Changing times... Rosa and Santiago become first High School athletes to sign with IPZ for NIL Marketing Opportunities.

The last four years have seen the most dramatic changes I can remember for college athletes…from NIL opportunities with brands… to school collectives becoming powerful forces… to the upcoming changes which will allow schools to treat athletes as compensated employees.  The changes have to at some point allow non-U.S. student athletes here on F1 Visas to be compensated the same way, as we have discussed in the past (https://www.roi-nj.com/2023/04/27/opinion/op-ed/why-rutgers-charismatic-star-omoruyi-and-20000-other-college-athletes-are-ineligible-for-nil-money/). 

In essence, all college athletes are now “free agents” every year – providing those athletes more opportunities to market their individual services even more than professional athletes, who can be bound by long-term contracts or professional player association restrictions.  The impact “the portal” has had on basketball overseas is striking; athletes who used to leave college after three or four years to turn pro and play in Europe or Asia are now staying in school for five years as the NIL opportunities far exceed the pro contracts that are available. 

Great news for the athletes; terrible news for coaches, especially in basketball where schools must recreate their rosters annually.

To a lesser extent, NIL opportunities now exist for high school players in most states…and that’s a positive step.  Why shouldn’t young athletes have an opportunity to take advantage of their “name, image and likeness” to earn money that can help them personally or help their families?  It makes sense. 

This week, IPZ signed its first two high school athletes…and we’re thrilled about it.  Richie Rosa and Mason Santiago are stalwarts on the St. Peter’s Prep basketball team, and both are members of the Puerto Rico national basketball team.  More importantly, they’re outstanding young men who are as good off the court, as they are on.

I had the opportunity to meet both last year (as sophomores) and was taken by their maturity, as well as their play on the court.  Trying to help young men from Prep, my alma mater, couldn’t make me happier. 

So follow these two standouts – and the Prep basketball team – this year…and give us a call if Richie and Mason (or any of our athletes and entertainers) can help your brands.