Thoughts Regarding the Name, Image and Likeness Rule Adopted by the NCAA

The complex world of amateurism just went into hyperdrive. Today, July 1, 2021 initiated the first day that college student-athletes could profit off their name, image, and likeness.

Author:
Brian Smith
Publish date:
Jul 1, 2021 7:38 PM EDT

It’s a merky step, legally speaking anyway. The NCAA is now allowing college athletes to profit while still being in college, and continue to be so-called amateurs. Without bridging off into that never-ending discussion of whether it’s right or wrong, here are a few thoughts about how the name, image, and likeness (NIL) rule could impact some of UCF’s athletes.

Keep in mind, this is completely speculative; each state’s congress was scrambling to set guidelines because quite frankly no state governing body apparently knew what to do. The federal government has yet to set any specific rules, so this situation is going to progress day by day. There will likely be challenges and a back and forth about what should or should not be allowed, and of course each state will likely view it differently as well.

In short, it’s going to be messy. Very messy. Let’s move past the legal aspect and directly into some opportunities for UCF athletes.

Autographs

If you ever collected sports memorabilia such as trading cards, team jerseys, or game day items like programs or ticket stubs, this category likely appeals to you in terms of what a UCF athlete might be able to do, as well as what item(s) they could potentially sign for a big UCF fan.

Christmas present, perhaps? Who wants a Dillon Gabriel signed UCF mini helmet or UCF banner? That’s a very real possibility.

It’s a free market, so a UCF athlete could essentially go to a commercial company like Palm Beach Autographs (located in South Florida) and sign items in exchange for a monetary amount. It’s no different than what a professional football player will do, or a professional boxer or track athlete will do.

Featured Athlete for Business Events

This is where it gets interesting. A party, a speaking engagement (booster club?), or just show up at an inaugural opening day for a new restaurant, for a fee. Sounds simple, and it truly is.

Imagine the impact of a well known athlete like UCF women’s track star Rayniah Jones showing up to a new restaurant set up just on the edge of the UCF campus. Those are the types of events that can and will likely be happening because it’s easy to do, sort of.

The logistical aspect of bringing Jones to the new restaurant, no problem. The complicated aspect of athletes such as Jones making money from NIL would be the person and/or companies that help to place the place the athlete in contact with willing businesses to make a deal. There's another aspect to consider as well.

There needs to be a legal entity or law firm that places contracts together. That will need to be established and established quickly. It's something to monitor.

At some point in the very near future there needs to be a legal procedure that includes licensing for this specific type of action. Otherwise, there’s the opportunity for foul play, i.e. a low-life person/business taking the money from the athletes.

That goes back into the issue of the merky legal process, but it’s still something that absolutely must be addressed, and with a unilateral agreement amongst all 50 states, so that athletes make money while also being protected. There’s also the basic business aspect of NIL.

Athletes Starting a Business

Whatever it may be, it has potential if it’s a college athlete because there’s natural marketing involved. If UCF wide receiver Jaylon Robinson starts a t-shirt company or specialized shoe trading company (Robinson could sign the shoes) and runs his business one mile from UCF, it’s a safe assumption that he will gain extra attention from people that know Robinson plays football for the Knights. Thus, there’s a greater opportunity for Robinson to profit.

Again, it’s not the most overly difficult concept to understand from the front end of the equation. It’s really interesting, however, as to which UCF athletes might start businesses of their own and/or go into business with another UCF athlete. Not to mention, which companies will be working with these athletes to help them monetize from their NIL.

Final Thoughts

The possibilities are endless. That’s a general synopsis of the landscape of the NIL marketing landscape as it begins July 1, 2021. It’s going to be fun to track, monitor and watch the different athletes come up with numerous ways to profit.

The thoughts and possibilities about what UCF athletes might do is intriguing, but it’s also just the beginning. There will be many new avenues explored over the course of the final six months of the year 2021 alone. Let’s see what the UCF athletes come up with to monetize their name, image, and likeness.