Since the summer of 2021, college sports headlines have been dominated by the conversation around student-athlete name, image, and likeness (NIL) with headlines featuring million-dollar deals with The Rock's ZOA Energy Drink and athlete-themed McDonald’s Value Meals. Caitlin Clark’s momentous deal as the first student-athlete to sign with State Farm made serious waves this year. Paige Buecker’s thriving partnerships with Nike, Crocs, United States Army, Bose, Gatorade, and Nerf while recovering from her knee injury have been unprecedented.

While these deals may be what’s covered by news outlets, they don't reflect the entire landscape. NIL deals also take shape in the form of $100 for a social media post or a $10 per month membership with a third-party organization to support a catalog of athletes. With student-athlete NIL still in its infancy, taking on so many shapes and forms, it has a lot of local fans wondering, “What does this mean for Minnesota?”.

Join us for a conversation digging into what NIL means for Minnesota Athletes and how all Minnesotans – not just our top corporations – can make a lasting impact in this realm.

Panelists Jeremiah Carter, University of Minnesota Senior Associate Athletic Director of NIL, Policy and Risk Management, PJ Hill, former Big Ten Basketball Star for The Ohio State University and financial advisor to young athletes through NorthRock Partners, Jerry Schulz of Gray Duck Spirits, and Gopher Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach, Dave Thorson, share their perspectives.