Media Briefing: As student athletes begin signing brand deals, sports publishers want in

By Kayleigh Barber

This week’s Media Briefing looks at how publishers are starting to create series and new business franchises around student-aged athletes in both high school and college, now that the NCAA is allowing these players to monetize themselves in name, image, and likeness deals.

Student athletes are now available for brand deals and sports media brands are seeing dollar signs
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Student athletes are finally available for brand deals and sports media brands are seeing dollar signs

There is a new cohort of public figures that marketers can now incorporate into their sports media budgets for brand deals: student athletes.

On July 1, the NCAA changed a decades-old rule that prevented current and prospective college athletes from making money off of their name, image or likeness (NIL). Now these 16- to 22-year-olds are in a position where they can make money from endorsements and sponsorships — all the while remaining eligible to play for their college teams.

Already, companies like Panini America, a memorabilia and trading card manufacturer, have penned deals with these athletes, such as an agreement with three college quarterbacks, D’Eriq King, Graham Mertz, and Matt Corral, to make branded footballs, helmets and custom prints that can be used in meet and greet signings with the players.

So naturally, where there are advertising dollars being spent, there are publishers playing to win a portion of those budgets. And the strategy they’re taking is to go beyond the branded social media posts that rely solely on the number of followers the players have, but focus on creating shows and franchises that highlight players’ personalities and passions outside of the game.

Team Whistle, for one, is in the process of filming two new shows for its social and CTV platforms that are personality-led by college athletes on both the men’s and women’s teams and focuses on their lives and side hustles off the court and field:

“Put You On” is a show where every episode a new college athlete takes a camera crew through the city or town where their college is located. It is meant to be a behind-the-scenes look into their lives, including where they like to hang out with friends or eat or study, but does not take place on-campus or during games.
The second show, “Side Hustle,” also follows one player at a time, but looks at how these student athletes are in the process of monetizing themselves through NIL deals in between classes and practice. It is a spin off of ‘My Hustle,’ which focuses on professional athletes who are creating businesses outside of their sport.

The two new shows have yet to secure brand deals, according to Dustin Fleischman, svp of brand partnerships at …read more

Source:: Digiday