NIL, NCAA, and NASCAR

Recently, the NCAA Board of Governors proposed clarifications to the Names, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy and has thrust student-athletes into the treacherous waters of corporate sponsorship without a potential life preserver from the universities. Not only did the NCAA step back in their role of potential oversight, but they also limited the scope of protection universities could offer.?

Education of the student-athletes, in the forms of financial literacy, social media savvy, and brand building will be paramount. Third-party service providers who are equipped to help these students build and manage their own brands will serve as lighthouses helping athletes navigate the rocky shoals of corporate sponsorship.?

Fans of college athletics view NIL deals with binoculars and are fixated on the 6 and 7 figure deals that have made several athletes household names. More astute marketing executives are taking a microscope to the process and really getting to know the underlying athletes. The result of this is what will become the “NASCARification” of NIL. Rather than a handful of mega sponsors dominating the space, thousands of local and regional sponsors will step up with unique campaigns to work with these athletes. The result? A social media page that looks like a NASCAR jumpsuit.?

The most well-known corporate behemoths in the $20B college athletics space have dabbled about with NIKE, Gatorade, and Pepsi cautiously selecting their athletes, resulting in the mega deals that have dominated the headlines for a coveted group of athletes. Beneath the surface, the regional and local sponsors have made the real difference when it comes to brand activation and engagement, especially when it comes to the “average athlete.”??

Creative campaigns from law offices, orthopedic groups, regional soda brands, and even racehorse breeders have allowed students to establish and monetize their own brand. Rather than having a marquee sponsor, many of these athletes are taking advantage of some of the cutting-edge tech tools combined with social media to enhance corporate reach and rendering more authentic, feel-good campaigns that are delivering a true return-on-investment. This has been particularly beneficial for athletes getting behind charitable endeavors; the tech tools allow for easier donor engagement and for corporate sponsors to help back the cause.?

This has resulted in numerous “win-win” situations. For the athletes, small affiliate deals have augmented meal budgets- or more important- eliminated the need for on campus jobs in addition to their already rigorous schedule. Corporate sponsors are getting a more engaged and authentic brand representation. The ham-handed pitches thanking their “favorite mortgage broker” (while still living in a dorm) have given way to more empathetic endorsements showing athletes rehabbing at an orthopedic center.??

Authentic campaigns like these can be replicated at a minimal cost while capturing various demographics across the country. The rise of “Collectives” (University Booster Clubs) has significantly expanded the demographic reach and has created a compounding effect for social media boosting.?

Athletes who are properly educated will reap the attention of not just corporate sponsors, but corporate recruiters as well. Authenticity on and off the field coupled with a genuine, meaningful social media platform (which doesn’t always mean having tens of thousands of followers) will pay dividends in the short and long run. What’s the expression? Real recognizes real. Corporate recruiters are jumping in with many of the largest national corporations using NIL as a recruiting tool. Modest stipends help ensure that they remain on the athlete’s radar, potentially swaying a decision upon which accounting or brokerage firm they want to join upon graduation.?

The net results? For those crafty field hockey players or back up soccer goalies putting in the effort to be educated and properly protected (with the help of outside counsel when it comes to signing ANY deals), coupled with strong, authentic social media habits, success on the smallest scale is all but guaranteed.

Bundle a bunch of these together and in no time that athlete’s social media profile will look like the side of a NASCAR racecar and the corporate sponsors are here for all of it!?