currently Ohio Valley Conference member. Joining UAC as 9th full member, expanding conference footprint in Arkansas.
RallyFuel hosts verified athletes from UAC schools for direct fan support.
UAC NIL Beyond Football
The UAC is building NIL infrastructure across multiple sports:
Football: Tarleton State and Abilene Christian served as 2025 co-champions with 7-1 conference records. Both programs earned top-10 FCS Playoff seeds, demonstrating the conference’s immediate national competitiveness. Lando Brown earned 2025 UAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Men’s Basketball: Member institutions compete in ASUN or WAC for 2025-26, with full UAC multi-sport competition beginning 2026-27. Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, and North Alabama have established basketball traditions.
Women’s Basketball: ASUN members bring strong women’s basketball programs to the UAC all-sports model, with established fanbases and NIL infrastructure.
Baseball: Conference members field competitive programs with regional community support, preparing for coordinated UAC scheduling in 2026-27.
Volleyball: Programs across member institutions develop NIL opportunities as the conference prepares for multi-sport coordination.
Track & Field: Olympic sports programs benefit from institutional NIL marketplaces and collective support.
Fan-powered platforms like RallyFuel enable support across all UAC sports—not just football.
How UAC Fans Can Support Athletes
UAC fans can fuel current roster athletes through RallyFuel in a few simple steps:
- Create an account on RallyFuel.com or the mobile app
- Select your UAC school affiliation
- Browse verified athletes currently on your program’s roster
- Fuel athletes across any sport
- 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.
Conditional Protection: RallyFuel’s conditional model protects Fan Fuel with automatic refunds if athletes transfer or conditions aren’t met. UAC fans can support players without financial risk.
Important: Fan support through RallyFuel is voluntary and conditional. Fuel purchases are not charitable donations. RallyFuel is not a guarantor that any athlete will accept an NIL Agreement. Purchasing Fan Fuel does not guarantee athletic performance, playing time, or any specific outcome.
UAC Battleground Competition
RallyFuel’s Battleground tracks UAC rankings:
How It Works:
- Every Fan Fuel contribution adds to your school’s total
- Real-time updates as transactions occur
- UAC schools ranked against each other and nationally
- Championship counts display alongside NIL totals
Conference Competition:
- See how your school compares to UAC rivals
- Tarleton State vs. Abilene Christian rivalry extends to Battleground
- Austin Peay vs. Eastern Kentucky continues year-round
- Track your personal contribution to school totals
Battleground measures fan engagement for current roster athletes—showing which UAC fan bases are most active in supporting their programs.
The Transfer Portal and NIL
The transfer portal has intensified NIL activity across the UAC:
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 athlete selects different school
- Automatic refunds if 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 Support UAC Athletes?
Explore verified UAC athletes on RallyFuel, see how your school ranks on Battleground, and start fueling today.
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 UAC fans support athletes through NIL?
UAC 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 conditions aren’t met.
Which UAC schools are on RallyFuel?
Athletes from UAC schools are available for fan support on RallyFuel, including Tarleton State, Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Central Arkansas, West Georgia, Southern Utah, Utah Tech, UT Arlington, and Arkansas-Little Rock.
Why is NIL important for UAC athletes?
NIL creates opportunity for UAC athletes as the conference transitions from football-only to full multi-sport status in 2026-27. With Central Arkansas opting into revenue sharing and institutional marketplaces across the conference, fan support through platforms like RallyFuel allows regional communities to directly support their student-athletes.
Can I support UAC athletes in sports other than football?
Yes. RallyFuel hosts verified UAC athletes across all sports. While the conference currently operates as football-only, member institutions compete in other sports through ASUN, WAC, and other affiliations—and the UAC becomes a full multi-sport conference in 2026-27.
Leave a Comment