Mustang Partners and NOCAP Sports today announced a comprehensive partnership designed to create an innovative revenue-generating platform connecting SMU-affiliated businesses with a vetted network of national service providers.
The model is simple but powerful: as SMU alumni, donors, and university-affiliated business leaders manage the commercial relationships they already have, a percentage of that revenue flows back to SMU — creating a sustainable, ongoing contribution channel that complements traditional giving.
This partnership marks the broadest deployment of the NOCAP model to date. Rather than sitting solely within athletics, it will operate alongside Mustang Partners to give SMU's entire business community — alumni, donors, and supporters alike — a continuous way to invest in the university's future.
"Mustang Partners is designed to take a creative approach to partnerships, and our work with NOCAP Sports reflects that vision," said Brian Ullmann, Executive Deputy Athletic Director for SMU. "By working alongside NOCAP, we are creating new ways for our alumni, supporters, and business community to engage with and invest in the future of SMU. What makes this especially exciting is that it extends beyond athletics and creates meaningful impact across our entire university."
SMU will also be able to leverage its institutional buying power to unlock efficiencies and generate incremental revenue — giving Mustang supporters at every level, from longtime donors to recent grads, an active role to play.
"SMU challenged us to think bigger than athletics, and as a result, we are deploying the NOCAP model throughout every layer of the university, from the boardroom to the classroom," said Adam Gunn. "Mustang supporters can now contribute to SMU simply by being smarter about how they manage their commercial relationships. We believe this is the first of many university-wide integrations."
Beyond the revenue model, the partnership includes a dedicated effort to create real opportunities for SMU students to work directly with NOCAP — building professional networks, gaining hands-on sales and business development experience, and learning the fundamentals of NIL in a structured, university-supported environment.
It's a rare combination: a commercial engine for the university, and a training ground for the students who will one day run businesses like the ones already supporting SMU.
SMU alumni, Mustang Partners supporters, and affiliated business owners are invited to complete a brief interest survey to explore how their business may align with available partnership categories.
