A new era of college athletics begins today as student-athletes can be compensated for endorsement deals and other business ventures and not lose their eligibility. Charles Hanagriff works for MatchPoint which will help connect companies and athletes together. He says star athletes with a strong social media presence will benefit the most.
“So not just anybody can go out there and garner a half-a-million views or amass a million social media followers, the craft has to come first,” said Hanagriff.
LSU football players Myles Brennan, Derek Stingley Junior, and Kayshon Boutte have announced paid partnerships with Smoothie King and Walk-ons and other businesses. Cajuns Quarterback Levi Lewis is a spokesman for EatLafayette.
Hanagriff says a few athletes will strike six-figure deals, but most of the sponsorship agreements will be for a few hundred bucks.
“I think you are going to see way more two and three-hundred dollar deals, four and five-hundred-dollar deals, those will be grassroots deals,” said Hanagriff.
Hanagriff says football and basketball players will not be the only ones benefitting from NIL, name, image, and likeness.
“Some of the Olympic sports that have players with huge, huge, social media following including right here in Baton Rouge, with gymnast Olivia Dunne,” said Hanagriff.
Industry analysts say Dunne could bring in more cash than any other student-athlete because she has five million followers between Instagram and Tik Tok.
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