NIL Partnerships are Extending Personal Branding Opportunities to Non-Athletic Students With Unique Talents

 

The advent of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) laws in collegiate sports means personal branding is not only for social media influencers or big-time celebrities anymore. The landscape of personal branding is becoming increasingly democratized. This is particularly significant on college campuses where, beyond athletes, non-athletic personalities have an opportunity to market themselves, too. The various disciplines of talent they display is also a chance for them to increase their stock value in the eyes of future employers or sponsors. 

The key, however, is the role of marketing directors who can offer assistance in shaping these unique talents to broader interest and even more sponsorship deals. But the responsibility is on both ends. The students must be proactive, continuously updating their digital selves, showcasing their skills, and engaging with their audience. The idea that anyone can be a brand is not new, but it’s a concept that’s gaining serious traction in academic settings. 

Leigh Steinberg is an Adjunct Professor at Concordia University Irvine and a renowned sports agent. He has years of expertise in the fields of branding and marketing spanning nearly five decades. Steinberg is Chairman of the Board at Steinberg Sports & Entertainment, which he has led since 1975. Sports law is his specialty in teaching at several institutions. 

He briefly explained how non-athlete students can also gain ground in obtaining NIL deals. With the Midwestern convenience store chain, Kwik Trip, recently partnering with University of Wisconsin–Madison marching band student, Will Hazeltine, Steinberg mentioned how this just the latest in similar non-athlete NIL deals to come.

Steinberg’s Thoughts on Personal Branding

“As the field of NIL expands, it’s inevitable that there will be non-athletic personalities on college campuses who, much like influencers in different areas, can again take advantage of logo and branding to be marketed. So, it could be a member of the marching band, it could be a dramatic arts major, it could be anyone as long as they have interesting content and that high profile of partnership with Kwik Trip and Will Hazeltine is a harbinger of things to come because, again, you have alumni groups that have a special interest in highlighting athletes and keeping them on campus, but they also have an interest in other students who may have something unique to share.

“And brand can be extended to any student on a campus, and if they’re working with a marketing director, that person can help them put together the best website, the best content. They need to be constantly posting, but this marketing branding craze can hit any interesting individual.”

Article written by Alexandra Simon.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

data center design
Applied Digital’s Data Center Design for a 100 MW AI Factory Built from the Ground Up
July 2, 2025

AI workloads are redefining the limits of data center design and infrastructure. Legacy data centers, built for traditional co-location, cannot handle the density, thermal demands, or power dynamics of accelerated computing. The AI boom has upended the data center sector, forcing a rapid shift to liquid-cooled racks as facilities pivot from sub-10kW racks to…

Read More
Commerce media
A Look at the Rise of Commerce Media Networks: How Nift Helps Brands Own How Their Message Shows Up
July 2, 2025

As traditional digital advertising struggles to retain consumer trust, brands are exploring new, more authentic ways to connect with shoppers. Platforms like commerce media networks, which weave together commerce, content, and data, are emerging as powerful tools in this shift. Research from MG2 Advisory reveals that only about 37% of consumers feel brands genuinely…

Read More
Hospitality leadership
Heart-First Hospitality Leadership: How Saying ‘Yes’ Transforms Guest Experiences, Boosts Staff Morale, and Drives Business Results
July 2, 2025

As the hospitality industry emerges from years of pandemic-driven upheaval, hospitality leadership is evolving to meet new challenges. Leaders are looking for new ways to retain staff, elevate guest satisfaction, and drive revenue without burning out their teams. One trend gaining traction is the power of “Yes”: empowering employees to say yes more often,…

Read More
civic leadership
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth’s Civic Leadership Journey: What Politics Teaches About People
July 2, 2025

What does a mayor learn about human nature? In this episode of Professional Quotient: Conversations that Build Equity, host Jason Winningham sits down with Gerard Hudspeth, longtime mayor of Denton, Texas, and a respected figure in civic leadership. Drawing from his years in public service, Hudspeth explores how leading a city reveals the core…

Read More