Some are calling it the NCAA legislative ruling that will have the greatest impact on college sports… ever.
When the NCAA adopted the “Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)” policy on June 30, 2021, it changed the ground rules which have trickle down effects not even thought of yet.
Extra Inning Softball contributor Justin McLeod of Justin’s World of Softball shares his thoughts on this landmark decision in the latest edition of his weekly “Inside Pitch” column…
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The NIL (“Name, Image, and Likeness”) is all the rage in college softball these days.
Often abbreviated to NIL, this is the governance of active college athletes being able to profit from their own popularity and name recognition.
Gone are the days of a college athlete having to choose between playing their sport collegiately or operating a successful YouTube channel or clothing brand; with the new governmental regulations and NCAA rule relaxation, that won’t even be a topic of discussion any longer.
While NIL has been a popular topic of late, what effects will the rule change have on the sport of softball?
Will the sport truly benefit from the rule change or will that positive effect be limited to major head-count sports like football and basketball?
Thus far, some softball stars are already seeing some benefit from the rule.
For example, a plethora of college stars including Jayda Coleman of Oklahoma and Montana Fouts of Alabama have joined the Cameo app, where they can be paid to send personalized videos to fans.
*** Click HERE to see all the softball players including collegians, pros and Olympians on Cameo
Others have lent their names and faces to marketing efforts for softball camps, and still others immediately tested the waters of merchandise sales.
As in any sport, the biggest stars stand to benefit the most.
Players like Fouts and Jocelyn Alo have announced their intent to capitalize on the new NIL regulations and are in prime position to do so thanks to their incredible on-field endeavors and sustaining off-field popularity.
Jocely has launched her own website, jocelynalo.com, to be able to build her brand and ultimately, she says, to sell merchandise.
If anyone in the game right now has a name and image to monetize, it’s that of the Hawaii native!
In that same vein, never has social media been as important as it is now.
A large social media following can set a player up for sponsorship and marketing opportunities based on the number of people that they broadcast to, and it’s also a factor that isn’t necessarily affected by off-field play.
At the same time, a negative social media presence could also eliminate a player from marketing opportunities.
There are also opportunities for players who may not play on a large-market team or have major name recognition.
Let’s say Susie Q Softball Player is a star for her mid-major program in a true college town; even though Susie may not be in line for a national marketing gig, a local business could sign her to appear in a TV commercial or an ad campaign.
It’s not a stretch of the imagination to see that softball will reap some benefits from NIL in the immediate future and as the sport continues to grow, so also will the marketability of the diamond’s biggest stars.
