ICON Announces Future Plans Following House Settlement

CHICAGO, Ill.– The ICON Board of Directors announced Thursday a revised mission for the organization following the landmark settlement in the House case, which was approved in the Northern District of California on June 6. With implementation of the new NIL GO platform, ICON will cease operating as a collective, meaning that it will no longer engage in the solicitation of major contributions from donors and fans for purposes of aggregating resources and creating NIL opportunities for Fighting Illini student-athletes. Instead, ICON will focus on partnering with Illinois Athletics to develop and execute meaningful community engagement activities in an effort to strengthen relationships between the University of Illinois, Fighting Illini Athletics, the local community, and Illini fans. 

Even with its new focus, ICON will continue to operate several of its revenue-generating businesses, including the ICON for Illini membership program, the Business Coalition, and various licensing partnerships, highlighted by its branded beer produced in collaboration with DESTIHL Brewery. ICON members will continue to access unique experiences and benefits during the 2025-26 athletics seasons and should feel confident that their support remains critical to the future success of Illinois athletic programs. Any questions related to these initiatives should be submitted via the ICON website, accessible here. 

In conjunction with this revised mission, ICON’s founder, President and CEO, former Illini swimmer and DIA fundraiser Kathleen Knight, has announced her plans to step away from the company, effective June 30. Knight formed the business in November 2022, presiding over its rapid growth and success the past two-and-a-half years. 

“Building and growing ICON from the ground up has been the most rewarding experience of my career,” Knight said. “The positive outcomes of our work would not have been possible without the incredible support of so many – our donors, fans, and community partners, whose trust and belief in our mission have been unwavering; DIA administrators, coaches, and support staff, who championed our efforts every step of the way; and most importantly, the dedicated ICON team and Board members, who have tirelessly committed themselves to facilitating meaningful NIL opportunities for Illini student-athletes each day. It has been a true privilege to witness the imprint ICON has made on Fighting Illini student-athletes, their families, and the local community, and I look forward to seeing the organization continue to thrive in this next chapter.”

Under her leadership, ICON has facilitated NIL deals totaling more than $35 million. These agreements benefited hundreds of student-athletes from 11 different sports programs, and the impact was indisputable. In 2024, Illinois Football recorded 10 wins, tying the school record, and concluded the season by winning the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and earning a final national ranking of No. 16. In Men’s Basketball, the program has qualified for five consecutive NCAA Tournaments and, in 2024, enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in school history, winning 29 games, earning the Big Ten Tournament title, and advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005. Women’s Basketball, meanwhile, won the first postseason championship in program history, the 2024 WBIT, and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons in 2025. Many other Illini sports programs have experienced notable success during the last years as well. Through ICON’s efforts and its many generous benefactors, Fighting Illini coaches were resourced to recruit and retain talented student-athletes to represent the Orange and Blue.  

“We are grateful to Kathleen for her remarkable leadership of ICON,” Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman said. “Kathleen stepped into a bold new world without a map and proceeded to blaze her own trail – while creating a lasting legacy that will be remembered by those close to Illinois Athletics for generations to come. Many would have avoided such a complex, risky, unexplored and ever-changing environment, but Kathleen embraced the opportunity and built an organization that operated in a first-class, professional manner. She has become a beloved ambassador for our program and a trusted adviser for our student-athletes, and she will be missed by all of us. Kathleen is imminently talented, and we are excited to see what her next chapter holds. For now, however, on behalf of all of us associated with Fighting Illini Athletics, I want to thank Kathleen for her trust, her unwavering commitment, and her extraordinary leadership in building and operating ICON. Misson accomplished, Kathleen! Well done, and thank you!” 

The ICON Board has undertaken a search to identify Knight’s successor, with a new hire expected to be announced in the coming weeks.