Navigating Brand Deals in Athlete Marketing
Since the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) rule came out, college athletes have had the chance to build their personal brands and actually benefit from the hard work they put into their sport. To learn more about what this looks like in real life, I talked with a CU Boulder football player about his experience managing NIL deals, balancing his schedule, and what he’s learned so far.
(The player’s name isn’t shared due to sponsorship and NCAA compliance rules.)
When I asked him what the most valuable thing he’s learned about managing his personal brand has been, he talked about how important communication and organization are, “I’ve learned how important it is to talk with supervisors and stay connected through the NIL Club app. Being an athlete is really time-consuming, so managing school, practice, and brand opportunities takes organization. NIL has shown me that you can use athletics for success outside the sport too. It’s also a big help financially, most athletes don’t have time for a job, so NIL deals give us a way to earn some independence.”
CU Boulder gives athletes a lot of support when it comes to NIL. The player said that there are regular meetings and open conversations to help student-athletes make good choices about partnerships and stay within NCAA rules, “Our coaches talk about it often, and the Director of NIL and Revenue holds meetings for all athletic programs to go over opportunities and rules. His door is always open if we have questions. Football probably gets a little more guidance since we get more opportunities and have more funding, but the support is there for everyone.”
When it comes to advice for new players entering the NIL world, his message was simple:
“Take the opportunities and make yourself valuable. There aren’t really a lot of downsides unless the deal doesn’t feel authentic to you. Always look into the offers before accepting them.”
Even though I wasn’t able to interview CU’s Director of Football NIL and Revenue this time, there are still a few questions I want to ask in the future to get the full picture of how the program works.
How does CU Boulder help athletes identify and secure brand deals that align with both compliance rules and their personal values?
What are the biggest challenges you see student-athletes face when entering the NIL world for the first time?
How has NIL changed the recruiting and overall marketing strategy for CU Football?
What does a successful athlete-brand partnership look like from the university’s standpoint?
How do you see NIL evolving over the next few years, and what is CU doing to stay ahead of those changes?
Talking with this player showed me that NIL is about more than just sponsorships, it’s about learning how to balance life, money, and image as a student-athlete. It’s teaching players how to be professionals while still being students, and it’s changing what it means to be a college athlete today.