Dillon Gabriel: How "DG The Brand" Helps UCF Football and UCF Players

Dillon Gabriel already became the face of the UCF Football program, and with him launching DG The Brand, he helps UCF Football and other UCF players as well.

Author:
Brian Smith
Publish date:
Aug 8, 2021 8:56 AM EDT

Since name, image, and likeness (NIL) began in July, 2021, there’s been much speculation of how it would impact the UCF Football program. While there are other schools with players making money off NIL, there’s more than one side to who’s making money and how it impacts the rest of a football program.

As for UCF, not many schools can boast the unique personality of Dillon Gabriel. He is also a Hawaiian, and that provides a connection to a unique location that many people genuinely find interesting to begin with. Location aside, Gabriel provides opportunities for UCF Football and other UCF players since he launched his own clothing line. So, what did Gabriel and his family do to launch his brand? Well, here it is:

DG The Brand

Here’s a photograph from part of the DG The Brand’s first launch:

DG The Brand

https://dgthebrand.com/collections/all

Gabriel likely did not intend to be a UCF Football representative, but in essence, that did happen. The following represents just a few of the ways that Gabriel helps UCF Football directly, just by launching his clothing line. Gabriel discussed his brand during media day.

UCF Football Gains Momentum from DG The Brand

Each time an individual shops DG The Brand, that’s an opportunity for UCF Football to gain exposure. Considering the positive energy that seemingly comes with Gabriel and everything he does in front of a television camera, that’s good news for the Knights.

One can be sure that when the Bounce House is rocking this fall, there will be thousands of people that either already purchased DG The Brand products within the stadium, and/or purchased a product for a friend or loved one. Those same individuals will be rocking DG The Brand gear outside the Bounce House, too.

Going to the park, the grocery store, over to a friend’s house for a barbeque, it does not matter. Each time a person wears DG The Brand products, that person also provides information about the UCF Football program. Friends ask each other about what clothes they are wearing. Happens all the time. That will be as simple as it can be, and provide a conversation starter about UCF Football.

This simple and organic advertising is not necessarily intended, but UCF Football will gain from a unique situation that stemmed from one of its all-time greatest players launching a clothing line. Ironic, yet still true.

More people will know about UCF, and that means more opportunities for ticket sales, gaining more fans, getting more people involved with UCF Football events, and annual giving. Once other UCF players start monetizing from NIL, there will be even more opportunities for the UCF Football program to become more recognized, too. Just something to consider. Additionally, there’s also how DG The Brand impacts recruiting.

NIL and UCF Recruiting

For anyone that did not already know, yes, high school football recruits discuss NIL with the media (well, at least this media member). The topic is new to most recruits, but recruits are curious. They ask questions and talk about how they want to start making money from NIL.

Some recruits even want to open their own brands before heading off to play college football. Therefore, seeing DG The Brand products on a website is cool, but seeing people actually wear the products resonates more because they see it with their own eyes. Recruits will want to know how UCF helps players with NIL, and now there will be proof of how it works.

When UCF Head Football Coach Gus Malzahn receives questions about NIL from recruits, he can quickly turn to the evidence of what Gabriel already did to make money from his own brand. That topic will be important with recruiting moving forward, and Coach Malzahn and his coaching staff hold a powerful piece of evidence to recruit top-notch talent to Orlando. UCF Football will undoubtedly gain from DG The Brand, and so will other UCF players.

Dillon Started His Brand, So Can I

Starting one’s own clothing line is not easy, and it becomes a culmination of money movers that come from traditional fields like accounting, sales, manufacturing, and distribution just to name a few. That does not mean that other UCF Football players cannot open some sort of company themselves. Afterall, business opportunities can come in many forms.

Whether a simple endorsement concept where a UCF football player promotes a product line that already established itself, or doing a speech for an organization that supports the Knights, there are simplistic ways for UCF football players to reach into the NIL marketplace and monetize from NIL.

Of course there could be players that use their NIL and go into business with someone else and promote a company just by simply placing their photograph on the company’s logo. It truly does not need to be complicated. There are some other ideas, and Inside The Knights would like to make a suggestion for one specific UCF Football player.

Rock Those Shoes

For anyone that met Big Kat Bryant to date, it would be easy to describe him as down to earth, humble, and yet quite motivated to reach the National Football League. Opposing quarterbacks beware, as Bryant wants to make a name for himself by racking up double digit sacks for the Knights prior to going to the NFL Combine in the spring of 2022. With that stated, much like Gabriel, why not start a small company that supports his personality?

Big Kat Bryant, Defensive End, UCF Football
Brian Smith, Inside The Knights

“Big Kat Slides” or “The Big Cat Shoe Brand” come to mind. While at the opening media day for fall camp, Bryant wore the appropriate UCF polo like all the other players. He was hospitable and gave great quotes, too. He also wore slides if memory serves correctly, and those big feet could be a way for Bryant to work himself into a deal with another company or perhaps start his own brand. Just saying, because if Gabriel can start DG The Brand, why not Bryant and/or another UCF Football player?

Final Thoughts

Gabriel did a great job launching DG The Brand. It helped to bring him more exposure and profits, as well as positively impact the UCF Football program. Further, Gabriel’s efforts provide an example of how other UCF players can earn money from NIL.

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