Boise State’s iconic Smurf Turf is being sold in pieces — what other universities are doing to raise funds

As the college sports landscape dramatically shifted in 2021, from a state where athletes were punished for receiving payments of any kind to the current free-for-all where athletes can strike sponsorship deals with little oversight, the schools have been scrambling to find ways to pay athletes.

The name, image of likeness, or NIL, deals morphed into contracts athletes worked out with collectives, like Cody Campbell’s Matador Club that fostered large-scale deals for Texas Tech. Now universities are trying to find ways to fund $20.5 million in revenue sharing to pay athletes across the school directly.

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It’s an area of concern for many athletic programs, especially for programs struggling to stay afloat before name, image and likeness came into play. Some universities are exploring private equity options, like the University of Utah, and many are exploring creative ways to raise funding.

From selling off pieces of Boise State’s iconic Smurf Turf to exclusive team sneakers, schools are finding fun and unique ways to compensate their athletes.

Here are some of the creative programs in the current landscape.

Smurf Turf sold in pieces to boosters

As Boise State replaces the Smurf Turf ahead of its inaugural Pac-12 season, the school decided to put its iconic turf to use. The New York Times reported Tuesday that a 400-square-foot piece sold for $25,000 at an auction. Another 6-by-12-foot piece of the 40-yard line marker to signify the field’s 40th anniversary sold for $4,000.

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The Idaho school is selling pieces of its turf for $40 to $300 for various modified items, such as small rectangles or even rings made of the Smurf Turf scraps. With 57,600 square feet in a college football field, the Gem State may see a lot of Smurf Turf memorabilia.

‘Cornhead Beef Snacks’

Much of the NIL scene means a millionaire somewhere writing a large check to fund a university’s athletic recruiting funds, but “Pipeline Jerky” provided a way for the common man to contribute.

Each pack of the snack purchased produces a certain percentage of to Nebraska’s NIL — specifically for the Cornhuskers linemen.

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“Pipeline Jerky” has taken a pause on sales for the time being as a “jerky war” broke out with a larger company called “Cornhead by 1890,″ which forced itself into the jerky NIL for Nebraska, according to Nebraska on SI.

Utah trucks deal

In recent years, members of the Utah football team received Ram trucks as part of their NIL proram, leased for six months. Partnered with the Ken Garff dealership, the deal was a unique way to attract athletes to the university.

Oregon’s limited edition Nike sneakers

Known for flashy jerseys due to the school’s close connection with Nike, Oregon leaned into exclusive fashion design to raise NIL funds by releasing its own limited-edition sneaker line.

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The Ducks of a Feather, or DOAF, collective released wilderness-inspired shoes called the “Lumber Yard” and “The Woods,” paying homage to Oregon’s trees and greenery.

The DOAF line recently unveiled a futuristic design called the “Metallic Nova.” According to a post by Complex Sneakers, the shoes will drop May 9, and only 300 exist in the world.