ATHENS — Classic City Collectives CEO Matt Hibbs doesn’t like the notion of his NIL-related industry being the latest “arms race” in collegiate athletics, but the reality of it is inescapable.
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And, while Hibbs is not sold on the notion that a majority of student-athletes will choose a school based on NIL money, he’s convinced that a school not having a mechanism in place could lead a student-athlete to drop a school from contention.
Indeed, while NIL deals can’t be used as a direct inducement to recruiting or luring transfers, it’s clear players do take financial gain into account when choosing their school.
Schools are not allowed to be directly involved in the NIL process, and that’s where HIbbs and Classic City Collectives come into play.
The good news for Georgia fans is the Bulldogs have that online marketplace to foster NIL deals and the experience and direction to maximize players’ potential for NIL with Hibbs running the show.
Sustainability, Hibbs says, is the key to success for collectives as they funnel NIL money to student-athletes via businesses sponsorships, services and dealings with fans.
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If Hibbs’ name sounds familiar, it should, as he was formerly a football compliance officer at Georgia, and before that, working in the compliance departments at Tennessee and Ohio State.
Hibbs’ experience also includes stints as an agent and marketing specialist at Barstool Sports, giving him an incredibly well-rounded perspective to better understand and leverage the fluid world of NIL dealings.
Hibbs took time out to visit with DawgNation and unravel this complex and evolving new world of collegiate athletics, sharing his visions for creating the perfect wheel to help Georgia football and athletics maintain a place among college sports’ elite.
