NIL Bill ushers in a new era of varsity athletics

It didn’t take long for many Gators athletes to take advantage of the new opportunities offered by the Name, Image and Likeness Bill that went into effect on July 1.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill in June 2020 that would allow college athletes in the state to take advantage of endorsements and other corporate income. Florida’s legislation was scheduled to come into effect on July 1, 2021. Eventually, the whole nation committed and the NCAA announced that all athletes would be eligible to be paid starting July 1. The NCAA decision also opens the door to profits from autographs and personal advertising campaigns.

Student-athletes across the country quickly explored their new options under the NIL rule, including many in the UF community.

The merchandise has been the hottest item on the market for members of the Florida football team.

Wide receiver Jacob Copeland got the party started on June 30 when he took to Twitter to show off a t-shirt with a new personal logo. The badge features his initials and a hyena. There was a strong positive response from Gator fans, and the redshirt-junior promised that a link to purchase the shirt would be available soon.

Running back Malik Davis created an instagram account called MD Apparel and offered a preview of his first shirt on June 30. The design features his number, initials and lightning bolts, all in orange and blue. The redshirt-senior also encouraged his followers to “surrender [him]”With a replay of an update on the NIL invoice.

The likeness of Emory Jones can be found alongside 12 other DI quarterbacks on shirts for the QB Takeovers merchandise store, an online store created by acclaimed quarterback coach Quincy Avery.

Safety Trey Dean III launched TD3 clothing. His brand has his initials. The site offers a black and white version of a shirt, both listed at $ 45.

Defensive lineman Gervon Dexter tweeted a link to his new clothing brand G9apparel on July 1 with four styles of shirts. Three designs feature its new logo and the other is marked with the phrase “counted”.

Defensive end Zachary Carter, security Rashad Torrence II and security Kamar Wilcoxson have created accounts on Jenloop, a service where fans can request personalized messages on the athlete’s Twitter and Instagram. Depending on the social media platform and the type of post, prices are between $ 20 and $ 80.

Quarterback Anthony Richardson, defensive tackle Antonio Shelton, defensive end Jeremiah Moon, wide receiver Jordan Pouncey, safety Mordecai McDaniel and Dexter have all become a part of Dreamfield – a platform where fans can shop for money. face-to-face interactions with athletes. Their hourly rates range from $ 50 to $ 500.

Cornerback Avery Helm and Torrence II have announced their partnership with Yoke, an app that gives athletes the ability to charge fans to play video games with them.

Some alligators have found an avenue to explore in food promotion.

First-year defensive tackle Desmond Watson is an official Spencer’s Jerkin ‘Jerky athlete. Gymnast Savannah Schoenherr and infielder Colby Halter have teamed up with GoPuff, a consumer goods and food delivery service. Both athletes posted tweets containing a $ 25 referral link. Schoenherr highlighted his favorite chips, while Halter used the serve to get a staple: sunflower seeds.

Barstool Sports also became a big part of the NIL era after founder Dave Portnoy offered all student-athletes a branding deal via Twitter. The company brings in a plethora of athletes, including many Gators. Barstool athletes are part of Florida’s football, basketball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse and swim teams.

The NIL bill is forever changing the landscape of college athletics. Players of all popularity levels are trying to use whatever platform they have, and they are only scratching the surface less than a week into this era.

Contact Joseph Henry at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ Josephhenry2424.