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- Athletic success ≠ NIL success
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Athletic success ≠ NIL success
And why this is
Mr. Beast running with bags of money. (Photo Credit: QUESTIMES)
When it comes to NIL, how good of an athlete you are in your sport does not necessarily mean success away from your sport.
You’re an All-American? Congrats! That’s an amazing accomplishment - and one you should be vary proud of.
However, that does not mean your inbox will be flooded with partnerships from all your favorite companies.
I’ve spoken to athletes who say, “I’m All-State, I’m the leading scorer on my team, I’m a multi-time first-team all-conference selection” etc. etc.
Yet, no NIL deals have come their way.
Why?
Brands don’t care (for the most part)
This is in no way a disrespect to the athlete; however, brands want sales and engagement, and the best student-athlete partner for them is one that has outstanding engagement on their social media content.
Brands will also lean towards working with an athlete who creates engaging content moreso than an athlete who is a prominent athlete/All-American who has very little content on their social media accounts.
Athletes are not elite in their sport AND elite content creators (and that’s ok)
While there are a few exceptions (ie., Travis Hunter), athletes are not generally great at both. So, something has to give.
However, being an elite athlete and an above-average content creator can provide big benefits for your NIL brand.
Be ready for your moment
If you have a big game on a big stage, are you ready for that moment in time?
Ensure your profiles are updated, you have numerous posts on your accounts, and make sure you are easily findable.
If you have a huge March Madness showing and your Instagram handle is ‘greenelephant3783’ then you may be losing out on partnerships.
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