Adidas is announcing a new “name, image and likeness” network that’s open to student-athletes at NCAA Division One schools sponsored by the company.
The new network allows 50-thousand students throughout 23 sports and 109 schools to be come paid spokespeople for the brand.
Adidas says the program is set to launch in phases over the next 12 months, starting with historically Black colleges and universities and also Power Five conference partners in the fall.
“The adidas NIL network embodies our belief that sport has the power to change lives by upskilling athletes and giving them the ability to begin to experience an entrepreneurial path that will carry them beyond their college years,” Jim Murphy, Adidas NCAA program lead, said in a statement.
It will be available to other participating schools by April of next year.
Student athletes will initially be paid a percentage of the sales they drive at adidas.com or the adidas app, as well as the ability to be paid per social media post. The company didn’t disclose how much the student athletes would be making if they choose to participate in the new program.
