With the NIL train barrelling down the tracks, Nebraska football specifically and the university in general is getting ahead of the game.
Long an opponent of the trend towards college football players profiting off of their names, images and likenesses (NIL), Scott Frost did an abrupt about-face earlier this week.
“I think that NIL decisions will benefit us greatly,” the Nebraska football head coach said Monday. " There are very few places in the whole country where players’ name, image, likeness personality can benefit them more than Nebraska just because of the fan base, the excitement around here.”
Tuesday, the trigger for the change of heart was unveiled as Nebraska announced that it has partnered with Opendorse to launch “the first-ever program designed to help student-athletes build their individual brands.” The program will allow all 650-plus of the university’s student-athletes, including all Nebraska football players, to maximize their social-media profile and, ultimately, profit off of them when federal NIL legislation is enacted.
From the university’s release:To provide its student-athletes with the best possible readiness tools, Nebraska has partnered with athlete marketing platform Opendorse to launch the Ready Now Program.
The Ready Now Program, powered by Opendorse Ready™, provides three core pillars to student-athlete success: Assessment, Education, and Performance – tailored to assist each individual athlete.
Founded by Nebraska Football alumni Blake Lawrence and Adi Kunalic, Opendorse has become a proven market leader in helping sports organizations and their athletes prepare and execute social media programs to increase the value of their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). More than 10,000 athletes currently use Opendorse to maximize their value in collaboration with partners on social media. Opendorse has partnered with the NHL, NFLPA, PGA Tour and others while brands like Pepsi, Procter & Gamble and EA Sports also use the platform.
“Nebraska has always been a leader in college athletics,” Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos said in a statement. “With that spirit in mind we are excited to partner with Opendorse. This agreement will provide all of our student-athletes the education and assessment tools they need to navigate the complexities of social media and maximize their brand in the digital world.
“As a father of a current Division I football player, I have a good understanding of how important social media is in the daily lives of our student-athletes. The ability to educate and assist our young men and women in this particular area is mutually beneficial for Nebraska and our student-athletes.