Stern Pinball completed the inaugural NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) Program by auctioning two highly collectible Godzilla Premium pinball games played by Fighting Illini football players during the team’s breakthrough 2022 season. The two games were housed in the Liuget Players’ Lounge at the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Performance Football Center at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. During the season, players competed against one another and boasted their pinball prowess on social media as they rose on the leaderboards.
The two Illinois Football Signature Edition Godzilla Premium games included an exclusive numbered plaque (1 of 2; 2 of 2), player-autographed translites for each game’s backbox or separate framing, and Certificates of Authenticity signed by Stern Pinball’s President and CEO, resulting in a successful, sought-after auction of one of the hottest pinball machines in history.
Through the NIL program, Stern Pinball partnered with 8 players as a way to help empower student-athletes both on and off the field. All proceeds from the record-breaking auction helped benefit the following eight football players on the 2022 Fighting Illini football team:
- Devon Witherspoon (#5 draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Seattle Seahawks)
- Jar’Tavius “Quan” Martin (Second Round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Washington Commanders)
- Isaac Darkangelo (signed by the Detroit Lions)
- Calvin Hart, Jr.
- Tahveon “Taz” Nicholson
- Tip Reiman
- Casey Washington
- Isaiah Williams
With the NIL program’s rousing success, Stern Pinball is currently discussing future opportunities to help empower future student-athletes through the power of pinball!