LARAMIE — When it comes to the controversial subject of Name, Image and Likeness in college sports, Tom Burman will be the first to tell you Wyoming has been playing catch up.

That doesn’t mean a solution isn’t on the horizon.

“We need to grow it quickly,” the school’s longtime athletics director admitted on Saturday night.

A report by the Cowboy State Daily earlier in the day stated the department is only allocating $1.4 million annually in NIL funds, $800,000 less per year than regional programs Montana and Montana State, which compete in the FCS.

While the latter dollar amount could not be substantiated, Burman said the initial figure for UW is now at $1.5 million, adding that number only illustrates the revenue sharing monies between the school’s two largest income generating programs, football and men’s basketball. An additional $200,000 is being divvied up between women’s basketball, volleyball and wrestling, he added.

“This does not include any third-party NIL dollars or Learfield NIL partnerships, which are likely another $500,000 total,” he continued. “This also does not include Alston Scholarship dollars, which is $1.1 million, and are included as revenue sharing as part of the House Settlement analysis.”

There are other future plans in place to bring in additional revenue, Burman said. including jersey patches, field and court logos and venue naming opportunities.

UNLV, one of the Cowboys’ current Mountain West foes, recently announced a 5-year, $11 million deal to promote a local Las Vegas company on its uniforms in football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. That is expected to be approved in August.

Burman said this will happen at UW, but added, “We’re not going to give it away.”

The same can be said for a permanent field sponsor inside War Memorial Stadium.

Ramos Law, a firm based out of Colorado, purchased that space for the Cowboys’ home finale last month against Nevada — the “Josh Allen game” — for a reported $90,000-plus. The company logo was placed at both 25 yards lines.

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There are other potential avenues that could help Wyoming gain ground on the competition.

“If we get support from the state — and not a budget cut, also — and continued investment from the private sector, coupled with support from campus, we will be in a good place in short order,” Burman said.

The department earlier this month asked the joint appropriations committee of the Wyoming Legislature for an additional $3 million on top of the annual $11.2 it receives annually through the school’s block grant. The state will also match up to $5 million a year in private donations.

The grand total is just over $19 million.

Though the $3 million, annually, wouldn’t go directly to NIL and revenue sharing, Burman said, it will help UW to handle other escalating costs that have occurred due to inflation and additional costs related to the NCAA House settlement and Mountain West membership changes.

The university is now on the hook for reimbursements to former student-athletes. That number totals $2.8 billion in damages. Over the next 10 years, Burman added, Wyoming will lose funding to the tune of $550,000, annually.

The current media rights deal with the conference, which currently brings in $3.7 million a year, is also likely to take a hit.

San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State, Boise State and the Cowboys’ Border War rival, Colorado State, are departing in July for the new-look Pac-12. The league is adding UTEP and Northern Illinois, the latter in football only. UC Davis and Grand Canyon have joined on the basketball side. Hawaii is also now a full member.

The department, though, could soon see an influx of cash once the legal battle between the Mountain West and Pac-12 is finalized. Poaching fees and exit fees are at the heart of the litigation. The next hearing in that case is set for Sept. 9.

Donations to the Cowboy Joe Club, the department’s lead fundraising arm, will also open up additional opportunities to retain and lure future student-athletes, Burman added.

“We are starting to see people donate,” he said. “That frees up money for revenue sharing through ticket sales, media rights, corporate dollars, television, etc.

“We are just getting started.”

– University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players