NIL Deal Could Be Game-changer for Amateur Athletes in Smaller Sports

A Clemson University lacrosse player’s landmark name, image and likeness (NIL) deal could be the catalyst for similar arrangements for amateur athletes who play non-revenue-generating sports, according to a sports management expert at Florida Atlantic University.

In a recent example, Clemson’s Sofia Chepenik signed a permanent NIL deal with LootMogul, which is partnering with NIL entities to give college and high school athletes ownership shares of the company.

“Traditionally, we think of football players getting paid for sponsorship deals, but NIL has afforded more opportunities to athletes in such sports as golf, tennis, softball and swimming,” said Dan Cornely, assistant director of the MBA in Sport Management program at FAU. “Companies see success with football and basketball and want to branch out to other sports.”

Universities typically spend most of their time and resources marketing the football and basketball programs since interest in attendance at football and basketball games helps support the sports that don’t often draw large crowds.

But while softball, lacrosse, soccer and other sports may not have widespread fan followings, players can attract their own interest by being active on Twitter and other social media platforms. Endorsement companies will take notice of high school and college athletes whose popularity is increasing by what they write, do and say off the field. This will give more opportunities to female athletes, Cornely noted.

In June 2021, the NCAA approved a policy that allows college athletes to receive compensation for their name, image and likeness, a major victory for athletes and others who have long pushed for payments to college players. Florida was one of the first states to call for NIL laws in 2019.

In February, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 7-B, which eliminated NIL restrictions that precluded schools and coaches from helping facilitate deals for players. In return, athletes are required to take two financial literacy, life skills and entrepreneurship courses.

Before coming to FAU in 2019, Cornely was a captain and all-conference player on the football team at Hanover College in Indiana. He later coached football at Defiance College in Ohio for five years. He also was a scout and director of partnerships at Next College Student Athlete, a private company with a college sports recruiting platform that helps connect college coaches and potential recruits.

NIL deals and the changing landscape of college athletics are major topics in FAU’s MBA sport management classes, according to Cornely.

“A large majority of our students are former college athletes, and they all would have loved to sign lifetime NIL deals,” he said. “But there’s no doubt we will see more eye-popping deals with these other sports, especially for players who have strong social media followings.”

-FAU-