Thank you for your continued support of this newsletter. Please share with anyone who would be interested in this content.

If you are interested in NIL athlete representation, NIL education for your college or high school, and student-athlete personal brand coaching, please contact me: [email protected]

Today’s Case

PSI announces NIL partnership with Akron women’s basketball player

As part of its relationship with University of Akron Athletics, PSI Solutions, an education and health company, is teaming up with women’s basketball player and nursing major Lanae Riley through an NIL partnership to highlight the experience of working in a school health clinic and to advocate for nursing careers in educational settings post-college graduation.

Additionally, due to Riley’s three-point shooting success, PSI will donate health supplies and/or funds to some of their local partner schools for every three-point basket Riley makes this season. (She has gone 26-for-61 [.426] from three to date this season.)

Jacob Farrar, Director, PSI University Relations & Talent Acquisition: “At PSI, we were very strategic in our decision to enter the NIL space. We were looking for student-athletes enrolled in relevant majors to the services we provide in schools, have outstanding records in the classroom and on the court, and with an outgoing personality with a passion for their future career field. As a bonus, we would want someone who attended one of our partners schools in Ohio. We are lucky to find Lanae – she possesses all of these.”

Riley and members of the PSI team will visit a variety of PSI schools to showcase what it means to work in a school health clinic, highlight the impact a PSI employee can have on a school community, and promote opportunities for jobs for future nurses navigating the beginning of their careers.

The Verdict

• Post-graduation NIL is the best NIL

  • Since most NIL deals will not live on past a few weeks or months, partnering with companies that provide long-term benefits (internships, post-graduation opportunities, multi-year collaborations, etc.) are the best NIL deals to obtain.

    • While not every company is thinking this way, it pays for student-athletes to shift their focus to working with organizations over the duration of their college playing days. It’s worth it to sacrifice a short-term payday for a long-term opportunity.

• Mid-Major partnership

  • This shows that not every NIL deal involves a P5 school, as there is NIL value to be had at all levels of college athletics.

  • Moreso, props to PSI for knowing specifically what they wanted from their NIL partnership, and finding a perfect fit in Riley.

• Announcement seems a little late

  • While this partnership is phenomenal, the article date linked above is March 1.

    • Since the partnership took place throughout the season - and tied-in on-court performance (made three point shot = donation), it would make more sense to post this news last November (ie., the start of college basketball season).

NIL was a featured category on Jeopardy!

How many clues can you guess correctly? Check out this video for more!

Thank You for reading today’s newsletter

^{I discuss insights and news related to name, image and likeness in 3 minutes or less every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12p ET/9a PT.}

Follow Sports Court on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube for more NIL content!