When the first college football games kick off later this month, fans will have a new way to support their teams \u2014 through tax-deductible, \u201cgamified\u201d donations.<\/p>\n
A new mobile app by Dallas-based company Sportsmo will let users see play-by-play updates during a game, and can let them make donations for positive plays. <\/p>\n
Fans can also make pledges ahead of a game \u2014 a $5 donation if the team scores more than 18 points, for example.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a fun and social new way to enjoy a game with your friends,\u201d said founder and CEO Chaitan Fahnestock.<\/p>\n
Business Briefing<\/p>\n
At launch, the app only includes football games \u2014 the upcoming season will be a test run of sorts \u2014 but Fahnestock said it plans to include other NCAA sports like basketball, baseball and softball in the future. <\/p>\n
According to Michael Atwell of Allata, which develops the app, another key feature will allow users to create groups akin to a fantasy football league, where they can see and engage with live donations from family and friends as they watch a game together. <\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully it\u2019s a very sporty and fun peer pressure that comes along with that,\u201d Fahnestock said.<\/p>\n
The company was structured as a nonprofit, which allows Sportsmo to funnel the majority of donations toward the schools, earmarked for their athletics departments. Institutions that partner with the company to market the app will receive up to 87% of the donations, while nonpartners will get 77%.<\/p>\n
Sportsmo launches as college football teams gear up for a competitive season, in the wake of a landmark legal decision<\/a> regarding student-athletes\u2019 name, image and likeness (NIL) that allows them to reap the financial benefits of being college players. <\/p>\n In June, a federal judge ruled that schools may now pay their athletes directly for the first time, in addition to scholarships and other benefits. In the first year after the decision, each school can share up to about $20.5 million with its players.<\/p>\n Since then, the University of Tennessee has agreed to a 10-year contract with apparel maker Adidas, which the school said will offer \u201cunprecedented NIL opportunities\u201d to its student-athletes. The University of Kansas has received a historic $300 million donation to bolster its athletics. <\/p>\n