BANGOR, Maine (April 16, 2025) – Football players Noah Carpenter, Jace Negley and field hockey player Maddie Niles Benton have announced they will team up to raise awareness and funds for the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic and Shriners Children’s. The three Maine athletes will donate money from their name, image and likeness (NIL) appearance at the High Rollers Cards & Collectibles Expo on Saturday, April 19 at the Hollywood Casino in Bangor.
DATE: Saturday, April 19
TIME: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Maddie Niles, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Noah Carpenter and Jace Negley
PLACE: Hollywood Casino, 500 Main St., Bangor, Maine
TICKETS: $10.00
The athletes were attracted to the event because they wanted to use their NIL to give back to their community. Carpenter and Negley played in the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic last year, with Carpenter winning the MVP trophy. Niles has committed to the event to support fellow Maine athletes to raise funds for a great cause.
The High Rollers Cards & Collectibles Expo will feature several vendors buying and selling sports memorabilia and other novelty and nonsports collectibles. Each athlete will also have their Pliable trading cards available at the event. The event is open on Saturday, April 19 from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Niles will at the Pliable table from 1-3 p.m. and Noah Carpenter and Jace Negley will be at the table from 3-5 p.m. Admission for the event is $10 (16 and under are free).
Carpenter is from Greene, Maine and is a freshman at the University of Maine and member of the football team. Prior to arriving in Orono, Carpenter was named the Gatorade Football Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he also won the Fitzpatrick Trophy.
Negley is from Greene, Maine and is a freshman at the University of Maine and member of the football team. Negley was a defensive and offensive lineman at Leavitt High School along side Carpenter where they won two football state championships in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he was named the Frank J. Gaziano Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Niles is from Benton, Maine and was a four-year starter on the Lawrence High School field hockey team, leading the the Bulldogs to their first state championship in 2022. She has committed to play Division 1 field hockey at Merrimack College next season. She has NIL partnership with several businesses, including Aroma Joe’s, Hilltop Boilers Maple Syrup and Heavely Spa & Cosmetic Ink.
The athletes will help raise awareness and funds through a drawing for a prize basket featuring items from Aroma Joe’s, Hilltop Boilers, Mainely Veterinary Dentistry and the Portland Sea Dogs. There will also be free drink cards from Aroma Joe’s and samples from Hilltop Boioler Maple Syrup.
All three athletes have NIL representation from Pliable Marketing, a Maine-based marketing company that helps high school, college and professional athletes to build their athlete brand.
In July of 2021, the NCAA adopted an interim policy which has led to allowing college student-athletes to benefit and receive compensation from companies, organizations, and brands in exchange for the athlete using their name, image or likeness (NIL) to promote or endorse products or services.
In Maine, high school athletes can also receive compensation from their own entrepreneurial endeavors, including posting social media content for local businesses and national brands, selling merchandise, plus hosting sports camps, providing instruction and more.
Pliable’s list of athlete branding clients consists of more than 35 high school, college, and professional athletes from across the country. To see the full list of Pliable athletes, visit PliableMarketing.com/pliable-athletes.
