Name Image and Likeness Opportunities - An Important Element of World Class Student-Athlete Experience
A Message from Director of Athletics John Currie
Our coaches spend countless hours over several years evaluating the most talented student-athletes in the world to identify the very best who have the character, academic commitment and competitive drive to be Demon Deacons. Of course, those select few who fit the bill are also evaluating us! In my career, I have observed that there are generally five primary “boxes” that student-athletes seek to “check” as they make their decisions to attend or continue at a particular school:- The dynamics of the head coach and the student-athlete’s relationship with the staff.
- The academic prestige and athletics success of the university.
- Training and competition facilities - the quality and condition of which also represents a visible symbol of commitment of the school to that particular sport.
- The opportunity for playing time and the potential role within the program.
- The quality & prowess of the conference and exciting environment for competition.
Thanks to tremendous leadership from the Board of Trustees and President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D., generous support from countless Demon Deacons donors and loyal fans everywhere, and tireless effort of the best coaches in the country, now more than ever Wake Forest “checks” all five boxes!
However, since July 1, 2021, a new”sixth” box has emerged as a factor in student-athlete decisions - potential opportunities involving Name, Images & Likeness (NIL). Of course, like the other decision factors, the relative importance of NIL varies widely depending on the individual student-athlete and sport.
Our athletics compliance team under the leadership of Daren Koudele, and many others, have worked for several years to build an infrastructure and provide education for student-athletes who wish to engage and pursue NIL activities as permitted under University policy and NCAA regulations. From our dedicated NIL webpage on GoDeacs.com, to the DEACTOWN Marketplace powered by Opendorse, and a group licensing agreement with Brandr that enables student-athletes to benefit through personalized merchandise sales such as these “shirseys” co-branded with the player’s last name and the “WF” logo, we are glad to see our our young men and women learning about the brand development business.
Investing in student-athlete NIL opportunities - the sixth box - has become another important way Wake Forest fans are supporting student-athletes. And NCAA guidance has recently validated the outside “collective” concept to provide student-athletes with more NIL opportunities.
So whether you participate in a collective, give to the Deacon Club, or buy tickets and attend games, as we strive toward our goal of A World Class Student-Athlete Experience, we are grateful for all of the ways members of Deacon Nation choose to support Wake Forest student-athletes.
Are you interested in establishing an NIL opportunity for a Wake Forest student-athletes? Visit the DEACTOWN Marketplace to connect with a Demon Deacon today.
Wake Forest Athletics and The Brandr Group (TBG) have established a group licensing program covering all 400-plus Demon Deacon student-athletes across the university's 18 varsity sports. Through this collaboration, Wake Forest student-athletes can financially benefit from their NIL deals through co-branded opportunities across the school's merchandising and sponsorship portfolio, while Demon Deacon fans will enjoy new ways to celebrate their favorite players.Are you interested in becoming a licensee? Contact Kathleen Melvin at The Brandr Group for more information.