NIL Is For Everyone
It has been roughly two years since the NCAA, under external pressure from state legislatures, enacted the Name, Image, and Likeness policy which promptly threw the world of college athletics into a frenzy. Since then, colleges and universities have been attempting to understand and navigate the new landscape as they figure out the best ways to capitalize on these new opportunities. Perhaps more importantly, they are trying to make sure they don’t fall behind their competitors. There is no doubt that the long-term effects of this change will be massive, and could very well spell the end of the current NCAA model.
There have been countless articles written in magazines and journals about these grand possibilities, and the 7-figure deals being landed by the top athletes. While these stories dominate the headlines, they don’t really speak to the 99.9% of athletes who struggle in the trenches of college sports.
I want to explore the question of how the average college athlete benefits from NIL. I played Division II college baseball at Sonoma State University, located in a suburb of Santa Rosa with a total student body of around 7,000. Our baseball team was a perennial powerhouse at the Division II level, and when the sun emerged in April and May, we provided a solid gameday experience, and our games were well attended. By well attended, I mean 300-500 people, not the tens of thousands in-person or the millions who tune in on TV to watch the big revenue sports. Our market was local, and even today I am sure our social media footprint would be minimal.
So how could NIL change the life of someone like me?
First, what has changed?
The new NIL rules allow college athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness. In simple language, this means that student-athletes can now:
Sign endorsement deals: Athletes can work with brands and companies to promote their products and services in exchange for payment.
Sell merchandise: They can create and sell items with their name or image, such as t-shirts, hats, or posters.
Host camps and clinics: Athletes can organize and earn money from events where they teach their sport to others.
Make appearances: They can get paid for attending events or participating in media interviews.
These changes are meant to give college athletes greater financial opportunities and exposure, although they must still follow certain rules, such as not using their school's logo or trademark without permission.
Popular athletes in the most popular sports tend naturally to benefit more from NIL because they have greater visibility, larger fan bases, and higher media exposure. This, in turn, leads to more lucrative endorsement deals, sponsorships, and other business opportunities. Brands and companies are often more inclined to work with well-known athletes, as their association can significantly boost brand recognition and appeal to a wider audience. Here are some early examples of major NIL stars.
Bryce Young: The University of Alabama quarterback leveraged his successful Heisman season into deals with major national brands like Dr. Pepper, Nissan, Beats by Dre, and others. He is often seen starring in their national television ads.
D'Eriq King: The current XFL quarterback has partnered with six businesses, including College HUNKS Hauling Junk and Moving Company, The Wharf (an outdoor event space in Miami), Murphy Auto Group, Dreamfield (a company focused on helping student-athletes monetize their name), Panini America, and the Florida Panthers.
Olivia Dunne: The LSU gymnast has leveraged her massive social media presence to sign various endorsement deals, including the athletic wear brand GK Elite.
Haley and Hanna Cavinder: The University of Miami women’s basketball players have signed multiple deals totaling millions of dollars with Raisin’ Cane’s, Boost Mobile, and Intuit TurboTax.
These deals get written up in the New York Times, Forbes, and Sports Illustrated, and as a result, athletes in less visible sports and situations see this as another example of the “rich getting richer.” While those few fortunate souls may reap the greatest rewards, there's a lot more to it. That under-sized first baseman for Sonoma State may not be signing a major deal with Dr. Pepper to appear in their next Super Bowl ad, but if the student-athlete’s idea of success switches from “life-changing money” to “life-enhancing money” some incredible opportunities avail themselves.
Here are some of the best examples of how student-athletes capitalize on their play to enrich their lives while in college or set themselves up for success upon graduation.
The most practical opportunity comes through camps and clinics. Athletes who play less visible sports or on less visible teams often come from small communities where they were considered the best local player of their generation. A local star from a rural town could end up playing for a Division II volleyball team, and still be remembered as the most successful athlete to come out of that area in years. They may not be world-famous, but their name carries clout back home. With the introduction of NIL, that volleyball star could return home for the summer and host a string of camps and clinics for their old volleyball club. They might inspire hundreds of younger athletes in their hometown to follow in their footsteps to work hard and strive to attend college. Meanwhile, they could make $5,000-$10,000 over the summer.
Would $5,000-$10,000 have changed my life when I was playing college baseball? Absolutely.
Examples of athletes hosting camps:
Anna Camden (Volleyball): Penn State’s Anna Camden jumped on NIL opportunities immediately and hosted a volleyball camp in Happy Valley. She utilized the school’s popularity in the local community to attract a large following of young players.
Spencer Shrader (Football): The USF place kicker joined with several teammates to host a special teams camp at a local South Florida high school charging attendees $75 per player.
Taylor Cummings (Lacrosse): The former University of Maryland lacrosse player, and three-time Tewaaraton Award winner, has conducted several lacrosse clinics and camps for young players. These events focus on teaching essential lacrosse skills and strategies to help participants enhance their game.
Katelyn Ohashi (Gymnastics): The former UCLA gymnast, who gained widespread recognition for her viral floor routine, has participated in and hosted gymnastics clinics for young athletes. Ohashi shares her expertise and passion for gymnastics, inspiring and motivating the next generation of gymnasts.
Another big change that NIL has brought is the ability for student-athletes to use their name in other ventures, not necessarily related to their sport. In a previous era, the NCAA penalized athletes harshly who dared to have external pursuits. The classic case is Jeremy Bloom, a world-class skier who was also an extremely talented wide receiver. Bloom spent years developing into an Olympic-level talent on the slopes, but skiing is an incredibly expensive sport. He used endorsements from ski companies to fund his trips to races around the world, train with top-level coaches, and secure premier equipment. At the same time, he was pursuing college football. He was recruited to play for the University of Colorado, Boulder, but was informed he needed to renounce all of his skiing endorsements even though they had nothing to do with football. After a successful freshman season of football, Bloom decided he wanted to take a shot at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Unable to fund his dream of competing for the US Olympic Team without the help of sponsors, he took the money. That fall, the NCAA deemed him ineligible to play football, and he never played another game for Colorado. In this new NIL era, Bloom would have been able to chase both his Olympic and football dreams.
Another example of how the new rules open opportunities for student-athletes is Will Ulmer, a lineman at Marshall University who is now able to pursue his music career. Before the rule change, college athletes were prohibited from profiting off their name, image, and likeness. Ulmer had to perform under a stage name so the NCAA didn’t deem him ineligible for football. What did playing football have to do with his ability to make money off the art he created? Nothing, but the previous rules wouldn't allow him to sing under his own name.
There are thousands of athletes across the country who have hobbies and passions beyond their sport, and many of them have the ability to profit from their talent.
Would the opportunity to make money off other hobbies and activities have made a difference for my teammates in college? Absolutely.
Even a small-scale change can make a huge difference. The average American college baseball player is living by the skin of their teeth. I had a few teammates over the years who came from enough money that they were able to enjoy some simple luxuries, but the vast majority of us were trying to keep $200 in our bank account for emergencies over those years. Athletes spend so much of their time working on their sport and studying in class that they seldom have time to get jobs or make money on the side.
Some recent NIL deals that seem insignificant to some would have been game-changers for my college self. Pennzoil is signing college athletes to NIL deals. In exchange for promoting their brand and products on social media, the athletes all get free oil changes and gift cards for car repairs.
A restaurant in Auburn, Alabama recently cut a deal with the team’s offensive and defensive linemen. In exchange for social media promotion, they could eat for free. The amount of food a college athlete consumes, much less a lineman (or swimmer or baseball player), would shock most people, And that food is expensive. Free food from a local restaurant could be a lifesaver to a college athlete just scraping by.
Would free meals and oil changes have changed my life while I was playing in college? Absolutely.
Every little bit of opportunity, income, and exposure can be beneficial to college athletes across the country, especially those from less-advantaged backgrounds. When I think about NIL, I don’t think about the superstars who are making millions. I think about my teammates and I, bouncing from the McDonald’s Dollar Menu to weekend $12 All-You-Can-Eat Sushi. This new NIL world provides student-athletes a chance to go out and change their circumstances. It may not be easy for an average player in a marginally popular sport to hustle a deal in a small town, but it’s not impossible either. And there are examples appearing every day of people in that very situation using these new rules to improve their lives.
