On June 30, 2021, I remember driving to work and hearing on the radio the announcement that the NCAA would now let college athletes take advantage of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities to partner with private companies for promotional purposes. My first thought was “this is going to change the landscape of recruiting athletes, and their lives, for sure, probably for the better.” Cash-strapped student athletes will now have a way to earn money and finance their college careers regardless of whether they go on to play professionally.
As an ex-college athlete myself, I was initially supportive of the idea, but then reality set in and I realized that taking advantage of this opportunity was going to be tricky for international students. Their visas often carry restrictions and disallow them from engaging in activities in the U.S. that generate an income unless is part of their curriculum or related to their field of study. That would not cover the NILs activities. I imagined a line of international athletes waiting outside my door wanting me to advise them how to engage in this new opportunity, but this did not happen.
Three years later there is still no guidance on how to advise international students from the United States Custom and Immigration Services (USCIS) nor the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on how to handle this issue. College athletes from the US are starting to take advantage of the NCAA ruling, but international athletes were waiting for advice on how they should proceed.
For a small monthly fee, members of the public can get exclusive access to private events with USF athletes, online chats with players and behind the scenes photos and videos, as well as promotional swag such as limited run T-shirts and other team memorabilia.
Not to despair, however, whenever a problem arises, many with an entrepreneurial spirit find opportunities. Several private companies now offer services dedicated to helping student athletes promote themselves to brands who might be interested in licensing their name, image, or likeness. The Fowler Avenue Collective is one of them. For a small monthly fee, members of the public can get exclusive access to private events with USF athletes, online chats with players and behind the scenes photos and videos, as well as promotional swag such as limited run T-shirts and other team memorabilia. Influxer is a company that connects student athletes with brand name companies for paid collaborations. Keith Miller has helped international students participate in NILs while not infringing on their visa regulations. They can shoot promotional videos and set up agreements with companies while back in their home countries, for example. In addition to these excellent resources, the group Advance NIL provides financial literacy workshops and life skills courses for those who participate.
USF athletes are already signing up with Influxer and the Fowler Avenue Collective to market their merchandise. All these companies are invited regularly to campus by the Student-Athlete Enhancement Team from USF Athletics to talk to the athletes and offer their services. The latest event, the “Boost NIL Symposium” was held on January 31, 2024, in the Marshall Center. The Director of the Office of International Services, Marcia Taylor and I were invited to talk to international students about how to navigate the new landscape of NILs alongside these various companies.
Today, I know there are many possibilities for international athletes to take advantage of the NCAA’s new rules.
Back in 2021, my answer to those international student athletes who were hypothetically lining up outside my door would have been to advise them against doing anything. Today, I know there are many possibilities for international athletes to take advantage of the NCAA’s new rules. Students can come talk to advisors in the Office of International Services at USF, consult with companies like those described above that specialize in NIL activities, and discuss their options with the Enhancement Team in the Athletics Department. Resources abound to help international athletes take advantage of the new NCAA guidelines, making college sports a sustainable endeavor for international students too.