5 Data Points that Separate NIL Fact from Fiction
Whether you are running an Athletic Department or just want to be smarter at cocktail parties 🙃, here #'s that will help you understand Name, Image, Likeness.
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If you have read my newsletter for the last 3 years or follow me LinkedIn, you know I often provide data and insights that clarifies NIL fallacies. Today’s newsletter is no exception, as I’ve chosen 5 of the most misunderstood and mis-used data in hopes of building an army (including you!) of knowledgable coaches, administrators, and other professionals.
85% of NIL is social media influencer marketing
The success of student-athletes as social media influencers has proven to be one of the most positive outcomes of NIL’s first few years.
85% of all NIL activity is social media influencer marketing and shows no signs of slowing down, due in large part to their exceptional engagement rates.
Engagement rate is the level of interaction on a social media post relative to the number of followers.
For traditional social media influencers, an Instagram engagement rate between 1-3% is considered average. A brand is ecstatic when their social media influencer’s engagement rate exceeds 3%.
Student-Athletes have an average engagement rate of 5.5%.
As long as the engagement rates of student-athletes continues to hold steady - and their follower counts grow - social media influencer marketing will continue to dominate NIL activities.
77% of women athletes think their NIL opportunities are tied to their physical appearance
I know, I know, I know - it’s en vogue to say how great NIL has been for women athletes. There’s no doubt NIL has been great for a few well-deserving women like Caitlin Clark, Livvy Dunne, Angel Reese, and others.
Among the concerns I have with this narrative is its impact on psyche women athletes.
Here’s some additional insights worth considering:
81% of women athletes say their NIL opportunities are limited as compared to male athletes (if they go to a school supported by a Collective, they are probably correct.)
77% of female athletes agreed with the statement: “NIL opportunities for women are tied more to physical appearance than athletic performance.”
Their male athlete counterparts agree - 71% of male student-athletes agreed with the same statement (“NIL opportunities for women are tied more to physical appearance than athletic performance.”)
Only 6% of student-athletes use professional service providers
According to the NCAA's NIL guidelines, student-athletes are allowed to hire Professional Service Providers to assist with securing or managing NIL activities.
Professional Service Providers include agents, tax advisors, marketing and social media consultants, attorneys, and brand management companies.
Despite NCAA rules that allow student-athletes to use Professional Service Providers, few do.
There are probably many reasons for this, but the main one is financial.
Most NIL deals are relatively small - there are far more $100 opportunities to post on their social media than there are $200,000 endorsement deals.
Considering that most agents charge 15% or more and attorneys regularly charge $300+ per hour, a $100 NIL opportunity does not justify their use.
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> % of student-athletes looking for networking, not $
> The number of sources tracking & publishing NIL earnings data on specific athletes
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