Students at several HBCUs will be among the thousands of athletes who could end up getting NIL deals from adidas.
The company announced on Wednesday that will give eligible student-athletes of all genders the opportunity, directly with adidas, to become paid affiliate brand ambassadors. And HBCUs, along with Power Five programs, will be amongst the first to benefit from the roll out. This is a first for a major brand.
Alabama State, Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling State and Prairie View A&M all meet the criteria as Division I HBCU schools. HBCUs, along with Power Five programs, are set to start the rollout this fall.
“At adidas, we are committed to creating change through sport and recognize the important role student-athletes play in shaping the future,” said Rupert Campbell, president of adidas North America. “Our groundbreaking NIL program advances our commitments toward building inclusivity in sport and inspires athletes to realize a more equitable world. I can’t wait to see it come to life.
This is the latest news on the NIL front for HBCUs. Earlier this year Grambling State announced it would be working on NIL deals for all of its scholarship student-athletes. It is also a part of Adidas’ on-going “Impossible Is Nothing” campaign.
“We hope to uplift student-athletes by providing educational opportunities to learn more about the NIL and business landscape, which may include bringing them into brand moments and campaigns, partnerships with existing brand athlete partners and ambassadors,” Adidas NCAA program lead Jim Murphy said in a statement to Sports Illustrated. “But really we want to open the doors to a more equitable future outside of just unlocking monetary rewards. We want to help them grow as student-athletes and set them up for a future beyond college sports.”