Photo Credit: Niners Basketball Collective

Aaron Fearne was cemented as the Charlotte's 14th head coach back on February 12th, and several alumni and supporters immediately jumped into action to kickstart the Niners Basketball Collective, that has now officially launched. The current Board Members of the collective are Robbie Lewis, Randy Peterson (1996) and Jon Ward (1994), and it's important to note this this collective is for all of Niner Nation to join and support. While this has come together quickly, I have no doubt those directing the collective are managing things correctly and will position Charlotte to be as successful as possible on this front.

For Niners Basketball Collective to be successful, it will take engagement from alumni, students and local businesses. As of now the collective offers one-time, monthly and annual contribution options via their platform, and you can donate now.

It's important to note that this collective will start out with a focus on Men's and Women's basketball, but it could grow to include other sports in the future. As we've seen in its brief history, everything related to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is highly-fluid. Regardless of your personal thoughts and opinions on NIL, it's here to stay and if you don't play the game, your program will be handcuffed when it comes to retaining talent and acquiring it.

With the success Fearne and his Charlotte 49ers have experienced thus far in year 1, it undoubtedly means that top players will be coveted by other programs, and that's where NIL will come into play. So, if you enjoy watching Lu'Cye Patterson, Igor Milicic Jr., Dishon Jackson and company, or Dazia Lawrence and team on the Women's side, this your way to directly support Charlotte Basketball in helping to retain top talent, and to help further build out the respective rosters, as both Fearne and Consuegra squads are in the hunt for double byes for this upcoming AAC Conference tournament as they set the stage and get to the NCAA's since 2005 (Men's) or 2022 (Women's under Consuegra).

There's no time like now to get going on this front Niner Nation. The student-athletes and coaching staffs deserve our support. As a fan base it's up to us to help maintain the Gold Standard, it requires supporting both the 49er Club and Niners Basketball Collective. Both funds play important parts in positioning our programs moving forward with competitive resources, so pitch in whatever you can, every donation matters.

You can follow the Niners Basketball Collective on Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest NIL happenings for Men's & Women's Basketball.