As the NCAA works to finalize its rules allowing athletes to get compensation for use of their image and likeness, college athletes’ social media fame could be the quickest way they cash in on changes expected to go be implemented in 2021.
“The thing that’s great about social media is that it keeps score and it keeps things fair when it comes to fair market values,” said Jim Cavale, founder and CEO of INFLCR, a software company that specializes in sports-focused social media. “Not just the quantity of followers but the quality of them — meaning how well they engage in the post — along with the activity of the student-athlete — how often they post and the variety of their posts not just their lives on the court but off the court as well.