CAL ATHLETES WENT FIRST.
Squirrels run rampant across campus. It only made sense to put one in a bear costume. An original icon co-designed by Cal Athletes. 10% of every sale goes back to them.
The first collab of its kind in college sports.
back every cal athlete
Most NIL money goes to a few stars in a few sports. The Cal LACES Athlete Fund is for every Cal Athlete.
Athletes earn their share, no freebies. Athletes who hit their monthly Activity Goals, split the Fund equally. Your contribution goes straight to them.
Contributions are not tax-deductible and are non-refundable.
Cal Design Committee
CJ Keuneke
Gymnastics
Junior who hit all 15 of her floor routines last season while posting the team’s highest GPA.
Alexa McDevitt
Swim & Dive
Sophomore freestyle/IM swimmer and 2024 Olympic Trials qualifier.
Ashleigh Woodruff
Volleyball
Senior middle blocker and Stony Brook transfer.
Carter Kim
Gymnastics
Senior all-around gymnast who captained Cal's 2026 team and earned two All-MPSF honors on high bar.
GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY. BETTER FOR THE ATHLETES.
College sports are bigger than the names in the headlines. Every purchase supports the Cal LACES Athlete Fund, creating opportunities for athletes across every sport to earn from the community they help represent.
The Suit
Origin of the Squirrel Bear.
FAQs
What is LACES x Cal Athletes
Cal Athletes co-designed an original icon for this collection. 10% of every sale goes to participating Cal Athletes, split equally. Every Cal Athlete can participate.
Why did we create this?
School merch usually pays a licensing fee to the school. We wanted the money to go to the athletes. So we worked with Cal Athletes to create something new: an original icon, designed by them for the community. Students, alumni and fans get something they can't find anywhere else. Every purchase flows back to any Cal Athlete. The Fund lets anyone back every athlete, in every sport, directly.
Cal Athletes are the first in the nation to do this.
Who is the character?
Squirrels are everywhere around campus. Our athlete co-designers thought it only made sense to put a squirrel in a bear costume.
What is the Cal LACES Athlete Fund?
The first fund built so every athlete at a school can earn. It grows with every sale and contribution from fans, alumni and business partners. Each month, LACES Cal Athletes earn from it by hitting their activity goals.
Does this count against our revenue sharing cap?
No. LACES is an independent third party working directly with athletes. The school doesn't pay, arrange or guarantee anything. Athletes earn by creating content for products sold to the public, and they're paid after the work is done.
Who can earn?
Every Cal Athlete, across every sport, can join as a LACES Cal Athlete. Most NIL money goes to a few athletes in a few sports. This Fund gives every athlete the same opportunity.
What do athletes earn?
Each month, every LACES Cal Athlete who completes their activity goals earns an equal share of the Fund from sales and fan contributions. Athletes can also earn from business partners for the content that they create. No goals completed, no payout. Busy month? No problem. Athletes can jump back in the next month.
What are Activity Goals?
Monthly tasks purposefully designed to help each athlete build their personal brand. They change monthly but can include creating content for local businesses, showing up at community events, driving sales, and more! Every goal builds something the athletes keeps: audience, a body of work and relationships with brands.
How is the Fund split?
Sales and fan contributions are split equally among every athlete who hit their goals that month. Corporate contribution payments go to the athletes who create content for each specific business.
How is this different from an NIL collective?
Collectives mostly run on donations and pay individual deals, largely in football and men's basketball. LACES is an independent brand working directly with athletes, with no tie to the school. The Cal LACES Athlete Fund is fed by product sales, so it grows every time someone buys from the collection. every athlete, in every sport, earns the same share for the same work.
Where does my contribution go?
Into the Fund, less processing fees. LACES keeps nothing.
Is my contribution tax deductible?
No. LACES is not a charity.
Can my business contribute?
Yes. Business contributions work as partnerships, so athletes deliver value back through content, appearances or events. Email: fund@getlaces.co
What does a school get?
A brand that grows with its community. The more the icon catches on, the more money flows to every athletes, in every sport. That's an advantage rival school don't have yet. Alumni and fans get a new way to back the whole roster. Students get an icon made for them.
How can I bring this to my school?
Email: fund@getlaces.co
