Adidas Sponsors College Athletes Through NIL Program

Should college athletes receive compensation for playing sports? Even though student-athletes bring in a lot of money for their schools, they don't receive money for putting their bodies on the line or for the school using their image to generate sales and interest. When their college career is over, their hard work may not lead to a professional career, especially if they suffer an injury.

College athletes often receive some form of benefits, such as free food, clothing, and use of facilities, but is this the same as being paid for their image and work? This question has resulted in some sports brands making individual sponsorship deals with athletes themselves rather than with collegiate programs. 

However, this means that other student-athletes miss out on that treatment. Fortunately, a new Adidas NIL program is sponsoring college athletes, allowing athletes at their partnered NCAA Division 1 schools to receive compensation for the use of their likeness.

What is the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) Deal?

In the case of NCAA v. Alston, the Supreme Court decided in June 2021 that the NCAA had no right to restrict payments to student-athletes if they were performing for the organization. The determined compromise allows students to receive payment in ways that aren't related to performance; they can instead sign an NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) contract.

The NIL deal ensures that student-athletes receive fair compensation for their time and effort through the use of their likeness. It essentially works like a contract. Following this decision came a wave of endorsement requests for student-athletes, such as shoe advertisements, car dealer partnerships, paid social media posts, signing with agents, and much more.

Adidas is the first major sports company to implement an equitable and inclusive NIL network for student-athletes. This new initiative will create a more equitable future in sports for athletes. This program will reach over 50,000 student-athletes of all genders with the opportunity to become paid affiliate brand ambassadors.

The Adidas network will debut in the fall of 2022, partnering with Power-5 conference organizations and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Their network will expand to all institutions by April of 2023.

What Does the NIL Deal Mean for College Athletes?

The NCAA used to deny student-athletes the same rights to publicity as regular people when on a scholarship. However, with this rule changing recently, student-athletes are now being paid for their likeness.

Players can now accept payments from companies in exchange for using their image in goods and advertisements. Public appearances can also help promote other businesses or themselves, which will help student-athletes get paid. This allows athletes to be paid for their hard work immediately, instead of having to make it to the pros to be compensated.

These athletes can expect to appear in ad campaigns, use their social media to sell ads and merch, make paid appearances, and even arrange autograph signings. Though they’re still in school, an NIL partnership can help student-athletes make the most of their opportunities in their sport.

Top college players can expect this kind of recognition. Players can even sign agents to help them secure these kinds of endorsement deals. Deals can range from hundreds of thousands of dollars to seven figures. 

How Do I Get Sponsored by Adidas?

To become sponsored by Adidas, you would need to play for a D1 college that Adidas already sponsors. Adidas has made it possible for any of the 50,000+ student-athletes in these schools to be eligible for a NIL deal with them. 

Additionally, this is the best way for student-athletes to make the most of their popularity. Athletes with a strong fan base will be able to showcase not only the products of their sponsor but also their character and personality.

How Does the Program Work?

Athletes who meet the requirements will join an affiliate program, where they will receive a portion of all sales they bring to the Adidas website or app. They will also receive payment for each social media post they make. Along with wearing their school’s Adidas-sponsored clothing, these athletes will be able to fully represent the three-stripe brand.

Who Was the First to Sign Up?

The first person to sign a NIL deal with Adidas was Rose Zhang, the number one amateur golfer in the world. Her partnership with Adidas will have the two-time AJGA Player of the Year promoting golf-related apparel and footwear. Though she plays for Stanford, a university sponsored by Nike, Zhang will wear Adidas gear when training and on the course.

Zhang has other sponsorship agreements besides her association with Adidas. The 19-year-old has benefited from the new NCAA rules permitting student-athletes to make money from partnerships while remaining a college athlete. Along with Adidas, Rose Zhang also has partnerships with companies such as Beats by Dre, Uswing Sunglasses, and Callaway.

Title IX Equity

Like everything in the world of college athletics, the Adidas NIL partnerships are doing their best to follow Title IX guidelines, which help provide gender equality in collegiate sports. To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the bill, Adidas signed on fifteen female athletes, the first to join the program after Rose Zhang. 

Pros and Cons

Even though this new NIL agreement has some benefits, there are a few disadvantages as well. First and foremost, student-athletes generate a lot of money for the NCAA. For example, college basketball’s March Madness brings in a lot of viewers, even competing with the NBA. 

However, not every sport in college generates this kind of attention, meaning they may not be profitable. Students in these sports may not be eligible for an NIL contract simply because their sport doesn’t generate enough attention.

Conclusion

An NIL deal has a lot of advantages for collegiate athletes. Adidas can now assist students in receiving the compensation they are due while expanding its market reach. Overall, this is a win-win situation for both parties and marks the beginning of a more equitable future for college athletics.