According to a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE, the exciting new brand heightening collegiate fan experiences, NIL (name, image, likeness) FanBox, has secured $2.25 million in seed funding to help accelerate the brand to new heights.
The investment, led by early-stage venture capital firm KB Partners, will advance the company’s development, growth, and product offerings and combat efforts regarding the collegiate memorabilia market. As the country’s only university-approved, player-endorsed collectibles platform, NIL FanBox is labeled as a 100% turnkey solution giving permission to collegiate athletic departments to deliver personalized, physical memorabilia boxes — including autographed posters, prints, and trading cards — to fans’ doorsteps while continuing to generate recurring revenues back to student-athletes.
KB Partners’ Principal, Matt Howard, celebrated FanBox’s leadership in the space and said the team is excited about reconnecting fans with incredible moments in sports. “We’re excited to back NIL FanBox in its journey to reconnect fans to the stories and moments that make college sports unforgettable. The team has demonstrated incredible passion, expertise, and vision,” Howard said.
“We believe NIL FanBox is poised to lead the way in delivering personalized fan experiences in the new era of College Sports.”
By transforming fan engagement and the monetization of NIL within the college athletics space, FanBox has heightened the support of collegiate sports brands while deepening fan loyalty past just going to games. Their “fan-centric” solution gives athletic departments a more immersive fan experience with a “win-win” product offering.
FanBox’s journey started just four years ago, in 2021, and began with a partnership with the University of North Carolina and the University of Texas, generating $500,000. According to Sports Illustrated, the company has expanded to Ohio State University, Florida State University, and Gonzaga University.
The partnership provides fans QR codes to scan and unlock access to behind-the-scenes interviews with popular athletes. It also allows plan upgrades to rare memorabilia from legendary athletes from each school, with a “Living Legends” collection featuring Vince Young of the University of Texas, Tyler Hansbrough of the University of North Carolina and Braxton Miller of Ohio State University.
FanBox’s co-founder and CEO says working with KB Partners is a perfect step toward enhancing the experience college sports fans genuinely desire. “We are excited to partner with KB Partners, whose deep expertise in scaling innovative sports brands aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of NIL FanBox,” Comer said.
“This investment will allow us to enhance the experiences we deliver to our customers, expand our collegiate licensing relationships, and rapidly scale operations.”
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