College Athletes Are Using Branded Merchandise to Reach Fans—Here's How
After years of back and forth debates, college athletes can finally get paid. The NCAA won't let colleges and universities pay players, but athletes themselves can make money off their name, image and likeness, often referred to as NIL. Players can now create their own brand and store—and sell merchandise. This change is a big deal for student athletes and signals a shift in college athletics.
In early 2021, a Morning Consult survey found that over 62 percent of adults believe athletes should be allowed to use their identity to earn extra cash, including for licensed products, jerseys, names in video games and other NIL situations. Additionally, nearly 61 percent support allowing student athletes to make money through endorsement deals.
The NCAA's new interim policy enabling some of these options went into effect on July 1, 2021. As a result, many student athletes (perhaps like you, depending on the state of residency) are eager to use their personal brand—mainly built on social media—to earn some money with Vintage Brand (VB).
Before we explain Vintage Brand and how college athletes can start making money, we must note that these rules vary from state to state. Considering this is an NCAA interim policy and not a federal law, the NCAA's guidance allows students to earn money only when "consistent with the state's law where the school is located." This means that players, colleges and universities must determine whether those activities are consistent with state law.
Why Join Vintage Brand?
Vintage Brand has an entire program built to help college athletes monetize their name, image, popularity on social media and likeness to ensure that it adheres to all NCAA guidelines. Plus, this allows players to connect with fans like never before.
The staff at VB can help players create personally branded merchandise shops with their logos and designs, and share creative ideas, not to mention help handle shipping, inventory and much more. Plus, everything Vintage Brand offers is designed and produced right here in the U.S.
Players can design their own products and then make money on every item sold. In addition, athletes will get access to VB's in-house design teams to create excellent personalized gear with ease. And with over 50 unique products and clothing items to choose from, players will have plenty of options to provide to fans, teammates, friends and family members.
Vintage Brand takes the hassle out of designs, printing, fulfillment and shipping. It even offers an option for college athletes to utilize their brand store and products for charity. It's a win-win. So, whether you're a top-tier athlete with an agent, or a new athlete looking to cash in on your NIL, you'll want to check out Vintage Brand's College Athlete program.
Over 50 Unique Products Available
Each college athlete can choose exactly what they want to offer fans and family members in their shop. Vintage Brands has a wide selection of T-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, coffee mugs, hats, drinkware, posters, can koozies, canvas prints, car and home magnets, wall art and more. You can even get fancy with cutting boards, puzzles and your own custom team-color socks.
Imagine putting an image of your best dunk, perfect form, during a 3-point shot or that game-winning goal on a comfy premium blend T-shirt—and offering it to fans. Better yet, see your unique brand and gear on fans in the stadium. Now you can!
What to Expect?
Vintage Brand already has a few college athletes taking advantage of its platform and their NIL to earn income—and you can, too. Athletes wondering what to expect can check out the Vintage Brand Athlete page, which shows some of the many options available. The company currently works with Leilani Correa, who plays guard for the St. John's Red Storm Basketball team. Each player page has products, a player profile, a biography (if you'd like), not to mention photos and videos from your highlights and playtime.
Or take a look at the Florida Gators Volleyball right side and outside hitter Merritt Beason's page. From Gardendale High School, Beason stands at 6 foot 3 inches tall and is a two-time area tournament volleyball MVP from 2019 and 2020.
How to Get Started?
College athletes can quickly join Vintage Brand and create a merchandise store and landing page. Simply go to the Vintage Brand Athlete page, scroll down and fill out the VB College Athlete form to take advantage of this new opportunity.
The athlete profile form asks a few simple questions, including your name, email, player nickname, attending college and other details. Then you can also include an Instagram, TikTok or Twitter handle, the sport and position you play, graduating class, your study major, accomplishments and best sports moments.
Some of this information may also be used to help design and further develop your personal brand moving forward. That way the crew at Vintage Brand has all the information it needs to create a stylish catalog tailored to you.
So what are you waiting for? Get in while the gettin' is good, take full advantage of the NCAA's new NIL policy and get paid while you ball.
Find more opportunities to monetize your name, image and likeness today and become a Vintage Brand College Athlete.
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