This March Madness, the Final Four aren’t the only ones in the spotlight. With ongoing updates to the NCAA’s NIL rules, investigations, and A-list sponsorships, athletes turning their names into brands are on the rise. Keep reading to find out how the amateur leagues are turning into an influencer hotspot.

What is the NCAA?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association, better known as the NCAA, is the organization that oversees college sports. There are three divisions and about 1,100 schools under its guidance in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada, according to their website. The National Collegiate Athletic Association, better known as the NCAA, is the organization that oversees college sports. There are three divisions and about 1,100 schools under its guidance in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada, according to their website.

What is NIL and why is everyone talking about it?

Name, image, likeness. These three words are dominating the world of college sports.

NIL refers to the regulations on student athletes profiting off their names. In 2021, the NCAA proposed a temporary policy for NIL. Prior to this, NCAA players could not be paid from endorsements. The only monetary value student athletes could receive were scholarships and benefits from their school. The 2021 proposal opened doors for athletes to capitalize on their success, but the world of NIL is still a huge work in progress.

The interim policy defined that schools in states with previously established NIL laws would abide by such. For the remaining states, the schools could create their own policies. Across all schools, however, NIL deals were absolutely not to be used for recruiting.

This is where it starts to get tricky. Fast forward to May 2022 – the NCAA passes an updated policy, banning collectives from any sort of recruiting activity.

What are collectives? Collectives are organizations typically made up of donors who fundraise for athletic programs. The donations are put towards NIL deals tied to a specific school or team, however collectives are not officially affiliated with these programs.

Upon more recent guidance, collectives were also banned from contacting prospective athletes at all regarding NIL opportunities until they’ve signed with a school. Players also cannot announce or enter into agreements with collectives before they’ve enrolled in classes.

These regulations are difficult to hold schools and collectives accountable to. NIL deals are private transactions, so many agreements that potentially violate the rules are swept under the rug. That is, until now.

The NCAA’s Division I Committee of Infractions (COI) were looking into NIL violations for months, but nothing had come up publicly until recently. After several investigations for various schools, it all came to a point in Tennessee.

The COI was investigating Tennessee for alleged NIL violations across multiple sports. It went public when the attorneys general of TN and Virginia filed an antitrust suit against the NCAA, challenging their ban on using NIL as recruiting. The suit questions how the COI decides when educating prospective athletes on their NIL opportunities for each school becomes a recruiting tactic. After all, it’s hard to prove an athlete signed with a school specifically for the NIL opportunities and not for any other reason. Plus, with the ability to profit off their brand, which student athletes have been barred from until the last few years, a school’s NIL options will certainly factor into any athlete’s decision to sign. It doesn’t necessarily mean that’s their only reason for doing so.

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in this lawsuit. Following the decision, NCAA President Charlie Baker, along with the Board of Directors, instructed the COI to halt all investigations. This has been in place since March 1st.

Brand Deals for Athletes

The opportunity for college athletes to make money off their name is a huge step forward in the decades-long debate on if college athletes should be paid.

While the rules surrounding NIL and recruitment are still being played out, athletes aren’t limited to the opportunities from a collective. Now that the gate has been opened, athletes can get paid from typical brand partnerships, or “directives”, which has incentivized a slew of campaigns in the last few years. Athletes like Livvy Dunne, Paige Bueckers, and Caleb Williams have even grown to influencer-level stardom among the new NIL rules and brand deals.

Now, as college basketball heats up with March Madness, partnerships are taking over the court. Let’s take a look at a recent NIL score for some of the players: SKIMS.

Inside the SKIMS All-Star Campaign

You may recognize this campaign from our Instagram, but Kim Kardashian’s loungewear brand SKIMS recently launched their All-Star Campaign ahead of March Madness.

The partnership promotes their new Men’s Terry Loungewear line, which dropped on their site March 21st. Featuring Men’s College Basketball stars Caleb Love (Arizona), Donovan Clingan (UConn), Hunter Dickenson (Kansas), Jared McCain (Duke), Robert Dillingham (Kentucky), and Paxson Wojcik (UNC), the campaign was announced via Kim’s Instagram on March 18th.

More players were featured in ads for the drop, but the “All-Stars” were at the center of the campaign. This was an interesting move on SKIMS' part, as this NIL deal features athletes from various, and competing, teams. Despite this, the campaign was a huge success on social media.

A NIL brand expert called the decision “brilliant” and said the campaign will “open up these players to an entirely new audience they’ve never been around before. And it’s a massive audience in the hundreds of millions.”

The Future of NIL

With the recent changes to NIL regulations, college athletes now have a unique opportunity to not only build their personal brand but also become influential figures in their respective fields. This is a chance for them to showcase more than just their athletic abilities, but also their personal traits and interests, which can help them connect with fans and brands on a deeper level.

In today's digital age, establishing genuine connections is crucial. This has led to brands like SKIMS recognizing the power of collaborating with influencers who resonate with their target audience and embody their values. SKIMS’ successful partnership with emerging athletes is a testament to this, as it has allowed them to tap into the authenticity, reach, and influence of these athletes, thereby reaching new audiences.

The collaboration shows the power of influencer marketing in sports, expanding the brand's reach and diversifying its audience base. By empowering athletes to share their stories and act as influencers, brands like SKIMS are reshaping engagement strategies in sports and fashion.

Influencer marketing bridges the gap between brands and audiences, boosting brand awareness, engagement, and loyalty. By aligning with authentic influencers, brands foster meaningful connections and drive success.

Are you ready to dribble into influencer marketing? If you are a brand seeking to expand your reach, VizSense is here to guide you. With our proven expertise in navigating influencer marketing, we can help you unlock exciting new opportunities and establish authentic connections with your target audience. Shoot us a message today, and we will make your vision a reality.