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LACES x Cal Athletes

Back Every Cal Athlete

Most NIL money goes to a few stars in a few sports. This Fund is open to every Cal Athlete. 

Athletes earn their share, no freebies. Athletes who meet their monthly benchmarks split the Fund equally. Your contribution goes straight to them.

Contributions are not tax-deductible and are non-refundable.

FAQs

What is LACES x Cal Athletes

Cal Athletes co-designed an original icon for this collection. For every hat, 20% goes to each attributed athlete and 10% goes to the Cal LACES Athlete Fund. The Fund is split among every Cal Athlete who meets their monthly benchmarks. 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 meeting their monthly benchmarks.

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 attributed athlete gets 20% of every sale. On top of that, every LACES Cal Athlete who meets their monthly benchmarks earns an equal share of the Fund, which gets 10% of every sale plus fan contributions. Athletes can also earn from business partners for the content that they create. No benchmarks met, no Fund payout. Busy month? No problem. Athletes can jump back in the next month.

What are monthly benchmarks?

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 benchmark 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 met their monthly benchmarks. 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, who meets their monthly benchmarks earns the same share of the Fund. 

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