Kathryn O’Connor
News Editor
Omaha Athletics announced the creation of the Omaha Mavericks Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Marketplace last week to support student-athletes as they have opportunities.
In July 2021, the NCAA passed an interim policy that allows student-athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness. The policy requires member institutions to abide by state or university policies while NCAA legislation and federal law are developed.
The marketplace assists with any activity in which a student-athlete’s NIL is used for endorsement or promotional purposes, including use by the athlete, other individuals than the student-athlete, a commercial entity or a nonprofit or charitable entity.
“As the industry enters the Name, Image, and Likeness era, at Omaha, we aim to use NIL as another educational vehicle for our student-athletes,” said Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Adrian Dowell. “We will continue our partnership with the College of Business Administration in creating programming focusing on contract law, tax law and brand management to equip our Mavericks with the tools to not only successfully navigate NIL but also prepare for what’s next in life following their competitive careers.
Maverick student-athletes will have the opportunity to create an Opendorse profile. Opendorse, the NIL company, is the leading technology provider in the athlete endorsement industry.
The profile can be customized and then promoted on their personal social media channels. When offered a NIL deal, athletes will receive notifications on the app where they can choose to accept and complete the opportunity. Once the deal is completed, the student-athlete will receive their compensation immediately and can share their activity with Omaha Athletics immediately.
“As such, we are excited to partner with Opendorse,” Dowell said. “The Omaha Mavericks NIL Marketplace provides our student-athletes with a platform to take advantage of their NIL potential while also creating an efficient avenue for businesses, donors, and fans to connect with student-athletes in compliance with state laws and NCAA rules.”
