There is no nil in NIL: examining the social media value of student-athletes’ names, images, and likeness

ABSTRACT

This research contributes to our understanding of the name, image, and likeness (NIL) value of student-athletes’ social media profiles. In Study 1, we scraped data from the Twitter (N_f = 3,880; N_b = 757) and Instagram (N_f = 2,223; N_b = 647) profiles of male collegiate-level football and basketball athletes. In Study 2, we scraped data from the Twitter (N = 1,058; posts = 20,978) and Instagram (N = 1,410; posts = 16,453) profiles of all student-athletes of four (two top-tier and two mid-tier) representative universities. Applying influencer marketing industry standard rates, the current research shows that student-athletes possess NIL value. Results further indicate student-athletes’ NIL value has a relationship with, but is not solely generated at, the institution level. Thus, this research contributes to student-athlete personal branding knowledge, and informs discussion around policy and industry practice related to student-athletes, university athletics departments, athletic conferences, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

HIGHLIGHTS

• The NCAA’s position that student-athletes lack meaningful NIL value is false.

• Student-athletes’ NIL varies between and within institutions.

• Student-athletes’ NIL value is influenced by, but not created at, the institution level.

• Results have implications for athletes, universities, and the NCAA.

KEYWORDS:

• athlete brand
• NIL value
• student-athlete
• social media
• collegiate sport
• NCAA

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the support from the Sport Industry Research Center at Temple University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This project was part of a sabbatical project granted by the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management and the Fox School of Business and supported by the Sport Industry Research Center at Temple University [2018_01].