In a conversation with my favorite AI Bot, I was informed that contrary to my expectations WMU has no plans at present to use the AD's portion of the $550 million donation from two medical school graduates for NIL or paying athletes directly.  Here's what the Bot said:

The $50 million allocated for athletics at Western Michigan University as part of the Empowering Futures Gift is primarily intended for enhancing the athletic department's budget, upgrading facilities, and supporting student-athlete experiences. However, there is no specific indication that this funding will be directly used for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) payments to athletes.

Western Michigan has established the "Broncos Will Reign" collective, which is the official NIL collective for WMU Athletics. This collective is designed to support student-athletes by facilitating NIL opportunities, but it operates separately from the university's direct funding. Contributions to the collective are aimed at helping retain and recruit top talent, with 100% of the support going directly to student-athletes.

While the university's athletic director has mentioned the need to rebuild the athletic budget and improve facilities, the specific use of the $50 million for NIL purposes has not been detailed. The focus appears to be on broader athletic program enhancements rather than direct payments to athletes through this particular funding.

Of course, this may free up other funds for payment to athletes.  It certainly, puts WMU in an enviable position relative to other MAC schools.