Game Day Private Jets adds TCU running back Jeremy Payne as athlete ambassador

Game Day Private Jets named TCU running back Jeremy Payne as its newest athlete ambassador on Aug. 27, 2026, tying the partnership to its college-sports travel platform and NIL strategy. The company will use Payne to promote private memberships, shared shuttle flights and its Impact Jet Card while spotlighting the realities of game-day travel for fans and families.

Why it matters: - Game Day Private Jets is using a current college athlete to market its travel platform and NIL-focused brand to fans, donors, families and businesses. - The partnership is meant to make premium game-day travel feel more connected to college sports culture, not just private aviation. - Payne gives Game Day a recognizable TCU face as the company pushes memberships, shared flights and jet-card products tied to college football.

What happened: - Game Day Private Jets announced Jeremy Payne as the newest student-athlete on the Game Day Athletes roster. - Payne is a TCU running back from Missouri City, Texas. - The announcement was made Aug. 27, 2026, in Houston. - Payne will serve as an Athlete Ambassador for Game Day. - Payne will help raise awareness for private travel memberships, by-the-seat Game Day Shuttle options and the Game Day Impact Jet Card. - Payne will also support select awareness efforts during the 2026 college football season, including the “Skip the Payne of Flying Commercial to College Football Games” campaign.

The details: - Game Day Athletes is designed to create NIL opportunities through storytelling, fan engagement and game-day experiences tied to college football. - Payne’s 2025 season included 623 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns after he moved into a larger role. - Payne’s season highlight was a 35-yard catch-and-run touchdown in overtime against USC in the Alamo Bowl. - Game Day founder and CEO Luis Garcia said Payne fits the brand because he is talented, humble, family-oriented and committed to his teammates. - The company said the campaign will spotlight travel pain points for college football fans, including limited commercial flights, expensive hotel weekends, long drives, crowded airports, rental car logistics and time lost getting to and from major college sports markets. - Fans, alumni, donors, families and businesses can create a free Game Day account, join school-specific travel communities, request private charters, explore shared flights and access by-the-seat Game Day Shuttle experiences for select games. - TCU fans in the Fort Worth area can join Game Day, connect with other Horned Frog fans and explore shared private jet options. - Game Day Shuttles are same-day private travel experiences that let fans fly to major games and return home the same day. - Select shuttle seats are expected to start as low as $1,995 for a same-day roundtrip. - Game Day says the shuttle model can reduce the need for hotels, rental cars and extended weekend travel. - The Game Day Impact Jet Card is available in $100K, $250K and $500K tiers. - The jet card is meant to provide a private travel solution that can also support school-aligned impact and NIL opportunities. - Ross Flurry, Game Day’s vice president of strategy and development, said the campaign is meant to show the sacrifices families make to support student-athletes and the time and money fans spend getting to games.

Between the lines: - Game Day is positioning itself at the intersection of travel, fan engagement and NIL as college sports brands look for new ways to monetize athlete visibility. - Payne’s family-centered story gives the company a narrative hook that fits its pitch to parents, donors and fans who travel for games. - The “Skip the Payne” campaign turns a product message into a sports pun, which should make the brand easier to remember during football season. - The broader pitch is not just luxury travel. Game Day is selling convenience, shared access and school-linked community.

What's next: - Payne will appear in Game Day awareness efforts during the 2026 college football season. - Game Day will continue promoting its membership model, shuttle flights and Impact Jet Card to college sports communities. - The company is also likely to lean on athlete storytelling as it expands its roster of ambassadors and school-specific travel communities.

The bottom line: - Game Day Private Jets is betting that athlete-led storytelling can turn private travel into a college-sports lifestyle product with NIL appeal.