There has always been a debate on whether college athletes should get paid or not, but according to a 2021 Morning Consult survey, 62% of adults believe that college athletes should be able to get paid through endorsements such as jerseys and video games. Once the NCAA made it official that college athletes could be paid in something related to their name, thousands of college athletes tried to get paid as fast as they could. So how can college athletes max out their earning potential in the new NIL marketplace? 

Related: 3 Necessary Financial Planning Steps for Your NIL Earnings

In a Word: Network!

There are a bunch of different ways to receive an NIL deal but if you want to maximize your profits you want to increase your followers on social media. That is what the major companies want: a person that everyone knows and respects as an athlete. If you look at any college athlete in a commercial or ad for a big company, they're social media platforms will be famous.  That is why they are getting approached by these companies because everyone knows them already. 

Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits

Now obviously everyone can't become viral on TikTok or Instagram so there are other options. For a lot of athletes, partnering with local restaurants and stores can be a good route, whether or not they have a massive following. For example, the Vitamin Shoppe worked with 14 college athlete influencers who were all under 10,000 followers on social media, proving that NIL success is all about getting your name out there and networking with as many people as you can, whether that's locally or nationally.

The single best thing you can do to maximize your NIL potential is to network. Whether this involves amassing a big social media following or chatting up local businesses is up to you. But in NIL and in life, it's not what you know, it's who you know. 
Have an idea for a story or a question you need answered? Want to set up an interview with us? Email us at [email protected]

* Originally published on September 28, 2022, by Chris Russo