Wyoming’s NIL Home Run: Gyllenborg and Grace Wicks Deliver a Chugwater Chili Hit
- Jeff Bugher
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
LARAMIE, Wyo. - The first time it played on the video board at War Memorial Stadium video board, the crowd loved it. By now, Wyoming fans know it by heart: tight end John Michael Gyllenborg, seated in full uniform, spoon in hand, being interrogated by a Grace Wicks, the quick-witted daughter of men’s head basketball coach Sundance Wicks, in a Chugwater Chili commercial that has quickly become a Wyoming classic.
The spot is charming, funny, and Wyoming. It gives the state’s longest-running chili brand a spotlight and showcases the growing role of NIL opportunities for athletes at the University of Wyoming.
Gyllenborg laughs when asked how he ended up as the face of Chugwater Chili this year.
“Clay Hatfield is our NIL representative with some of that sort of stuff. He's been doing a great job at getting us some cool deals. It was all set up by Clay and Chugwater Chili, the company,” he said. “I don't know exactly why they decided to choose me. As flattering as I am on camera, I would assume. I'm just kidding.”
Last year, defensive tackle Jordan Bertagnole was the athlete featured in the chili company’s NIL promotion. So when Gyllenborg got the message, he assumed it would be something similar.
“They said come in your uniform. I showed up, and Sundance's daughter, Grace, was ready to roll. She had been practicing for a week, and she had her lines down.”
Grace was the star. Gyllenborg’s role? Minimal, but intentionally so.
“They said, ‘We're going to have you sit here eating chili, and this is what she's going to say. You're kind of going to act a little bit annoyed, but just kind of be short and just respond with like, yes or whatever.’”
All in one take!
“We did one take from three different camera angles… We were in and out of there in like 15 minutes. Grace did a great job. She came prepared and had most of the talking. So it was really smooth.”
Gyllenborg also got to spend time with Sundance, Wyoming’s larger-than-life basketball coach who brings “the juice” to everything.
“He's awesome. He's such a great guy… He brings the energy. That's just the kind of guy he is. I think we’ve got a good coach for the basketball team.”
And yes, Grace is absolutely her father’s daughter.
“Sundance brings energy… I think his kids fall right in line with that.”
How was this idea born?
Clay Hatfield of Wyoming Sports Properties coordinates NIL partnerships like this one. His job blends creativity, relationships, and finding the right athlete for each Wyoming business.
“When it comes to doing NIL, we want to make a story and we want to make it make sense… And John Michael Gyllenborg being not only an incredible athlete, but incredible person has been huge… his personality was a perfect match for the content we came up with.”
“I kind of scripted it. I had a couple ideas… I did not know that it would work as well as it did, especially with little Miss Sundance. She was awesome.”
Hatfield took it from there.
“I had found out that Coach Sundance has a little girl at about the same age we were looking for… She decided she wanted to do it and was super excited.”
From Sundance’s perspective, that excitement didn’t fade for weeks.
“Grace is like me. She's an extrovert.”
When she was asked to be in the commercial?
“Chugwater Chili - what a breakthrough. Let me tell you.”
Wicks joked that he might have to trade his whistle for a career in Hollywood, including chauffeur duty. Tongue in cheek.
“She wants to follow Taylor Swift's route… We're probably going to have to quit coaching and move to Hollywood here in a couple years.”
Grace took it seriously - very seriously.
“I was John Mike for about two weeks every night before bed, and I had to go through the lines… I'm nowhere near as good-looking.”
The Wicks family loves the final product, and Grace is already asking:
“When's the next one? When's the next one?”
Chugwater Chili: A Wyoming small business betting on Wyoming Athletics and NIL
For Karen Guidice, owner of Chugwater Chili, supporting Wyoming Athletics is an investment that is paying off.
“I was impressed with what Wyoming was doing to keep their players and I'm a huge sports fan. I saw the importance of it. And I thought this might be a really nice opportunity for Chugwater Chili to become involved in that.”
The company tried football-focused NIL for the first time last year.
“We went ahead and tried it last year, and we liked it, and we changed it up a little bit this year. We like it better. And yeah, it's a good program.”
Chugwater supports other UW programs, too.
“We also support basketball and the rodeo team.”
Though Guidice wasn’t on set for the commercial shoot, she loved the result.
“I trusted these guys, and it turned out great. I love the ad.”
The response from customers? Immediate.
“Oh, all the time. Absolutely. Yep.”
For her, NIL isn’t just business. It’s investing in Wyoming.
“We've been supporting the University of Wyoming for several years, and I don't see us ever stopping… It's extremely important for us.”
Why this matters: NIL that feels like Wyoming
There’s a bigger message underneath the chili and the commercial lines. For starters, businesses big and small can get involved in NIL advertising.
“The special thing about Wyoming is exactly that, it's the one university here in the state… Our packages are extremely customizable… It's truly an opportunity for everybody,” Hatfield said.
Guidice agreed:
“They made it work for us.”
NIL success isn’t just about money, but it's also about the connection.
“It's the feeling of appreciation from the community, and that really great accomplishment feeling for athletes,” Hatfield said.
The Chugwater Chili commercial is exactly that: A Wyoming athlete, a Wyoming family, and a Wyoming business coming together to create something memorable, meaningful, and fun. All while contributing to NIL
Chugwater Chili: https://www.chugwaterchili.com/
Clay Hatfield (NIL Busienss Manager, Wyoming Sports Properties): https://gowyo.com/staff-directory/clay-hatfield/1506
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