Meanwhile, state laws and NCAA rules surrounding NIL are still in flux, which could create unexpected opportunities for athletes, schools and investors.Įmerging technologies help transform the sports experience The influx of money has influenced conference realignments and fundamentally altered recruitment incentives as players and schools grapple to maintain their athletic and financial edge. And though most of the NIL money went to athletes at established Division I schools, smaller Division II and III schools have made a dent as well. So, too, have athletes with arguably more media savvy than athletic talent. Star quarterbacks can have an estimated NIL value of more than $3 million, according to On valuations, but despite receiving far less media exposure, some women athletes have proven especially adept at attracting loyal audiences to their channels and securing lucrative sponsorships. It demands social media and self-promotion skills.

Thriving in the NIL ecosystem isn’t as straightforward as scoring points.

The NIL market is expected to surpass $1 billion by the time it turns two years old, with more than a third of those funds coming from donors eager to keep their favorite teams and schools competitive. Alston, enabling student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL), continues to upend the collegiate sports landscape and attract new investment. The Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling on NCAA vs. Winning in this context demands thinking creatively about how to tell an authentic and compelling story. All of these vertical ventures stand to increase revenue and amplify brand recognition for athletes, teams and leagues as well as their collaborative business partners.

Leagues, too, are experimenting with new modes of content creation, with Major League Soccer (MLS) selling its matches to Apple while the NFL opts for a direct-to-consumer platform. A host of star athletes have also launched production companies, as have several franchises, among them the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Consider Welcome to Wrexham, an FX series that chronicled the celebrity transformation of a Welsh soccer team. Content creators have enjoyed success with a wide range of offerings, from traditional documentaries to reality-TV series. Vertical integration of sports media continuesįans have a seemingly insatiable appetite when it comes to engaging with their favorite sports, teams and athletes.

Challenges for sports betting industry