Back 2 School 4 NIL

What student-athletes should focus on this year

Author

Tariq Ahmad
August 20, 2025

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Back 2 School 4 NIL

What student-athletes should focus on this year

Back to School graphic. (Photo Credit: akpsi.org)

It’s that time of year.

A new school year (and sports year) is a good chance for a fresh start, whether academically, athletically, personally, or anything else.

And of course, it’s a great time for student-athletes to build and develop their brand.

Start the new year right

  • Commit to a posting schedule

    • At the very least, student-athletes should be posting weekly on their social media accounts. This should be a mix of athletic and lifestyle content. (ie., things they do away from sports.) To maximize brand building, aim for 2-3 posts per week.

    • Pro tip: Student-athletes should befriend their team/school photographers and videographers. These talented individuals will provide you high-quality images of you from practice, training, and games, and are generally approved images by the university.

  • Be proactive

    • If you’re a student-athlete that wants NIL deals, you should message at least one brand per week. Additionally, at first, avoid the massive brands (Nike, Amazon, Gatorade) and focus on brands in similar categories.

    • The template is simple: Name, school, sport, share your love for the company’s products/services, tell them you are interested in partnering.

  • Play the long game

    • Student-athletes should understand that NIL is not 4 years, it’s 40 years. Therefore, learning to build their brand over the course of their career within and outside of athletics is crucial, and will pay dividends in their chosen career path.

    • Yes, student-athletes may only have a few years of collegiate athletic eligibility, but setting the foundation of who they are and how they show up to the world over the long haul is priceless.

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