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Today’s Case

VfL Wolfsburg launches NIL program within U.S. college athletics

International teams are slowly making their way to the U.S. for NIL partnerships.

Last year, German pro soccer club VfL Wolfsburg launched StrongHER U, believed to be the first NIL program by an European sports team and aims to empower female college athletes while integrating them as mentors and local ambassadors for the StrongHER project.

The club’s NIL program is spearheaded by Chattanooga soccer player JaNiya Stevens, who will collaborate with VfL Wolfsburg in order to promote StrongHER locally and to be involved in the community to support the young girls of the StrongHER project through their experiences and also coaching appearances during the training sessions of the StrongHER girls.

VfL Wolfsburg‘s StrongHER U program was developed in cooperation with NIL and athlete storytelling and brand development company FanWord.

FanWord CEO Chris Aumueller: “VfL Wolfsburg has put a tremendous amount of work into this program, and we couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with them and see this project come to life. The StrongHER campaign has a tremendous impact on local communities, and we are beyond thrilled to help extend its reach and impact here in the United States.

The Verdict

• NIL going global

  • Organizations outside the U.S. are beginning to see the value of partnering with college athletes for NIL deals.

    • Similar to the NFL playing games in Europe to broaden its reach and gain new fans, teams from other continents are entering the U.S. college athletics space to do exactly the same.

  • Additionally, partnering with FanWord (who has partnerships with dozens of colleges) to bring the program to life and craft strong storytelling is extremely beneficial for VfL Wolfsburg to make a significant impact within college athletics.

• The mission of StrongHER brings a strong vision for NIL deals

  • The program focuses on three dimensions: Training, Education and Mentoring. Similar U.S.-based organizations with similar missions can also leverage college athletes for NIL deals to spread their message.

  • Stevens is a great first partner for the brand, as she will leverage her social media platforms to promote the program and hopefully influence more female athletes to engage.

• Need to pass NIL law for international students

  • Last month, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the NIL for International Collegiate Athletes Act to allow international student-athletes access to NIL opportunities at the collegiate level.

    • If and when this is passed, look for more international organizations to move into the NIL space to leverage partnerships and grow their brands.

LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne partners with Accelerator Active Energy

The collaboration also benefits eight of Dunne’s teammates. Check out this video for more!

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