Just over a month after the NCAA ruled that college athletes could profit off their name, image and likeness (NIL), the University of Miami’s quarterback, D’Eriq King, has inked a contract with implications for the promotional products industry.  

The Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League announced that they have signed the Hurricanes quarterback to become the team’s first “FLA Athlete,” marking the first time that a professional sports franchise has partnered with an American student-athlete in an NIL deal.

As part of the arrangement, King will appear at Panthers games, work closely with its social media and marketing team, create a concession menu item at the BB&T Center (the Panthers’ home arena) and develop co-branded merchandise, CBS Sports reported. Since the inception of the NIL rules, King has partnered with Florida State quarterback McKenzie Milton to co-found Dreamfield, a company dedicated to marketing student-athletes to potential sponsors.

College athletes can now endorse products and create merch - a move that will generate millions upon millions of $ in new merchandising opportunities. This in-depth report by @JCorr_ASI explores the vast potential, and the myriad questions that remain.https://t.co/uwJdf3m9LG

— C.J. Mittica (@CJ_ASIMedia) July 22, 2021

As previously reported, the NIL ruling has created plentiful opportunities for the promo industry, as college athletes can now license their name to promote brands, sponsor events and campaigns, and launch their own merchandising companies. Several athletes have already capitalized, unveiling their own clothing lines, trademarked logos and online apparel stores.

“This ruling will generally increase the visibility of college sports,” Allen Adamson, co-founder and managing partner at the marketing strategy and activation firm Metaforce, told ASI Media. “More buzz means more merchandise. Social media will play a huge factor, as popular athletes will influence followers into wanting a school’s mug, hat or T-shirt.”

Steve Flaughers, owner of Proforma 3rd Degree Marketing (asi/300094) in Canton, OH, has targeted the college sports market for years. Although he sees the potential in college athletes selling their own branded T-shirts and bobbleheads, he’s concerned about licensing issues that can arise.

“Students don’t seem interested in wanting to learn the licensing aspect of the products,” Flaughers said. “I assume if allowed, they will sell anything and everything that they can. This could pose a serious problem for the universities. Would they fine their own student athletes the same as they would us licensed suppliers? If the university feels they’re losing a great deal of revenue, will this mean licensing fees skyrocket to make up for that loss of money they have made off the student athletes?”