If there’s one thing that gray-haired college sports fans love to rag on, it’s that “they don’t make ‘em like they used to.”
“Players nowadays have it so easy,” they grumble, shifting agitatedly in their recliners. There’s high-tech training and diet programs, fancy Nike gear, the freedom to transfer anywhere they want — oh yeah, and six-figures worth of NIL moolah every year. Seven figures if you’re nice.
Whether you agree with that sentiment or not, it certainly feels like the traditional path for student-athletes has fallen by the wayside.
A lot of student-athletes see themselves as more than just a number on the roster nowadays — they’re a personal brand, and marketing is the name of the game.