New app Sportsmo turns college football plays into real-time NIL donations

DALLAS — A new app launching Tuesday is aiming to reshape how fans support their favorite college football teams in the NIL era.

The app, Sportsmo, is said to be a first-of-its-kind platform that turns live game moments into real-time support for athletic departments, according to a news release. The launch comes just one month after a federal ruling that allows universities to directly pay student-athletes up to $20.5 million annually.

“College programs now face a whole new financial reality,” said Dallas-based entrepreneur Chaitan Fahnestock, Sportsmo founder and CEO. “We created Sportsmo so fans can play an active role in helping schools remain competitive on and off the field — not just by cheering, but by directly funding their teams in real time, rewarding big plays and game outcomes on game day.”

So, how is this possible?

Well, the app allows fans to pledge tax-deductible donations based on specific plays – such as touchdowns, field goals or interceptions – and give instantly when those moments occur. The app will receive real-time game data from Stats Perform, according to Sportsmo. 

Each user can select a school during initial setup and can load a digital wallet with a minimum $10 deposit. However, each donation can be made in small amounts, like $1 per play. According to Sportsmo, the app will feature a live game feed, fan groups, reaction tools like emojis and GIFs, and, of course, a scoreboard showing each team’s donation total. 

Sportsmo said this app was designed to meet the new financial demands of NIL that have been triggered by the federal ruling. The decision, Sportsmo said, has brought on new financial pressure for athletic departments, so this is a way for them to have a new channel to receive funds. 

According to Sportsmo, every donation made through the app will go directly to university athletic departments and foundations. One added perk for schools that partner with Sportsmo and actively promote the app to their fan bases, the company said, is that they can receive up to 87% of every donation. 

“Sportsmo isn’t just another sports app or a ‘donate here’ button,” Fahnestock said. “It’s where passionate fans turn hype into help and rivalries into real impact.”