UC punter donates NIL profits to UC football walk-ons

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - An international student athlete at the University of Cincinnati announced that he is donating all profits made from merchandise sales with his name on it toward UC football walk-ons.

UC’s punter, Mason Fletcher made the announcement on Twitter Friday morning, stating that he is not allowed to inherit his name, image and likeness money.

While many NCAA student athletes are allowed to utilize NIL proceeds, Fletcher and other international collegiate athletes are not due to F-1 student visa rules.

“F-1 student visa holders are only permitted to be employed under very specific circumstances, none of which seem to fit any of the NIL scenarios well.”

According to UC’s Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Trever Wright, UC athletes receive money from licensing deals where they are paid quarterly. However, international athletes, like Fletcher, will never see that money unless they apply for a specific work visa.

One way Fletcher was able to control his NIL money is by donating it to a non-profit or an organization, such as the UC football team.

Proceeds from merchandise with Fletcher’s name on it will be donated toward various UC football walk-on scholarships, which will help pay for the players’ tuition.

“He could’ve donated to Make-A-Wish, but instead he wanted to help his teammates out,” Wright said.

Fletcher says that he is hoping the money going toward the scholarships will help walk-on football players find more financial stability.

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