‘It takes a village’: Alliance 412 and GoPuff partner to power NIL opportunities

NIL completely changed the landscape of college athletics when it was introduced in 2021. Athletes nationwide could now get compensated for their image and athletic ability. This was completely uncharted territory, as it created a world where playing a college sport could now open doors for students not just athletically but also financially. Here at Pitt, Alliance 412 is doing the work to provide NIL opportunities to student-athletes. 

Alliance 412 works to garner support for Pitt athletes by creating NIL opportunities, and its emerging partnership with GoPuff is a new way for everyone to get involved. Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer John Pelusi discussed how this new avenue will be mutually beneficial for all parties involved. From students to fans, it’s an accessible way to support the student athlete collective. 

“We’ve partnered with GoPuff and are launching our very own Alliance 412 GoPuff store where students, alumni, fans [and] community members can go and purchase items on GoPuff the same way they normally would, and a percentage of that purchase is going to go back to support Alliance 412 and Pitt student-athletes,” Pelusi said. “It’s certainly perfect for students on campus, but it can be anyone — donors, fans that want to support Alliance 412 through different ways other than signing up for a membership. It’s something that people could already be doing but now benefits athletes at Pitt as well.”

The partnership will offer free delivery on orders over $30 during an extended promotion launch. Alliance 412 will have a specific URL with GoPuff that participants can use to directly benefit the collective when using GoPuff. In addition to the launch of this partnership, the plan is to add other incentives such as private event access and meet-and-greets as the program grows.

“It’s really a way to play a part without directly spending a dollar towards the collective,” Jeff Goldberg, the chief operating officer of Alliance 412, said. “It’s a way to get money directly to the student-athletes without tacking on added fees or rounding up a credit card charge — a way to give without giving.

Alliance 412 is committed to establishing Pittsburgh as a leading hub for student-athletes. Understanding the importance of delivering NIL deals to elite athletes at Pitt is one of the core values of this organization. 

“From the start, our goal more than anything else was to uplift and expose to the world all the benefits that go along with the University of Pittsburgh,” Goldberg said. “People always say athletics is the ‘front porch’ of the University. Our focus has always been essentially to do what we can to bring championships to Pitt.” 

Alliance 412 works with an array of athletes across all teams at Pitt. Pelusi discussed what it’s like bridging the connection between Pitt athletes and Alliance 412. 

“We have a great working relationship with the athletics department and the administration. Together we try to identify the best opportunities for those athletes, again we want to create the reputation of Pittsburgh as a top destination for student-athletes,” Pelusi said. 

NIL opportunities can come in all forms and can have more than just a financial benefit for athletes. Along with compensation for their image, NIL gives athletes a chance to capitalize on these deals as a way to continue to build their identity in the public eye. 

“We really work through opportunities and sponsors, both regionally within the city of Pittsburgh and national brands that we try to incorporate into Alliance 412,” Pelusi said. “We also really try to highlight our student-athletes. We have a podcast that we run that’s really in place to showcase who these athletes are off the court and field. We want them to tell their personal story and then tailor that to brands who fit those values and who they are.” 

Goldberg talked about some of the specific opportunities Alliance 412 has set up to ensure student-athletes can build their brands to make a meaningful long-term impact. 

“We’ve worked with Ronald McDonald house in the past,” Goldberg said. “The past two or three years before the Backyard Brawl, we’ve done a giving challenge working with West Virginia, we’ve done work with the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh, we’re working on some things right now with UPMC — we really want to help curate their brand for them.” 

With NIL only picking up in recent years, this is the first time these young athletes have had the opportunity to make significant financial gains from their performance. At ages 19, 20 and 21, stepping into big financial responsibilities is overwhelming, but Pelusi said Alliance 412 is dedicated to helping these young athletes navigate this. 

“We meet one-on-one with each student-athlete that becomes a partner and affiliate of Alliance 412,” Pelusi said. “Pitt, through their life skills program, also does a great job providing education and support through financial literacy planning and NIL education programs. It takes a village type of approach to support our athletes, so being able to lean on and have tremendous help through the athletic department has been amazing.” 

Financial stability is often a major stressor for many college students, on top of experiencing the stressors that come along with living as a student-athlete. NIL has created a way to alleviate some of this stress and can have a positive impact students, Goldberg thinks. 

“This is an opportunity a lot of these kids have never had before. Whether that be supporting family members and friends, or being an opportunity for them to realize that by earning money, there’s more to life than money,” Goldberg said. “By having less concern about the dollar, they have the ability and time to focus more on going out and becoming the man or woman they want to be.”

Funding is a necessary component to support athletes through NIL opportunities, and Alliance 412 pursues several avenues. Whether that’s accepting donations or working with sponsors, it’s all curated to benefit Pitt student-athletes. Alliance 412 works with around 100 Pitt athletes from all different sports teams that all benefit from a general fund. After that, money is allocated on a need basis. The more the teams win, the more contributions and memberships come in. Alumni with local businesses support as well, allowing student-athletes to get involved with their marketing. 

Both Goldberg and Pelusi wanted to acknowledge the person who helped bring this collective to life, Chris Bickell, the founder and key driver behind Alliance 412. 

“It was his vision and his motivation to support Pitt athletics, and that’s why we’re here. It was his desire to build championships and elevate Pitt athletics,” Goldberg said. 

As NIL continues to develop, Alliance 412 remains involved in helping student-athletes at Pitt navigate this new landscape. Through partnerships like the one with GoPuff, along with efforts focused on education, support and community engagement, the organization aims to create meaningful opportunities for athletes both on and off the field.