In 2019, when the NCAA confirmed that Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Sponsorships would be entering the world of College Athletics, the management team at Catoe’s began strategizing on how we, as a small, family owned business, could enter into this incredibly unique and empowering form of support for student athletes. It is no secret that the Catoe family loves their University of South Carolina Gamecocks, and as Ben Catoe, a 2013 graduate of USC, took over operations in 2020, the writing was already on the wall - Catoe’s was going to find a way to support Gamecock Athletics through NIL.
In the summer of 2022, after a productive 2021 season with first year head coach Shane Beamer, linebacker #32 Mo Kaba tweeted out about his summer job - cutting yards - and how
he couldn’t wait for some NIL deals to come through. While we were too late to upgrade his grass cutting game, we were just in time to create a partnership with an amazing young man
who knew the Outdoor Power Equipment industry, but was also poised to become a household name through his contributions to the Gamecock Defense.
After getting to know Mo, we couldn’t have put pen to paper faster! We proudly introduced Mo Kaba as a Product Ambassador for Catoe’s Power Equipment on June 16th, 2022, and since then, our team has had an unbelievably fun time creating advertisements and give-aways related to this campaign. Mo has been incredibly gracious with his time, has been an outstanding professional partner, and has taught us all A LOT about what the sacrifices necessary for a student-athlete to succeed.
This partnership is way more about Mo then it is about Catoe’s, plain and simple. The essence of NIL Sponsorships is to help student athletes monetize their status as exemplary members of our community, university, and team. The fact that Mo looked REALLY cool showing off our products was just the gravy on top. We hope to continue partnerships with student
athletes for as long as possible, independently seeking young men and women who, like Mo, embody humility, hard work, and a fearless desire to better themselves.
We cannot wait for you to see all the awesome promotional materials we have planned with Mo! Gamecock Nation has most likely already heard him promoting Catoe’s on 107.5 The Game, Columbia’s flagship station for Gamecock Athletics. Once the season kicks off, the real fun begins! Thank you to everyone who has already shown support and excitement about this partnership - we cannot wait for you to get to know this amazing young man.
