The world of collegiate athletics is in a tumultuous state.
Leagues thrusted into a frenzy of conference realignment and revenue sharing disputes with the recent introduction of name, image and likeness (NIL) to the scene of college sports.
As college athletics evolve, so too does the support structure for student athletes. In 2024 alone, the NIL market swelled to over $1.67 billion, according to Opendorse.
At Middle Tennessee State University, the Blue Raider Athletic Association (BRAA) has long served as the backbone of athletic support– but with the rise of NIL, the game rapidly changed. Such shifts forced the BRAA to adapt, ensuring the Blue Raiders continue to compete in Division I athletics.
“We have about 350 student athletes, many of whom are on scholarships,” MTSU’s deputy athletic director for external affairs Lee De Leon said. “For a lot of them, receiving a scholarship is the only way they could attend college. We have first-generation college students whose lives are being transformed because of the support we receive.”
The BRAA has supported MTSU athletics for over 40 years since its founding in 1987. The organization has a board of 30 members, including MTSU alums, local business owners and MTSU employees. Five full-time employees manage everything BRAA-related on-site.
Revenue is generated through donations from individuals and corporations. The perks of giving can range from premium seating at football games to parking access and exclusive events with coaches and MTSU athletes. The BRAA presents donors with three main ways to support MTSU: the Build Blue Capital campaign, the Champions Annual Fund, and NIL contributions through Raiders Rising. The organization’s central fund is the Champions Annual Fund, which is roughly $1.3 million annually.
The fund is split into student-athlete scholarships, coaching salaries, nutrition, equipment and championship rings. Overall, the fund uses every available dollar to benefit MTSU’s student athletes.
One notable success story of the BRAA centers around Blue Raider baseball alum Briggs Rudder. Rudder recently graduated in 2024 and was a long-time staple behind the plate for head coach Jerry Meyers’ team. Rudder earned the president’s award, the highest honor given to a student-athlete at MTSU.
During his sophomore year in Murfreesboro his mother passed away. Through the support of his teammates and the financial support of the BRAA, however, he continued playing baseball for Middle Tennessee. Rudder’s story is just one success of the many the BRAA hopes to create.
While the BRAA has served Blue Raider athletes for over four decades, MTSU continues to find ways to financially adapt to an ever-changing college sports landscape.
Since 2021, the college athletics world has been turned on its head since the introduction of NIL opportunities for student athletes. MTSU’s official NIL collective is Raiders Rising; a collective separate from the BRAA and the university, enabling donors to give money without creating contracts with specific MTSU athletes. Johnathan Maguire, owner of multiple Murfreesboro area McDonald’s franchises, leads the collective and is a BRAA board member.
“Raiders Rising is a crucial tool in ensuring that MTSU remains competitive in the NIL landscape,” De Leon said. “Our collective was formed later than others, but we’ve made significant strides since its launch.”
However, not all NIL transactions go through Raiders Rising. Local restaurants and businesses like The Boulevard coordinate direct agreements with student-athletes. The Boulevard works with athletes like women’s basketball guard Jalynn Gregory and quarterback Nicholas Vattiato to promote the restaurant in return for compensation. These agreements are between the business and the athlete without the assistance of the BRAA or Raiders Rising collective.
With the new era of NIL, the university faces several challenges in keeping up with the modern college athletic landscape. In 2025, four Power Four schools, such as Ohio State University, spent over $20 million on their respective football programs, according to Sporting News. This spending applies pressure on smaller schools in conferences such as Conference USA to provide for incoming student-athletes.
One of the biggest challenges facing the BRAA and Raiders Rising in the future is not burning out the same investors. In a small college town like Murfreesboro, businesses like Maguires Management and The Boulevard consistently support all things MTSU athletics. However, the university cannot always rely on the same few sources to support student athletics.
“We have to find creative new ways and ideas and events that generate NIL because it’s not going anywhere,” De Leon said.
One new idea that the BRAA committed to is the Blue Bloods in the Round event at the Nearest Green Distillery. The event included grammy- winning songwriters who wrote hits for country stars like Morgan Wallen and Blake Shelton. All of the event’s proceeds will be filtered into several different MTSU athletics NIL programs.
Similar strategies like concerts and ticketed open practices serve as attempts to provide fans with new and exciting events to generate new revenue for NIL while connecting with stakeholders.
As NIL reshapes the world of college athletics, it’s up to the BRAA and Raiders Rising to continue to build a support base for MTSU student athletes.
To contact the sports editor, email [email protected].
Follow Sidelines on Facebook at Facebook.com/MTSUSidelines, on X @mtsusidelines and Instagram @mtsusidelines. Sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
