Almost every star athlete in college football and basketball have signed endorsement deals ever since the Name, Image, and Likeness legislation went into effect last summer. To no one's surprise, football and men's basketball are the top two leading sports in NIL compensation. However, women's volleyball trails just behind basketball in compensation and actually ranks at #2 when it comes to the number of NIL deals. 

We've seen all the big names in college sports sign deals worth thousands of dollars: Uconn's Paige Bueckers with Gatorade, the Kentucky men's basketball team with FTX US, UCLA's Kam Brown with Mercedes-Benz, Mikey Williams with Puma, and Bryce Young with Cash App. These are just a few of the highly profitable NIL deals we've seen athletes sign recently, and they all have one thing in common: every single one has a large platform. So the question remains: do those athletes who aren't starters, star players, or influencers have an opportunity to profit? 

Related: Mikey Williams Paving the Way for High School Athletes in the NIL Era 

Playbooked
Luckily, to be successful at profiting off of NIL, you just have to know how to leverage social media and seek out deals. Playbooked, a platform created by volleyball player Chloe V. Mitchell, is just one of the places where student-athletes can find brands that are looking for athletes to work with. Athletes can also send personalized videos to fans, similar to the Cameo app. Sure, they may not have a million-dollar payout, but they provide opportunities for less well-known athletes to get started with NIL.

Look Local
The NIL era is also about getting creative. Sure, you may not have a big social media platform, but maybe you're well recognized and praised by your hometown. Numerous athletes have held camps and clinics for a small fee in their college or home towns. Thinking big, but staying close to home, many student-athletes have partnered with small businesses in their surrounding areas to make a decent profit or sometimes even just in exchange for free food or products. Shane Bell, a Division 2 football player, partnered with a local bakery, and is paid for making promotional social media posts and appearances. 

Related: 6 Most Interesting NIL Deals

Student-athletes who want to join this exciting era have opportunities at their fingertips. Constantly only hearing about the first-string players who sign deals with big name companies may be discouraging athletes from pursuing NIL deals, but they just have to know that opportunities are out there.

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* Originally published on March 14, 2022, by Celeste Gutierrez