Several Big Time Football Stars Partner With New NIL App, Roy

The current landscape of college football and college sports in general has NIL deals popping up left and right. Some are massive deals with the faces of college football and companies like Nike, Bose and Gatorade, while others are with mom and pop shops in small school markets with lesser known sports and athletes. When these deals come together, the details are obviously very important and so is the level of legitimacy. In some cases, both vary wildly, which can cause problems.

We have heard horror stories about athletes arriving on campus and not receiving what they were promised, and we have also heard stories about athletes not delivering their end of the bargain. Situations like that are exactly why Cale Johnston created Roy, a brand-new app designed to connect college athletes and fans through exclusive content.

Very recently, 10 high-profile athletes linked up with Roy to promote themselves, their teammates and their schools to get the word out about how the platform could change the game when it comes to NIL, fans, and future rosters.

One of the first players to link up with Roy this season was Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. The 6-0, 207-pounder found instant fame earlier this year when he and his Commodores defeated Alabama, 40-35. Because of that, he has had several NIL opportunities, but Roy is giving him a chance to do it all in a unique way. Unlike traditional collectives and deals, Roy offers transparency and direct support from fans. Fans know exactly which athlete their money is going to, providing assurance that their contributions are making a direct impact. This transparency helps athletes achieve fair-market value for their NIL rights and gives fans more control over their support. If an athlete you support enters the transfer portal or leaves before delivering on their exclusive content, your contribution will be refunded to you. You can also choose to move your funds to another athlete or campaign on the Roy platform. This ensures that your financial support goes towards the athletes who align with your preferred school.

“That’s what I like about Roy,” Pavia said. “I feel like I’m a loyal person. I’ve been loyal to Coach [Jerry] Kill wherever he’s went and I’m not going to lie. For the fans here, you get me for an extra year. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m staying. I’m going to be here.”

Messages like that are exactly what Roy is all about. That’s why Pavia, along with running back Darius Taylor and safety Koi Perich from Minnesota, defensive lineman Chief Borders out of Pittsburgh, running back Caden Durham from LSU, wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. From Colorado, defensive back Daylen Everette from Georgia, quarterback Avery Johnson out of Kansas State and wide receiver Chris Brazzell and running back Dylan Sampson out of Tennessee have also jumped on board with Roy.

Each athlete took to X (Twitter) and/or Instagram to make their respective announcement about returning to their current school. That announcement, along with an action photo, a link for the Roy website (www.joinroy.com) and a message to fans explaining why Roy can significantly impact current NIL earnings and future rosters made some waves on social media. With many more athletes on the way, across all sports, Roy is continuing to work its way into the NIL space in a way that’s never been done before.