The cheers, hoots, hollers and applause from the young men filling the seats in the Pitt football meeting room told the story, one of a new era of college athletics that their fathers never imagined.

Alliance 412, the collective formed to provide financial support and guidance to Pitt athletes during and after their careers, announced an initiative Thursday that will pay every scholarship football player annually from a pool of money that totals at least $1 million, Alliance 412 chief operating officer Jeff Goldberg said.

Players were informed of the windfall recently in a meeting with athletic director Heather Lyke.

Calling it a “seven-figure” payout, Goldberg declined to specify the exact dollar amount in the pool.

A team-wide deal is in order for @Pitt_FB ❗@Alliance_412 is delivering on their promise to change the game by providing the resources for student- athletes to grow on and off the field. pic.twitter.com/OrRLL1rx6w

— Oakland Originals (@OklndOriginals) August 10, 2023

“I really can’t,” he said. “I don’t think that’s the important piece of this deal. The important piece is how we feel about the team, how we’re willing and able and wanting to support these guys.”

But dividing $1 million by 85 (the maximum number of scholarship football players allowed by the NCAA) equates to five-figure sums per player.

Players will receive different sums of money, but Goldberg did not offer specifics, other than to say, “(the difference is) not to the degree that you might think.”

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“These deals are private to the kids. As you saw from the excitement in the room, they are all on board with this. The focus is not to cause any friction within the locker room. In my opinion, it’s a very amicable, adequate sum.”

Plus, Goldberg said players can earn more money through Alliance 412’s marketing entry, Oakland Originals, whose aim is to offer student-athletes resources and the opportunity for business partnerships. Oakland Originals will seek to help promote athletes’ efforts in community service and charitable causes.

“There are going to be some who take very big advantage of this and others who may not take as much,” Goldberg said. “These kids, with that Oakland Originals component, have the ability to make more.

“For all intents and purposes, they are ambassadors for Alliance 412. We have deliverables for them, whether it’s charitable work or working with our sponsors. To what degree, a lot of that somewhat depends on what the kids are wanting to do. I have a number of things that are available to them to expose them to the real world.

“What we’re looking at are some things to energize the community, bond the community and focus on the kids.”

Goldberg said all activities within Alliance 412 are “on the up and up.”

“With more exposure coming out, there are people who their only desire is to scrutinize this and anything else anybody does. Our focus is creating an environment that is going to benefit the kids and benefit the school.”

In a video played for the players recently, Pitt graduate and Alliance 412 founder and chief executive officer Chris Bickell, whose money is largely behind the payments, called the collective’s payout “a huge opportunity for these players.”

“How do we get something at Pitt in the football program that allows kids to walk into the locker room and know that they are really a part of something that the collective has put in front of them. Not individualizing things, but to say hey, man, we’re all in on you guys. That provides a unified locker room.”

Goldberg told the players in the video that it’s an “opportunity to build your brand, create your legacy.”

Junior running back Rodney Hammond expressed his appreciation.

“Now, I can just focus on football,” he said, “and be there for my team.”

I really can’t believe I missed the NIL era ????

— Dorin Dickerson (@scorindorin) August 10, 2023

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