Boosters, alumni, and donors have founded — and funded — name, image, and likeness collectives for schools nationwide.
But there’s another structure that is set up for athletes to capitalize on local interest: NIL marketplaces.
On Tuesday, Opendorse announced it would be investing heavily in this model — by launching 75 marketplaces specific to schools which help connect athletes and those who want to sponsor them — including fans.
The program will include a wide range of programs, from Power 5 schools like Arizona State and HBCUs like Jackson State to basketball-centric powerhouses like UConn.
Opendorse’s launch is an expansion of a pilot NIL marketplace program it started with six schools. After one month, opportunities grew 193%, the company found.
Opendorse isn’t the only NIL company investing in the marketplace model.
Last year, MarketPryce launched a similar model with the University of Florida.
INFLCR has a product called INFLCR+ Local Exchange, which provides a portal for connecting with a particular school’s athletes.
“Fans, donors and local brands badly want to support NIL initiatives — but most don’t know where to even start,” Opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence said in a statement. “Schools that mobilize their alumni and local markets to support student-athletes will become leaders in year-two of NIL.”
