Elevating our partnership: Empowering Gopher Athletes through travel

Last school year, we had the opportunity to team up with Dinkytown Athletes to launch a unique NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) travel program for student-athletes at the University of Minnesota. Through this partnership, we invited participating students to share their adventures on social media—helping us tell our brand’s story through their eyes. 

At its core, this partnership expansion demonstrates a strategic, athlete-focused vision: supporting university athletes with authentic, life-enriching travel. 

This program takes our partnership to new heights—offering participating athletes across 22 varsity sports the ability to travel to over 100 destinations across our route map. Student-athletes were provided with the flexibility to visit family, recharge, or explore new destinations. 

This collaboration showcases how NIL programs provide athletes the opportunity to partner with local brands while strengthening community ties. 

We’ve been the official airline of Gopher Athletics since 2023 and have flown over 500 charter flights for the University of Minnesota since 2012. Sun Country also provides affordable option for fans to travel and watch the Gophers compete across the country. 

Interested in supporting Gopher Athletes this season? Check out the 2025-2026 season schedule: 

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