How Universities are adjusting to NIL changes + Exclusive Interview
Now Presenting This Week in NIL, a newsletter about everything you need to know to keep up with the rapidly changing world of name, image, and likeness in college sports!
This week we are focusing on moves made by Universities to establish themselves as NIL leaders as well as an interview with Octagon Account Executive Joshua Jamieson!
This Week in NIL:
💫 Learfield is helping student-athletes and Universities co-brand
🐅 LSU NIL Twitter Account releases a hype video
🎙️ Interview with Joshua Jamieson of Octagon
LEARFIELD Allied is helping student-athletes and Universities co-brand
College Athletics media and technology company Learfield is helping student-athletes and Universities take advantage of a previously barred part of NIL deals: using a school logo or IP in an advertisement. Now, when student-athletes make a social media post promoting a sports nutrition drink they might also be able to use university branding in that post (after obtaining permission).
At launch, the service will be available to college athletes at Duke University, Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Kansas, University of Louisville, St. John’s University, Syracuse University, University of Utah and University of Wisconsin with more Universities coming soon. Other organizations such as The Brandr Group are also partnering with Universities to bring this vision to life.
Our takeaway:
In many cases, a student-athletes affiliation with a specific school or university is the most powerful part of their brand. Being able to use school IP in posts could significantly increase the value of the post, especially if it is also able to be posted on brand accounts. There will need to be regulations to limit what products or services can be promoted with this cobranding but it should be a net positive for all parties.
@WeAreNILSU Twitter Account releases a hype video
NIL Hype video? NIL Hype Video.
The cleverly-named @WeAreNILSU twitter account is highlighting the school's efforts to support student-athletes in NIL endeavors. And with social media stars Shareef O'Neal (2.6 Million IG followers) and Olivia Dunne (1.3 Million IG Followers), they certainly have some material to work with.
What started as a Times Square Billboard has turned into another vertical to promote their NIL efforts which will certainly play a role in recruiting.
Our takeaway:
Name you need to know: Incoming LSU basketball player Flu'jae Johnson who is both the No. 26 prospect in the 2022 recruiting class and a rising star in the music industry. She has nearly 1 million followers across social media and has appeared on television series like Rap Game and America's Got Talent per a press release on their website.
Interview with Joshua Jamieson of Octagon
Earlier today I talked with Joshua Jamieson, former college golfer for Northwestern University and now Senior Account Executive at Octagon (a sports and entertainment talent agency that has worked with athletes like Simone Biles and Giannis Antetokounmpo).
Three notable quotes from my conversation from Jamieson:
"With student athletes earning the rumored amounts, and that will only prove to go up."
"I think it is going to change the product… you are sadly going to see a bit of a collapse of the traditional student-athlete dynamic… and a bit more convergence with professional sport"
"We've seen murmurings of it but I think we are going to see a massive amount of the elite bunching together. Breakaway is a strong word, but forming their own divisions and leagues [such as the Premier league's successful version of a breakaway that wasn't quite as drastic]"
Our takeaway:
First, Having confirmation from an industry expert that student-athletes endorsement revenues will only continue to rise mirrors previous data releases on NIL deals.
Second, we are likely to see a change in the college sports product is perceived due to more money flowing to college athletes as well as continued restructuring into "super conferences" like the Big Ten, Pac-12, and ACC alliance.
Top NIL Deals you need to 👀
Drew Timme x Northern Quest Resort & Casino
Deestroying and Sedona Prince x “More Than An Athlete” Apparel Line and Video Series
Kansas Walk-On Tight End Jared Casey (Game winning catch vs. Texas) x Applebee’s
“National Champions” Movie x Various Athletes
Thanks so much for reading! This Week in NIL is brought to you by the team at 8 In The Box Productions: we create branded video content for student-athletes and brands. If you want to get in touch or provide any feedback our email is here! Finally, if you enjoyed this newsletter please consider subscribing and sharing with someone who you think would enjoy it too!
Nice overview!