Wichita State athletics has partnered with Opendorse to form the Wichita State Shockers Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Marketplace, which will launch Aug. 29.
The NIL Marketplace will offer a streamlined access point for organizations and individuals who would like to explore NIL collaborations with WSU student-athletes, while remaining compliant with NCAA guidelines. WSU fans, brands, sponsors and donors can browse, book, pitch and pay any WSU student-athlete for NIL activities in one compliant platform, built specifically for the athletes’ needs.
“Opendorse’s NIL Marketplace is an important pathway for our student-athletes and the Wichita State community to facilitate NIL opportunities,” WSU director of Athletics Kevin Saal said. “At Wichita State, we understand the importance of NIL and we fully support our student-athletes positively building one’s brand and earning from their NIL.”
Every WSU student-athlete will receive an Opendorse profile, which they can customize and promote to fans on their personal social media channels. Student-athletes review opportunities, receive deals, accept compensation,and disclose NIL activities to their institution, all within the Opendorse app.
“WSU has been committed to providing its student-athletes with NIL support since the beginning,” said Opendorse senior director of collegiate partnerships Tim Pederson. “Today’s launch of their NIL Marketplace is the next step in enhancing opportunities for every athlete. Any fan or brand can confidently offer compliant NIL deals to their favorite Shockers student-athletes in just seconds.”
The Opendorse-powered marketplace is built on a decade of athlete marketing technology and experience. Opendorse has facilitated hundreds of thousands of NIL deals and endorsements with athletes at every level of sports. The marketplace is used by over 75,000 athletes to manage deals from pitch to payment, and even tax prep, every day.
The NIL company launched its initial school-specific NIL marketplaces throughout the spring 2022. Student-athletes at these institutions experienced a 193% increase in NIL opportunities in the first month after the marketplace’s launch.
In addition to the marketplace, WSU continues its partnership with Opendorse, receiving full access to the all-in-one NIL platform:
- WSU will continue to provide its student-athletes and staff with Opendorse’s best-in-class compliance, content and education tools.
- Compliance – Upon completing a deal, athletes can automatically disclose activity details to their institution to ensure eligibility.
- Content – Athletes have on-demand access to share photos and videos from games, practice and more.
- Education – Athletes receive in-person and on-demand virtual education sessions from industry leaders at companies including Meta, Overtime, Players’ Tribune, Opendorse and more.
People who wish to enter into NIL deals with international student-athletes should contact their legal counsel prior to entering such an agreement to ensure they are compliant with federal law which restricts people on student visas from most work inside the United States. Likewise, international student-athletes on student visas may not enter into agreements without approval of the Center for Global Engagement. Our international student-athletes may be able to work internationally or a few may have work authorization.
