Are you having trouble making connections in the newfound NIL landscape? If so, don't give up just yet–today, we are counting down the top five platforms for athletes to align with in order to get their names out there and to take advantage of their new NIL rights. Many companies will put you in a position to excel in the world of NIL while you focus on school and athletics. Here are a few to put on your radar:

98Strong

This company founded in 2021 prides itself on working for the athlete. Founders Andrew Mavis and Nick Bunn were both water polo players at George Washington University and Harvard University respectively. They formed this NIL assistance company “to allow ALL student-athletes, including the 98% who won't go pro, to monetize their NIL in the easiest way possible.” This mission speaks to the dedication and commitment of the organization. 98Strong vows to work for athletes no matter their popularity, whether they have hundreds of thousands followers or only a few thousand. They also forward any potential deal directly to the university compliance office at your school so you can be aware of potential opportunities. The best part is it's free for athletes to use!

Website: https://www.98strong.com/

Instagram: @98strong_

Related: Limitless NIL: How this Penn State Football Star Created His Own Company to Help Athletes

CleanKonnect

Founded by Zain Motani and Fayyaz Adatia, CleanKonnect helps athletes navigate the NIL landscape. They take the pressure off of the athlete and family and allow you to focus on school and athletics. The company's mission is “to help high school and college athletes get paid legally and efficiently so they can focus on their academics and sports,” and they have the expertise to back their mission up–Motani has eight years experience in digital marketing and operations and Adatia has 10 years experience in consulting. CleanKonnect uses data to explore certain demographics of the athlete's social media to provide “for hyper-targeted brand campaigns.” This service is free to athletes but does take a fee after a deal is completed.

Website: https://cleankonnect.com/ 

Instagram: @cleankonnect

Dreamfield

Founded by Luis Pardillo, Andrew Bledsoe, and Aaron Marz in 2020, Dreamfield looks to “[connect] collegiate athletes with clients for talent booking opportunities.” This company focuses more on in-person and live events for athletes to attend, rather than honing in on the digital market. Dreamfield also uses a hands-on approach by negotiating their own agreements with business instead of waiting for businesses to reach out to them. This platform is ideal for athletes looking to expand into the live event space rather than the digital space. The service is also free for all athletes.

Website: https://www.dreamfield.co/ 

Instagram: @dreamfieldco

Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits

Gifted

Gifted was founded by three Arizona State University graduates, Alex Larson, Michael Matus, and Mertay Dayanc in 2020. Studying business law, data analytics, business administration, and computer science, the founders of Gifted form a formidable leadership group that is able to navigate the tricky landscape of NIL. The mission of the company is “[to] Afford Gifted minds the tools they need to represent themselves safely and professionally.”  They pride themselves on working with athletes and not just interacting through social media. Gifted sets themselves apart with their IOS mobile app and by building personal brand portfolios. 

Website: https://getyougifted.com/ 

Instagram: @thegiftedathletes

  Icon Source

Icon Source was founded back in 2018 by Chase Garrett. He has 15 years of marketing experience and has even managed athletes and agents across some of the biggest leagues in the world (MLB, NFL, NBA etc.). Icon Source was created before NIL even existed–they initially worked solely on professional sports marketing deals. Icon Source's mission is “to PROTECT and bring more opportunities to athletes and their agents.” Icon Source has plenty of tools to help athletes succeed in the NIL space, including a mobile app which is integrated to their platform, allowing any communication to be done via their website or app. They also have a vetted contract template which brands are unable to change, protecting the athlete. With all that being said, it is not free to use like the other platforms–however, Icon Source does bring experience and professionalism into the NIL landscape, which some newer platforms lack.

Website: https://www.iconsource.com/ 

Instagram: @iconsource_

In the end, all of these platforms can help you to influence the NIL market as you look to study and focus on athletics. It's important to remember to reach out to multiple sources and to partner with the company that fits you best. The NIL space only has room to grow so it can be crucial to have one of these companies on your team helping you navigate the system and reach your full potential.

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* Originally published on September 1, 2022, by Max Brown