Iowa’s Swarm Collective ‘starting to gain traction’ with corporate sponsorships, sees growing women’s basketball interest

IOWA CITY — The Iowa Swarm Collective appears to be nearing a big boost in its fundraising for Iowa women’s basketball athletes via name, image and likeness.

Brad Heinrichs, the founder of the collective, cannot share all the details until the “contracts are put together,” but a company reached out after the Final Four to sponsor women’s basketball athletes for $50,000.

The pending sponsorship is emblematic of two areas of growth for Swarm, which raises money for football and basketball athletes at Iowa via NIL, women’s basketball and corporate sponsorships.

Heinrichs said individual donations designated for women’s basketball athletes have been “surging” following Iowa’s 2023 postseason success.

“Since the women’s Final Four, we’ve had several $1,000-plus donations specifically for women’s basketball,” Heinrichs said.

Along with the nonprofit arm of Swarm, the corporate side of the collective — also known as Swarm Inc. — has seen growing interest beyond just the potential $50,000 sponsorship.

“There have also been some smaller businesses that have reached out wanting specifically to target women’s basketball recently,” Heinrichs said.

The Swarm Inc. side of the business could be an area of growth for women’s basketball and the other sports.

“That’s the piece of the Swarm that I think is really starting to gain traction,” Heinrichs said in a phone call with The Gazette. “I anticipate that over the next six months, we’ll have quite a few more Swarm Inc. deals than what we had in the past.”

Summit Agricultural Group, the company trying to build a carbon capture pipeline in Iowa, signed NIL deals earlier this year. Cooper DeJean, Xavier Nwankpa, Kaleb Johnson, Nico Ragaini and Quinn Schulte highlight the list.

Swarm’s fundraising efforts are at a key time for Iowa’s football and men’s and women’s basketball programs. The transfer portal windows are open for all three sports, and NIL surely will be a factor.

Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery said last week some teams have a “rather large salary cap essentially” and “could buy a team” because of NIL.

The Hawkeyes have the “absolute disadvantage” in men’s basketball of competing with some schools that do not have an FBS football team and, therefore, can pool more NIL resources toward basketball.

“If you look at the numbers of what the NIL programs are offering these kids that play for schools without football programs, you see that the numbers tend to be substantially higher,” Heinrichs said. “Donor bases only cover so much.”

On the other hand, Iowa likely will be at an advantage in women’s basketball, partly because of the recent surge in contributions and sponsorships.

Lisa Bluder’s group has one scholarship open, so far, to offer a player in the portal.

Heinrichs made it clear the collective will not induce any recruits to come to Iowa via NIL — that would be against NCAA rules — but he believes potential women’s basketball transfers “would be very intrigued by our NIL program.”

“There are lots of women’s basketball programs that don’t have NIL programs that support them, especially not to the level that the Swarm does,” Heinrichs said.

Heinrichs has an idea for an event where players from Iowa’s men’s and women’s basketball teams compete in a game and “skills competition” to raise more money for Swarm.

It’s being “held up,” though, while Iowa determines if it is legal under current NCAA rules.

Swarm has had success offering high-end “experiences” in exchange for donations. Fans, for example, could pay to go down to Dallas with McCaffery and others to see Iowa alum Keegan Murray play.

Heinrichs, a former Iowa golfer, has personally covered several of the collective’s expenses and has not taken a salary. He has two employees.

“When people donate, they’re not donating for overhead,” Heinrichs said. “They’re donating for the mission.”

Swarm has about 1,750 subscribers either paying monthly or annually. The collective’s subscription tiers vary from $200 per year to $10,000 per year.

“It’s been steadily increasing as we’ve moved along,” Heinrichs said.

Heinrichs still sees plenty of potential — and need — for more members.

“I think there are 10,000 Iowa fans out there that, once they hear more about what we’re doing, would be interested in giving us $20 a month.”

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com