By Robert Mazin
For decades, athletes have been marketed — not as individuals with vision and leverage, but as assets to be used, maximized, and then replaced. Their names became headlines. Their stories, property of corporations. Their influence, monetized — but never fully owned.
That’s no longer the case.
With the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation, we are witnessing a structural shift — not just in sports law or marketing tactics, but in identity ownership itself. NIL is more than a revenue stream. It’s a psychological and economic shift that redefines what it means to be a modern athlete.
And those who understand how to navigate that shift — not emotionally, but entrepreneurially — will be the ones who rise above the noise and build generational wealth.
The Macro View: NIL as Economic Decentralization
From an economic standpoint, NIL represents a redistribution of agency. The traditional model of sports marketing involved institutions — schools, teams, brands — capitalizing on an athlete’s performance and reach while the athlete remained largely uncompensated. What we’re seeing now is the introduction of market-based valuation at the individual level, even before professional status.
This mirrors what we saw in the rise of the creator economy: as platforms like YouTube and Instagram removed the gatekeepers of media, athletes too are now stepping outside institutional frameworks to monetize their own image — on their terms.
In 2023 alone, NIL deals generated over $917 million across NCAA and high school markets, according to Opendorse. Yet, according to recent analysis, over 80% of NIL contracts remain short-term, with many athletes accepting flat sponsorship fees without any backend, performance-based, or equity-driven incentives. This is not strategic monetization. This is cashing out too early.
The real ROI — the generational wealth play — comes from thinking like an entrepreneur, not just a performer.
Photo Courtesy: 369 Sports & Entertainment
At 369 Sports & Entertainment, Here’s What We Do Differently
At our agency, we represent athletes across all levels — from Olympic gold medalists to teenage viral sensations. But our strategy remains consistent: teach them how to build empires, not just land endorsements.
And to do that, we focus on three fundamental pillars of NIL success:
- Clarity of Brand Voice: The Science of Identity in Motion
Before any marketing plan is drafted or deal is signed, we ask our athletes one essential question:
Who are you when no one’s watching?
This isn’t philosophy — it’s neuroscience. Research in cognitive psychology tells us that self-concept clarity — the degree to which an individual’s beliefs about themselves are clearly and confidently defined — directly impacts decision-making, stress management, and long-term motivation (Campbell et al., Self and Identity, 2003).
An athlete with no identity beyond their sport is vulnerable. Vulnerable to peer pressure, to brand exploitation, to online reputation damage. That’s why the first stage in our NIL roadmap involves personal brand architecture — the deliberate articulation of values, beliefs, and public narrative.
We help our clients answer:
- What do you stand for?
- Who do you serve?
- What is your story arc?
Because clarity attracts alignment — and the most valuable brands want to partner with individuals, not performers.
- Smart Content Strategy: Building Influence, Not Virality
One viral video may change your day. A consistent content ecosystem can change your life.
The majority of young athletes are still viewing content creation as reactive — posting game highlights or training montages without understanding narrative tension or platform psychology. At 369, we treat every athlete as a media company in the making.
We create tailored content calendars, supported by creative directors and media strategists, for platforms like:
- Instagram (for image-driven social proof)
- YouTube (for long-form narrative and monetization)
- LinkedIn (for executive visibility and future corporate relationships)
- TikTok (for culture engagement and rapid reach)
But more importantly, we teach them to control their story. Because narrative is currency. And attention without intention is wasted capital.
- Monetization Infrastructure: From Deals to Scalable Assets
Sponsorships are temporary. Infrastructure is forever.
Too many athletes treat NIL like a paycheck. We teach them to treat it like a portfolio.
Every client we work with goes through our proprietary “Deal Filter” — a system that includes:
- Legal review and reputation analysis
- Brand alignment scoring
- Backend negotiation for performance bonuses or equity shares
- Structured reinvestment plans (into content, training, or business ventures)
We also introduce early financial literacy. According to research by the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center, only 24% of millennials demonstrate basic financial competence — and young athletes, who are often pushed into sudden wealth, are even more vulnerable.
Our athletes are taught to protect their assets, build credit profiles, create LLCs, and understand tax implications. Because if you don’t know how to manage the money, you won’t keep it.
The Athlete-Entrepreneur: A New Mental Model
It’s time we stop asking athletes to “stay humble” and start teaching them to stay strategic. NIL is not just about fame. It’s about infrastructure. It’s about scaling influence into capital. And that requires a new mental model:
- Think like a content creator, not a consumer.
- Operate like a business, not a brand mascot.
- Build like an owner, not a sponsored face.
Final Word: Visibility is Not Victory — Ownership Is
The truth is, NIL is not a marketing trend. It’s a structural shift in sports economics and identity politics. It marks the beginning of a world where athletes no longer need to be “discovered” — they can design their own discovery.
Those who embrace NIL as a tool for long-term positioning — those who understand contracts, content, community, and capital — will rise above the chaos.
At 369 Sports & Entertainment, we’re not just managing talent. We’re building a new class of business-minded, mentally resilient, platform-ready leaders — who treat every post, every partnership, and every decision as an investment in their future.
Because the ones who win in this game are not the loudest.
They’re the most prepared.
Robert Mazin is the founder and managing director of 369 Sports & Entertainment, a global athlete management agency with clients in the NHL, Olympic boxing, and NCAA Division I. A former professional hockey player and mentor to elite talent, he specializes in long-term career strategy, brand development, and business infrastructure for athletes across sports and entertainment.
To learn more about 369 Sports and Entertainment, visit them on Instagram @369.ent
