At Maryland, student-athletes aren’t just provided with ample NIL opportunities; they are also provided with the proper education on how to navigate the NIL space.
A couple of weeks ago, Advance NIL came to College Park to meet and provide educational sessions with 10 different Maryland teams and provide them useful information on how student-athletes can move forward in the new world of NIL by leveraging their core competencies.
Advance describes itself as an unbiased industry leader in Name, Image, and Likeness Consulting, Education, Life Skills Development, and Due Diligence Technology Solutions. The company’s expertise, network of professional athletes, and weekly immersion on college campuses across the country allow their team to collect real-time data and be agile to respond quickly to the rapid changes in collegiate and high school athletics.
Advance’s presentations made a tangible impact on the student-athletes, who came away from the sessions feeling even more confident in their strategies for navigating NIL.
"I really enjoyed the Advance NIL sessions,” said Emily Sterling of the women’s lacrosse team. “It was a very engaging presentation where I learned about the intricacies associated with NIL. One main takeaway for me was the specific sections of contract agreements and what to look for within each section."
The sessions also focused on how student-athletes can navigate the sphere in a way where they avoid any potential issues.
“The Advance NIL session was awesome and very impactful for everyone on our team,” said Daniel Kelly of men’s lacrosse. “It helped us gain a better understanding on how to use NIL to our benefit in a safe way. There are so many opportunities for us athletes to use our brand to our advantage and this session really helped break that down and help us understand it way better.”
The staff from Advance was equally impressed with the Maryland student-athletes and their eagerness to learn more about how they can best maximize their NIL potential.
"Maryland student-athletes had a real desire to learn more about NIL: how to get started, how to develop their brand and how to have professional conversations,” said Advance Co-Founder and Managing Partner Luke Fedlam. “It was a joy engaging with them on various life skills that will help them both as they navigate NIL and life in general."
"Our first visit to campus was a big success! Across the board, the Terps were engaged and eager to grow,” added Ashley Wechter, Director of Collegiate Partnerships. “In addition to the two day, multi-sport sessions, we were able to launch our mobile learning app for reinforcement at their fingertips. Grayson Wagner has done a phenomenal job communicating his vision and allowing us to use our expertise to tailor specifically to Maryland student-athletes. We're already anxious to be back in College Park in the Spring!"
As the University of Maryland keeps progressing in the world of Name, Image, and Likeness, its student-athletes will continue to receive vital educational resources to help them maximize their abilities.