Why Many More College Athletes Are About to Become Creators

Get ready for a wave of college-athlete influencers. On Cameo, Spencer Rattler, quarterback for the University of Oklahoma’s Division I football team, is charging $177 for personalized shoutout videos. He also recently created his own merchandise line, including t-shirts and hats.

A scroll through Instagram reveals Fresno State basketball stars Hanna and Haley Cavinder have recently inked sponsored deals with protein powder maker Six Star Pro Nutrition and Boost Mobile, which included a Times Square billboard of the twin sisters. 

For years, professional athletes such as soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and tennis sensation Serena Williams have been capitalizing on their massive online followings. But college athletes couldn’t benefit from their name, image and likeness, due to strict rules from the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Those restrictions are loosening, in the form of an interim change in the NCAA’s rules that went into effect July 1. Now college athletes are allowed to participate in endorsement deals, such as promoting a product on social media. 

“This is a big switch for all student athletes,” Haley Cavinder told ESPN. “Being able to use your name, image and likeness is something we all deserve.”