Since July 1st, 2021, college athletes in the U.S. have been able to make money off of their name, image and likeness, otherwise known as NIL. In the past, the NCAA regulated their ability to profit off of themselves while everyone in charge basically took advantage of them. But now that a new leaf has turned, the decision to stay and play for their colleges has loomed over young athletes rather than play in a professional league.
According to an article written by Jay Bilas from ESPN, “the NCAA was forced to give up on amateurism — a principle that has never been defined — due to numerous state laws being passed allowing athletes NIL rights.” To add insult to injury, the United States Supreme Court then unanimously ruled against the NCAA’s case.
It’s something that should’ve changed a long time ago. Who is a person without their name? All athletes want to do is be able to market themselves and create their personal brand. Whether through sponsored Instagram posts, collaborative TikToks or even as big as Super Bowl ads.
However, critics believe that stars of the team like point guards and quarterbacks would bask in the limelight while players in lesser-known positions would feel frustrated by the lack of attention. But the truth is it’s all about charisma. If you have a story to tell or just want to make people laugh you have the chance to let your personality shine through to your personal brand.
Before the NIL deals started rolling in, many players felt less inclined to stay one more year playing for their respective universities. Now that players can choose to earn money while continuing their education they are continuing their time in college athletics—and schools are willing to pay the price. According to the NCAA, in 2021, Division I schools reported revenue of $13.3 billion. These schools want to get the best athletes on their teams and athletes want to go to the schools that will bring them the best deals for their brands.
The University of Oregon is backed by Nike giant Phil Knight, which may explain why quarterback Bo Nix is willing to stay a second year at the UO. One moving piece that helps student-athletes at Oregon is Division Street, an organization backed by big UO donors, which has the mission “to help Oregon student-athletes build their own unique brand—while making the most of their name, image and likeness marketing opportunities.” Athletes looking for a school to build their NIL can look for opportunities like these to back them up.
While some athletes want their talent to solely do the talking and decide to go pro, others have their NIL to think about. It’s important for student-athletes to weigh out the options and decide if they are willing to advocate and market themselves or simply play sports.