With social media growing at a rapid rate, so are the number and popularity of “influencers” - individuals who gain a large following for promoting content related to a certain topic on social media, across platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. By regularly producing specialized content, users can become “influencers” and gain credibility with their audience, often regardless of actual credentials or expertise in the field.

‍

Whether followers crave content related to makeup tips, comedy, animal antics, or even study hacks, social media consumers have access to a huge amount of content on just about every topic. With one click of a button, it’s easier than ever to engage with curated content, and social media has become a prominent source for news, entertainment, and of course, sports highlights.

‍

The moniker influencers rightly suggests that social media personalities are promoting trends, products, and lifestyles. Their large fan bases often afford influencers a celebrity-like status, with followers scrutinizing what they’re wearing and what products they’re using. This opens the path for influencers to partner with brands to promote their favorite products, and social media has become a powerful marketing platform as a result.

‍

Sports figures have long been trusted brand ambassadors and highly sought by marketers. With the rise of social media, the opportunity for athletes to endorse products, directly or indirectly, is tremendous; but when it comes to collegiate sports, these athletes were prohibited from the marketing game until the introduction of NIL in 2021. NIL - name, image, and likeness - now allows amateur athletes to receive compensation and profit off of their popularity and often their already-sizable following on social media. 

‍

Because collegiate athletes essentially hold down two full-time jobs - playing their sport and advancing their education - receiving compensation for their social influence is a tremendous benefit since the introduction of NIL. Unlike traditional social media influencers, collegiate athletes are already beloved celebrities on and off campus and renowned as subject matter experts, representing both their sports and their schools. Because of this, they attract a much more genuine and loyal fan base which is highly valued from a marketer’s perspective. Not to mention, their audiences are highly engaged and provide the added benefit of audience overlap between athletes of the same teams or schools. 

‍

Looking at some of the most followed collegiate athlete influencers, it is inspiring to see how they have built their platform and profited off of NIL:

‍‍

Paige Bueckers: A junior guard for UConn’s Women’s Basketball, Buekers has an $823,000 NIL Valuation. With over one million followers on Instagram, Bueckers focuses her content on basketball content and marketing for her partnerships with StockX, Chegg, and Gatorade.

‍‍

Caleb Williams: With an NIL Valuation of $3.2 million, Caleb Williams is the quarterback for the USC Trojans. At 184,000 Instagram followers, Williams is partnered with brands like Neutrogena, Celsius, and Alo Yoga.

‍‍

Travis Hunter: With 575,000 Instagram followers, Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter has a $1.7 million NIL Valuation. Partnered with Celsius and Greenwood, Hunter is only a freshman and is sure to continue making a name for himself in Football and NIL.‍

‍

Hansel Enmanuel: Northwestern’s Men’s Basketball guard, Enmanuel has 1.6 million followers on Instagram and $1.4 million in NIL Valuation. Leading NIL in college basketball, he has deals with Gatorade, T-Mobile, and Adidas.‍

‍

Sunisa Lee: Olympic gold medalist and gymnast at Auburn, Suni Lee has a $1.4 million NIL Valuation. With 1.7 Instagram followers, she has had deals with many big name companies, including CLIF Bar, Amazon, Target, and Invisalign.

‍

Less than two years into NIL, collegiate athlete influencers are on the rise and already outperforming traditional influencers. While these examples showcase the biggest of names both on the athlete and brand sides, we see an incredible opportunity for local and smaller business to partner with these student-athletes. With platforms like MOGL to help facilitate brand deals, educate athletes, and assist in athletes building their personal brand, the opportunity for athletes and brands alike to capitalize on their significant influence has never been greater.