The WWE Partners With Student-Athletes For ‘Next In Line’ NIL Program
Source: WWE
WWE is the latest company to take advantage of NIL (Name, Image & Likeness). The sports entertainment company announced the inaugural class of its NIL program, Next In Line.
The program features 15 student-athletes including LSU football player Glen Logan, Oklahoma State wrestler A.J. Ferrari, and Fresno State basketball players Haley and Hanna Cavinder.
Participating athletes have access to the WWE Performance Center, along with resources and support for brand building, media training, communications, live event promotion, creative writing, and community relations. Participants that do not go on to play professionally in their sport have the chance to be offered a contract with WWE.
With the historic passage of the NIL policy this summer, student-athletes can now monetize their name, image, and likeness, just like everyone else. Some brands, such as Dr. Pepper, Arby's, and Boost Mobile, have partnered with student-athletes in similar ways to traditional influencers, but WWE's NIL initiative stands out as it provides a direct path for athletes to join the company.
Through the program, the WWE and student-athletes will get to know each other, build a relationship, and determine if a longer-term opportunity exists well before athletes need to make post-college decisions.
Regardless of what the end result is, it’s a win-win scenario. The WWE is able to bring in fresh talent with engaged audiences in the Gen Z demographic that can develop into its next big star while athletes can learn what life is like outside their current sport and raise their profile. At the very least, both sides benefit from being able to tap into each other’s audience.
The ways that brands and student-athletes can partner together are limitless and this proves that.
Be on the lookout for more forward-thinking partnerships between brands and student-athletes that go beyond content creation and promotional activities as brands learn how to navigate the NIL world.
