Jim Harbaugh publicly endorses new NIL collective

On Tuesday afternoon, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh publicly partnered with and endorsed Champions Circle, a new NIL collective rolled out by the Valiant Management Group. Champions Circle, which was founded in 2022, describes itself as "a community of fans, alumni, and supporters whose goal is empowering all University of Michigan student-athletes to be the leaders and best through name, image, and likeness."

Harbaugh publicly endorsed the collective in a release on Tuesday.

“Champions CircleTM & Valiant Management Group embody the core values of ourprogram by providing NIL opportunities for our student-athletes. I consider them to be a trusted agent andencourage our Michigan Family to support them in their NIL efforts," Harbaugh said.

“I encourage ALL of you to contribute to ChampionsCircleTM which provides direct support to our dedicated student-athletes to ensure that they are Victors in theclassroom, in the community and on the playing field.”

Jared Wangler, a co-founder of Champions Circle, CEO of the Valiant Management Group and former Michigan fullback explained the purpose of the new collective in Tuesday's release.

“We believe strongly that it is important to reward University of Michigan student-athletes for the value they bring to the university, but in keeping with Michigan traditions, it is also important to help the athletes develop the personal, leadership and financial skills to succeed far into the future," Wangler said.

"Our coaches recruit the right student-athletes to the University of Michigan, and the Champions CircleTM will support their efforts by rewarding sustained educational achievement and personal development. Whether you're a student, alum or fan, it’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine. This is your opportunity to make an impact on student-athletes and help Michigan win championships across all sports.”

Champions Circle also released a video on Twitter and YouTube with endorsements from Harbaugh, J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and Kris Jenkins.

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