Mustang Partners to Drive Revenue Growth and Expand NIL Opportunities

Mustang Partners and NOCAP Sports are partnering to connect SMU-affiliated businesses with vetted national service providers, directing a percentage of revenue back to SMU. The university-wide model complements traditional giving and includes opportunities for students to gain sales, business development, networking, and NIL experience through NOCAP.

Mustang Partners and NOCAP Sports today announced a comprehensive partnership designed to create an innovative revenue-generating platform connecting SMU-affiliated businesses with a vetted network of national service providers.

The model is simple but powerful: as SMU alumni, donors, and university-affiliated business leaders manage the commercial relationships they already have, a percentage of that revenue flows back to SMU — creating a sustainable, ongoing contribution channel that complements traditional giving.

The Most Expansive NOCAP Integration Yet 

This partnership marks the broadest deployment of the NOCAP model to date. Rather than sitting solely within athletics, it will operate alongside Mustang Partners to give SMU's entire business community — alumni, donors, and supporters alike — a continuous way to invest in the university's future.

"Mustang Partners is designed to take a creative approach to partnerships, and our work with NOCAP Sports reflects that vision," said Brian Ullmann, Executive Deputy Athletic Director for SMU. "By working alongside NOCAP, we are creating new ways for our alumni, supporters, and business community to engage with and invest in the future of SMU. What makes this especially exciting is that it extends beyond athletics and creates meaningful impact across our entire university."

SMU will also be able to leverage its institutional buying power to unlock efficiencies and generate incremental revenue — giving Mustang supporters at every level, from longtime donors to recent grads, an active role to play.

"SMU challenged us to think bigger than athletics, and as a result, we are deploying the NOCAP model throughout every layer of the university, from the boardroom to the classroom," said Adam Gunn. "Mustang supporters can now contribute to SMU simply by being smarter about how they manage their commercial relationships. We believe this is the first of many university-wide integrations."

Building the Next Generation of NIL and Business Talent 

Beyond the revenue model, the partnership includes a dedicated effort to create real opportunities for SMU students to work directly with NOCAP — building professional networks, gaining hands-on sales and business development experience, and learning the fundamentals of NIL in a structured, university-supported environment.

It's a rare combination: a commercial engine for the university, and a training ground for the students who will one day run businesses like the ones already supporting SMU.

How SMU Supporters Can Get Involved

SMU alumni, Mustang Partners supporters, and affiliated business owners are invited to complete a brief interest survey to explore how their business may align with available partnership categories. 

Build Recurring Revenue for Your Athletic Department

NOCAP Sports works alongside university athletic departments as an embedded commercial operating partner, helping build recurring revenue through alumni business networks, enterprise partnerships, and university purchasing. With college sports changing permanently, revenue sharing, rising costs, athlete compensation, and transfer portal dynamics are all converging at once, and the schools building real commercial infrastructure today will lead the next era.

Rather than relying on one-time sponsorships, NOCAP focuses on building sustainable income that continues well beyond a single campaign.

NOCAP is also a vocal advocate for athlete rights, having helped lead the first formal public campaign for international athlete NIL rights. We believe commercial growth and athlete opportunity go hand in hand, and the revenue built through these partnerships helps support the athletes who drive college sports. Contact us to learn more about how NOCAP can help your athletic department.

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