Name, Image, Likeness: A Slam-Dunk for College “Athletepreneurs” - Jamie Wood (DSAS '26)
On July 1st, 2021, the NCAA approved an interim name, image, and likeness (NIL), allowing all NCAA D1, D2, and D3 student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL, opening the floodgates to a brand-new era of athlete marketing and brand recognition for these athletes. Prior to the policy change, stringent rules were in place that made it nearly impossible for NCAA athletes to profit off of their status as a college athlete, a notorious example being the 2017 case of former UCF kicker Donald De Le Haye, who was stripped of his athletic scholarship and potential NFL career after the NCAA claimed his monetized YouTube channel, Deestroying, was in violation of these prior rules. Given the NIL opportunities college athletes have now however, it is not farfetched to say that Donald would be proud.