Name, image, likeness — three words that have the collegiate athletics worlds abuzz with discussion. 

NIL describes the means through which college athletes are allowed to receive financial compensation through deals and partnerships, which Oregon State University is now offering a class on. 

According to OSU, the NIL legislation allows student-athletes to earn compensation in the following ways: social media promotions, private lessons, sale of autographs, business activity, and endorsements.

The course was offered to all those who wanted to take it but was mainly taken by student-athletes at OSU, according to Ben Rabbino, a former OSU student who took the class.

“(The NIL) class itself was all student-athletes from a variety of sports, mainly football, and I was the only non-student-athlete,” Rabbino said.

The class was taught by two professors, Colleen Bee and Eric Nelson, who brought in guest speakers. The guest speakers were those who had made a name for themselves in the sports community but were not necessarily athletes.

“(The speakers invited) have extensive experience in brand marketing, sports marketing, and digital marketing, working at a few companies such as Nike and the Rain Marketing Agency, just to name a few,” Nelson said.

A majority of the guest speakers have worked with athletes at all levels, ranging from professional to collegiate, to the everyday athlete. Some of the guest speakers were even former student athletes themselves.

“(By) sharing their firsthand experiences and knowledge in marketing, as well as working with athletes of all levels, (they) provide our OSU student athletes valuable insights as they navigate the journey in securing their own NIL deal,” said Nelson. 

“(The class helped) athletes in building their NIL brand through Opendorse and teach them ways to be better at marketing themselves,” Rabbino said.

Opendorse stands as the primary marketplace and technology firm in the realm of NIL. Its core mission involved aiding athletes throughout various stages, encompassing education, evaluation, planning, content distribution, and beyond. 

By participating in NIL deals, athletes have the opportunity to profit from their own name, image, and likeness and build their personal brand while still in college. 

In the state of Oregon, the NIL law for colleges and institutions, 2021’s Senate Bill 5, was passed on June 29, 2021, and was signed and effective within the same day. The OSU Athletic Compliance Department is equipped to help student-athletes navigate these laws, as well as National Collegiate Athletic Association rules and regulations. 

According to the OSU Athletics Communications Department, they “have aligned global ex[erts in business and technology to form “expOSUre, an education platform and toolkit designed to maximize the potential of every student athlete’s name, image and likeness (NIL).” 

Name, Image, and Likeness, listed as BA199 and BA399, will continue to be held this upcoming fall term with hopes to further educate those interested in all of the details surrounding NIL. There are two sessions of BA199 being offered this fall, as well as two sessions of BA399.