Now for Some Good News about DI Mid-Majors, DII, and DIII
Among the daily news reports of NIL chaos, I’m here to bring you some good news and optimism about Name, Image, and Likeness. Because in the midst of that “noise” (the information that interferes with our perception of NIL) are positive “signals” (the meaningful information) that can get us re-focused on supporting ALL student-athletes at all levels. And I’ve got the data to prove it.
I’ve known about the DIII, DII, and DI mid-major trend for some time, which is why I recently launch NIL Quick Start Workshops for administrators & coaches (or their student-athletes) at those institutions. It's a cost-effective one hour session - a 40 minute presentation, followed by a 20 minute Q&A. Quick Starts are private Zoom sessions, can be attended by an unlimited number of attendees at your organization, and cost just $495. Contact me to learn more or to schedule a workshop.
Do You Know Who Chloe Mitchell Is (pictured above)?
Chloe Mitchell is a volleyball player at Aquinas College (NAIA) in Grand Rapids, MI. In December 2020, she became a do-it-yourself social media star. Today she has 2.7 million TikTok followers (yes, you read that right!), 40,000 Instagram followers, and 5,000+ YouTube subscribers.
Chloe Mitchell - not Bryce Young of Alabama or Paige Bueckers of UConn - was the first student-athlete to capitalize on NIL. Chloe commands thousands of dollars from brands as a social media influencer, incorporating brand content into her videos which focus on DIY home and dorm projects. You can check out her YouTube channel here.
Almost two years ago (the NAIA’s NIL came 10 months before the NCAA’s), Chloe Mitchell was the signal about what is good about NIL. She showed us very early on that NIL is about entrepreneurship, hustle, and authenticity. And she proved that NIL is for ALL student-athletes at all levels of play. But we’ve gotten distracted by the news of a handful of big money endorsement deals, booster collectives, and other NIL noise.
Here’s Where the Good News Starts
In a May 2022, study I conducted of just under 1,000 student-athletes at DIII, DII, and DI mid-major institutions, 64% of student-athletes said they were “interested” or “very interested” in participating in NIL activities.
By comparison, just six months ago, only about 50% DIII, DII, and DI mid-major student-athletes said they had interest in participating in NIL.
Relevant NIL Activities
The DIII, DII, and DI mid-major student-athletes I surveyed understood who they are not - Power 5 student-athletes. Thus, either by trial and error or just instinct, the NIL activities they are doing don’t include things like appearances, autograph signings, or endorsements. Instead, they are more entrepreneurial. Even with followings of often less than 2,500, these student-athletes have still been paid for social media content and posts. In addition, they spend a much greater amount of time than their major DI counterparts on camps, clinics, and private instruction.
Female Student-Athletes Top The List
When it comes to NIL activity by sport, female athletes at DI mid-majors, DII, and DIII take the top two spots and three of the top five. By comparison, at major DI programs, football is accounting for around 40% of NIL activity.
Compensation Comparison
Mid-major DI student-athletes earn the most NIL compensation per activity (but about 1/3rd of what major DI student-athletes earn.) DII and DIII student-athletes earned considerably less per NIL activity at $59 and $51 respectively.