M&G Collective Meet and Greet allows players and donors to know more about one another

M&G Collective Meet and Greet allows players and donors to know more about one another

The M&G Collective had their first exclusive meet and greet with members of theTexas State football team. The M&G Collective is a subscription based collective where members donate money which is then given to the players. Subscriptions range from $20 a month up to $500 a month. In return, members are given different awards from access to a private forum, free shirts, autographed merchandise from players, exclusive events with the players and more.

Thad Watkins, a former Texas State Bobcat football player and a member of the M&G Collective Board, wanted the meet and the great to be an opportunity for the players to meet the people behind the collective and for the donors to get to know the players.

“The biggest [point of ] the M&G Collective was to give fans and donors an inside look that no one else is going to get,” Watkins said. “To have events where people are subscribed to the forum or supporting the collective, they want to see the fruits of their labor. To hear from the guys, where they are from, what it means to them to sit down and break bread with them, sign autographs and take pictures, that is what we are looking for from the collective is to give fans an inside scoop that you are not going to get anywhere else.”

The M&G Collective mission statement is to “boost the level of Texas State Athletics by providing valuable resources to the student athletes that wear maroon and gold for the Texas State Bobcats.”

While the collective is out to help the athletes of Texas State, Watkins also stressed that being transparent with both the donors and the players is critical.

“When we first sat down as a board, our main goal was transparency,” Watkins said. “We want the donors to see where the money is going to and the players to see who is supporting us. It’s important because if you spend your resources and invest in something, you want to know if the money is being used appropriately.”

While some stories around NIL deals can remind fans of the days of Golden Trans AMs, for Watkins, the nature of the M&G Collective is more grounded in reality.

“Hearing some of the guys say they are sending the money back home, needing the help to buy their first car or I had my first child and this is what the money is being used for,” Watkins said. “It’s important for fans to see the transparency of where my resources are going. The board is an unpaid position so we are volunteering our time to and we haven’t taken a dollar out. Some of us had to throw our own money in to get this thing started.

“If you just watch the TV or read the newspaper, [NIL deals are] ferraris, lamborghinis, and plane rides,” Watkins said. “No this is about diapers and baby formula, first cars and sending money back home to help someone else out.”

One of the players seeing the benefits of the M&G Collective is senior safety Tory Spears.

Having played for the Bobcats since 2020, Spears knows how important NIL helps him and his former players.

“It’s a blessing,” Spears said. “Having them donate everything to us is a real stress-reliever. It helps everyone focus on football and not be burdened with financial things as a college student. A lot of student athletes have families and other things to worry about. Having that burden taken off of you has been a really good thing, and I do appreciate it.”

Wide receiver Kole Wilson also noted how the meet and greet allows players to see the people behind the collective forging a closer connection between everyone.

“It makes it feel more like a family,” Wilson said. “We love when people get behind us. A lot of the players are grateful for this. They have people back home or you are on your own in your living situation, you need some extra help. It makes us feel better that there are people behind us.

“To be able to see the faces of the people rather than money just coming into our bank accounts, it really builds a personal connection with them when we see them at the games. It’s more than just money. It’s about people and relationships.”

Having played during some of the low-points of Texas State football, Spears is appreciative of the donors and fans who have stuck around.

“We hear the stories of them being season ticket holders for 20 plus years,” Spears said. “I’ve been here since 2020 with the old staff. So to see them still buying tickets despite our losses and everything while wanting to contribute to NIL has really changed the game.”

With a former Bobcat helping the players through the relatively new world of NIL, Wilson is appreciative of having someone like Watkins help the players through the process.

“It makes us feel [good] to have an intelligent person like that come and give back,” Wilson said. “In the past ten years or so, it hasn’t been that [great] so to still see people giving back, especially a former Bobcat, it makes you feel good. Thad can help financially with what to do and what not to do with your money. He teaches you more than just putting money in your pocket, how to handle this money and different life lessons.”

For more information about the M&G Collective, visit their website at maroonandgolden.com/ nil/

[email protected] Twitter: @ColtonBMc

If you just watch the TV or read the newspaper, it is ferraris, lamborghinis, and plane rides.

No this is about diapers and baby formula, first cars and sending money back home to help someone else out.

Thad Watkin, M&G Collective

Board Member