The Wisconsin Badgers have started an NIL program.
With athletes on the verge of being able to profit off their name, image and likeness, more and more college programs are creating NIL models to promote star athletes. The Badgers are now in the game with YouDub. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Elevate your brand
Maximize your valueA new era begins: ????????????????????????
INFO » https://t.co/5hYxW7M6HG#OnWisconsin ✗ @Opendorse pic.twitter.com/kp0UH1MD3x
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) June 9, 2021
The Badgers said the following in a Wednesday afternoon release about the program:
Wisconsin student-athletes will be empowered to capitalize on their own name, image and likeness (NIL) through YouDub, a specifically-designed NIL readiness program for Wisconsin Athletics.
The centerpiece of the YouDub program is a partnership with Opendorse and its industry-leading suite of products to support student-athlete assessment, education and brand development.
…
Through YouDub, student-athletes will have access to Opendorse Ready, the market-leading NIL education resource providing custom brand value assessments, live consultation sessions with industry leaders and on-demand access to the NIL Masterclass, an education series featuring experts on brand building, monetization and financial literacy from leading experts at Instagram, Twitter, the Players’ Tribune, Overtime and more.
Personally, I hate this stuff. I love the fact athletes are going to be able to make money, but I hate the fact teams are involved with growing social media platforms.
I want football players out there winning games. I don’t give a damn about their Instagram accounts. Let them figure that out on their own.
I need them scoring touchdowns. I don’t need them posting on social media.
View this post on Instagram
Having said that, I understand that it’s 2021 and the nature of college sports is changing, and it’s changing for the better.
If starting an NIL program is what the Badgers have to do in order to stay competitive, then I guess that’s what we have to do.
View this post on Instagram
As long as we continue to win on the field and the court, I don’t care. However, if this takes priority over grinding in the trenches, then we’re going to have a huge problem.