DONE DEAL: TEXAS LONGHORNS ARE IN VERBAL AGREEMENT TO SIGN…

Mike Murphy founded Last Stand Hats in 2018 on an entrepreneurial whim. Friends and family bought his gear at first. But the Austin-based company didn’t truly take off until after the 2019 Sugar Bowl when Baltimore Ravens safety DeShon Elliott tweeted a picture of himself wearing a DBU patch hat Murphy sent a few weeks prior.

Now a licensed apparel company for several FBS schools, including Texas, Murphy told 247Sports he plans to use a similar grassroots strategy to foster continued growth of Last Stand Hats via name, image and likeness partnerships.

When Senate Bill 1385 goes into effect in Texas on July 1, college athletes in the state – and likely in every other state nationally, at least in some form – will be able to profit off their NIL. Last Stand Hats has prepped for months while awaiting a NIL bill to pass and launch in Texas, and the brand already has struck tentative agreements (nothing can be signed until July 1) with Texas Longhorns defensive backs Josh Thompson and DeMarvion Overshown.

“NIL is huge because now you can reach out to these players, connect with them and help build their brand and grow with them, which is pretty cool,” Murphy said.

Murphy said he’s in talks with around 10 other Texas players, and he hopes to eventually make similar deals with athletes at schools like Texas Tech and Texas State with which Last Stand Hats also has licensing agreements.

The Longhorn football team has purchased Murphy’s designs in the past, and both Thompson and Overshown have been pictured in Last Stand Hats’ gear previously. The same could be said of multiple Texas officials, including athletic director Chris Del Conte and head football coach Steve Sarkisian.

NIL conversations between Last Stand Hats and Texas athletes started only recently, but Murphy said the key for a strong partnership is creating designs that make sense for the athletes while treading cautiously around any intellectual property owned by the institution. Athletes in Texas cannot utilize things like their school logos or hand sign when profiting from their NIL per the legislation’s rules, according to a spokesperson for Sen. Brandon Creighton who authored the bill.

That means Murphy must get creative with his designs to avoid any entanglement. This could mean leaning on Overshown’s “Agent 0” moniker when designing his apparel. Murphy also indicated that could work to the player’s advantage because of an ability to work quickly. He used the example of former Texas quarterback and tight end Tyrone Swoopes, who inspired chants of “Swoooooopes” at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium whenever he was on the field in the memorable 18-Wheeler personnel package.

“If he’d still be in college and this came out and they were doing the 18-Wheeler package, all you had to do is make a truck with the No. 18 and everyone would’ve worn that shirt,” Murphy said. “It’s about jumping on it.”

From a compensation standpoint, Murphy said it will vary from player to player. That could mean a monthly retainer and a percentage of sales, a purely sales-based model or something else. Murphy said he’s willing to work with the athletes to find the best fit.

“We’re still in the works with that,” Murphy said. “Then you have to have contracts. You have to say, ‘If we’re going to work with you, we’re your apparel company for the next year. After that you decide. … Our end is more, ‘How can I do this fairly?’ For us it’s let us figure something out. We’ll come up with the design and help you come up with your stuff and we figure out contracts and payments and stuff like that.”

Nothing can launch until July 1. Until then Last Stand Hats’ agreements with Thompson and Overshown are merely verbal arrangements. Murphy is hopeful they sign July 1 and added Last Stand Hats is talking with other well known players as well.

Murphy said he plans to move fast beginning Thursday. Thompson and Overshown have done their prep work with Murphy on designs, and there’s strong possibility at least a presale link goes up at midnight for Thompson and Overshown to share with their followers on social media.

“July 1 we’ll roll everything out and we’ll see how it goes,” Murphy said.