Last week, WWE announced a Name, Image and Likeness program that will help college athletes “provide a clear pathway “ to the company. NIL, as its called, allows for college athletes to be compensated through the use of their Name, Image and Likeness while maintaining their amateur status.
For WWE, the program will be a way to recruit and develop future WWE performers. The partnership will include access to the WWE Performance Center as well as assistance from the company in brand building, media training, communications and more. According to the press release, NIL athletes may receive a contract from WWE.
US Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson was the first WWE NIL athlete after he signed with the company this past September. Under the deal, Steveson returned to the University of Minnesota to defend his NCAA National Championship while beginning to train with WWE.
Payout Perspective:
The announcement makes sense as the WWE always scouts athletes especially in football and amateur wrestling. The athleticism and endurance needed to perform translates from these sports. Also, securing deals with these athletes early on means that they can make inroads for talent in the future. The pay is not mentioned here, but since college athletes are allowed to be compensated under this, you can expect a sliding scale depending on ability and interest.
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