The NCAA is laying out guidelines on where and when student-athletes can profit from their celebrity.<\/b>
\nPosted June 30, 2021 6:50 p.m. EDT Updated June 30, 2021 7:03 p.m. EDT By Chris Lea, Adam Owens, Kevin Kuzminski It\u2019s a whole new world in college sports. For decades, the NCAA has limited where, when and how student-athletes can profit from their celebrity. That all changes with new rules that allow players to profit from their name, image and likeness \u2013 often called NIL. So, what will this look like? „You are going to see a range of people finally profit off their name,“ said Joe Giglio, co-host of The OG on 99.9 FM The Fan. It will likely start with social media, already a large marketing tool for popular athletes. „Someone who wants to advertise on his Instagram or any of his social media accounts, it will now be allowable under NCAA rules,“ Giglio explained. „When you have someone that has a million and a half followers on Instagram, there is no reason why he wouldn’t be able to make a deal with Verizon.“ Initially, it will be a lot to navigate. Dean Jordan is with Wasserman, a sports marketing and talent management company. He believes there will eventually be federal rules on how these deals with student-athletes will work. „I do believe there will be a federal standard because of the difference in state laws,“ Wasserman said. So, how many athletes will benefit from this? As the old saying goes, value is determined simply by whatever someone is willing to pay. So, in this case, well-known student-athletes with large social followings are the most likely to profit. But, in any college sport, the top tier of household names will likely stand to make significantly more than the rest. „That upper echelon will be few and far between,“ Jordan said. Right now, there are NIL changes at the state level. In Florida, Georgia and Texas, rules are going to effect to allow student-athletes to get in on endorsements. Giglio feels North Carolina may need to act soon to stay competitive. „You are going to see something from North Carolina, I am sure, in the coming days, given the number of schools we have in this state who are going to want to be competitive,“ Giglio said. Jordan, who called this „an action whose time has come,“ sees little effect at schools like Duke, Carolina and NC State when it comes to athlete recruitment. In fact, the exposure that large programs such as these will provide may make recruiting easier. „They are going to have the success because of the tradition, not because of the NIL,“ he said. Bobby Robinson is a Charlotte-based attorney and NIL expert who represents athletes. He provided WRAL with a playbook as to what athletes and students should do as early as middle school. Robinson says not only should college athletes begin to protect their brands, but also high school and even middle school athletes. He suggests five steps athletes and their parents should take immediately for their brands. Robinson says doing those things opens up different ways student athletes can benefit from these new NIL rules.<\/p>\n