March Madness has become about more than just basketball for college athletes. Now able to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), athletes are taking control of their personal brands and seizing the opportunity to become entrepreneurs. Consider that less than 2% of NCAA college athletes will go pro, and it raises the stakes for capitalizing on pivotal moments like March Madness. As for the brands working with these athletes, Campus Ink & The NIL Store had its highest revenue month ever during last year’s March Madness, while Athlete's Thread—a brand that partners with 38,000 athletes—reports that 30% of its basketball sales occur in March and April. What other spaces do you think will spark the next wave of entrepreneurs? Drop your thoughts.
Athletes turning NIL into entrepreneurship—game-changing! 🚀🏀
March Madness is proving to be a game-changer not just for athletes but for the entire NIL ecosystem. With the rise of personal branding and e-commerce, platforms like Shopify are enabling athletes to monetize their influence beyond the court. It’ll be interesting to see how this trend expands into other industries like fitness, esports, and content creation. Where do you see the next big opportunity?
Valid point
How do we get in contact with the tax department for Shopify? Your advisors are not able to assist and they keep pushing our company to wait. Its been over 30 days and taxes are due soon!
For more on how brands are collaborating with college athletes: https://www.shopify.com/news/march-madness-entrepreneurs
How do you get in contact with a live human via telephone with Shopify, as a business owner using the platform to sell? Shopify ?
Yes! We have partnered with student-athletes for awhile. We also created a fun link showing blankets we have made with every team in the Mens and Womens NCAA Basketball Tourney! https://photos.projectrepat.com/ncaa
excellent approach and outcome!
It’s great to see all the amazing features Shopify offers. However, I’ve been trying to connect with Customer Service for over three weeks regarding my online store payouts—with no resolution‼️ Unfortunately, the follow-up emails I’ve received have been generic and unhelpful. I’m kindly requesting the opportunity to speak with someone in leadership who can assist in resolving this matter promptly. Small business owners like myself depend on timely and transparent support. Thank you in advance. Mr. Laurence Wilson Make 2Day Great Shop - Detroit, MI
Shopify & E-commerce Specialist | 2nd-Level Fiverr Seller | 5+ Years of Experience Driving Dropshipping Success for 500+ Clients
2wThis shift is game-changing for college athletes. It’s great to see them building personal brands and creating business opportunities early on. With platforms like Shopify making it easier than ever to launch and manage a store, I think we’ll see similar entrepreneurial waves in areas like gaming, content creation, and even wellness. The tools are there—now it’s about who’s ready to use them.