“What is NIL?”
I get that question more times than I can count.
In the sports world, NIL feels like one of the most important changes to happen in my lifetime. It has completely changed college athletics, giving athletes opportunities to make money from their name, image, and likeness while they are still competing. If you follow college sports, it is almost impossible to avoid conversations about NIL.
Step outside of the sports world, and it is completely different. Many people have no idea what NIL is, how much it has changed sports, or what it means for athletes. I see this firsthand when I talk to and network with business owners. Many have never heard of the term at all, and they could be missing out on a huge opportunity for their business.
NIL is not just for national companies signing star college athletes to major endorsement deals. Local businesses can work with athletes to promote their products and services too. Depending on the state and applicable rules, that could even include high school athletes. In my NIL Program, I provide information on what high school athletes are allowed and not allowed to do because the rules can vary by state.
A Bigger Following Does Not Always Mean Better Marketing
Imagine you own a local deli and have two options. You can work with an influencer in another state who has 100,000 followers or a local athlete who has 5,000.
At first, 100,000 followers seems like the obvious choice. However, those followers could be spread across the entire country. If your deli is in New Jersey, someone seeing the post in California probably is not going to become your next customer.
Now think about the local athlete with 5,000 followers. Their audience could include classmates, teammates, parents, coaches, friends, alumni, and people from the surrounding towns. Those are people who could actually walk into your business.
For a local business, reaching 5,000 of the right people could be much more valuable than reaching 100,000 people who live nowhere near you.
Let Athletes Handle the Social Media
Nowadays, almost every business needs some type of social media presence. People use social media to find restaurants, gyms, clothing brands, training facilities, and countless other products and services.
The problem is that not every business owner likes posting on social media. Creating videos, following trends, and constantly thinking about what to post takes time. Some business owners simply do not want to do it.
That is where athletes can help.
Many high school and college athletes are already good at social media. They know how to create videos, follow trends, and communicate with their audience. More importantly, they already have people paying attention to what they post.
Instead of trying to become a content creator yourself, an athlete can create content featuring your business and put your product or service in front of thousands of people. You can continue focusing on running your business while athletes help get your business in front of more people.
NIL Does Not Have to Be a Huge Investment
Another misconception is that working with athletes requires thousands of dollars. NIL deals can be much simpler, especially for local businesses.
Food businesses may have one of the easiest opportunities. High school and college athletes will NEVER say no to free food. A restaurant could provide meals as part of an NIL partnership rather than starting with a large cash payment.
The same idea can work for other types of businesses. Athletes may value free clothing, haircuts, gym memberships, training sessions, recovery services, or other products and services. A college athlete on a tight budget might even appreciate something as simple as free soap.
A business may be able to provide something that does not cost much but has real value to an athlete. In return, the athlete can help introduce that business to people who may have never heard of it before.
