In an effort to raise more money to develop professional name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities for USC student athletes, The House of Victory, NIL sponsor of USC athletics, has partnered with Redondo Beach steakhouse The Rex.
Founded April 14, 2023 by long-standing USC supporters and former Trojans, House of Victory aims to provide an edge for student athletes, the athletic department and coaches. The organization helps student athletes earn compensation through contracted services such as event appearances, memorabilia signings and social media endorsements.
The House of Victory will host ticketed VIP ultimate tailgates catered by The Rex featuring meet-and-greets with current and former Trojan athletes, a full gourmet buffet, lounge seating areas to watch the game and more, said The Rex in an official press release.
“Our goal is to build awareness for our organization and to have an awesome experience for anyone who attends and wants to enjoy their time before entering the Coliseum,” said Spencer Harris, the executive director of the House of Victory.
The Rex and House of Victory’s partnership also goes beyond tailgates. The House of Victory has held multiple events catered by The Rex such as meet and greets, player dinners and away game watch parties.
“I think these guys [student athletes], they’re kids and they come from their neighborhoods and they come here to play. They give everything and the least we can do for us is feed them or support them however we can, you know. We’re in the business of feeding people,” said Walter Nuñez, executive head chef at The Rex.
Partnering with a USC organization is a perfect fit for The Rex. Nuñez revealed the ownership team at The Rex contains several USC alumni and one of his partners used to teach a class at USC. The Rex first considered partnering with The House of Victory because of the USC connection, but according to Nuñez, ultimately decided to go through with it because of the House of Victory’s mission to help student athletes.
The House of Victory’s mission, as shown on its website, is to “enable USC student-athletes to capitalize on their name, image and likeness by providing opportunities and resources from donors, fans, brands and various NIL sources.”
“It just felt like it was a great match between our organization that supports student athletes at USC,” Harris said.
Upcoming tailgates hosted by House of Victory and The Rex include USC vs. Washington on November 4 and USC vs. UCLA on November 18.