The Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) movement has been a long-overdue victory, one that student-athletes have rightfully earned through their all-in commitment—mind, body, soul, health, and countless hours on the grind.
At the same time, it's piling immense pressure on athletic directors, coaches, and the entire athletic department. You're not just battling on the field anymore—you're up against teams with deeper pockets and the exhausting challenge of keeping your roster intact. The struggle to adapt is real, and it's taking a toll on everyone involved.
While the focus has been on scoring financial rewards like cars, products, services, and MONEY, the industry is starting to realize their playbook needs more. It’s not just about the immediate gains but also about equipping student-athletes with the tools they need to succeed in their first professional job search.
Give your student-athletes a head start in the world of sports marketing. The Athlete Brand Network is an online directory/community that connects them with a team of student experts from business, law, journalism PR/communication, photography and TV/media departments who are dying to use the best practices and strategies they are learning in classrooms to gain real-world experience helping student-athletes launch and manage their sports marketing businesses.
The Athlete Career GamePlan empowers student-athletes to take control of their career future. Funded by brands, sponsors, alumni, and more, (free to you) we provide 24/7 career support and development programs designed to help the 98 percent of your student-athlete who will need to find a job when they graduate.
The Athlete Brand Network is an online community connecting student-athletes with aspiring marketing professionals. Athletes can access a directory of students with expertise in social media, content creation, public relations, and more, to build their brand and manage their NIL opportunities. This allows athletes to focus on their sport while students gain real-world experience.