The University of Maryland has launched a new website that will allow student-athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness for the first time, following a historic change in NCAA rules last year.
Dubbed Maryland Marketplace, the platform contains a profile for every student-athlete across the university’s 20 programs and creates the opportunity for them to profit off of endorsements and appearances. It’s one of the first name, image, likeness (NIL) marketplaces in college sports.
The new platform comes after the NCAA decided in 2021 to allow college athletes to sign endorsement deals, profit off their social media accounts, and otherwise make money from their NIL. Previously, the association had for years prevented athletes from being paid to “advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.” The NCAA’s decision followed a Supreme Court ruling in 2020, when the justices sided with college athletes in a pivotal antitrust case.
The new online marketplace will be managed by Opendorse. UMD athletes will have the ability to customize their profiles on the marketplace and set rates for what they’re offering — from appearances, to brand deals, to social media shout-outs. For example, someone could pay $10 for an athlete to record a video for them or post on social media, or $25 for the athlete to sign an autograph. Ex-Terps are also on the platform with the ability to make money, like Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs. (A Cameo-esque video shout-out would cost $1,000.)
When a request comes in to a player’s profile, they can either choose to accept the opportunity, or decline. They’ll be paid directly through their Opendorse account, and can report it to the university’s athletic department.
Next month, the D.C. Council is set to hold a public hearing on a series of bills that would, in broad strokes, allow college athletes in the city to profit off their NIL and establish a framework for regulating the market and protecting athletes.
Colleen Grablick