For many student-athletes, NIL opportunities often correlate with what they plan to pursue as a future career. Texas Tech soccer player Charlotte Teeter is a perfect example of that: seeking NIL deals that align with her goals and interests. We caught up with Charlotte to learn how NIL has impacted her experience as a student-athlete as she pursues a degree in Marketing and, soon, her MBA.
Marketing students are often taught how to build and promote brands. As a student-athlete in the NIL era, it’s real-life training. There’s no better way to get hands-on marketing experience than building your own personal brand.
“I think building your brand is super important,” Teeter said. “I’m a marketing major, so I’m learning about all the stuff that I should be doing. I would love to be in sales or sports marketing, so I enjoy getting to see that world and doing things on social media.”
This hands-on experience is important because student-athletes are busy, and it can be difficult to secure jobs or internships.
“It’s hard to get a job when you’re an athlete because you’re busy all the time,” Teeter said. “So [NIL] has provided an opportunity to earn an income, get to build connections with people, and be involved in more of a business side of the world than we have been in the past. It’s a great opportunity. I think I’ve learned more from just putting myself out there and getting to know people through NIL.”
Cardinals
Teeter has tapped into her local campus community of Lubbock, Texas to begin building these connections. She reaches out to businesses she shops at and supports, one of them being a local athletic wear company, Cardinals.
“I fully can put my name behind them; I can back and stand with Cardinals,” she said. “They are great in the community. It’s a family-run business. All the employees were great when I went in as a customer, and so that’s why I pursued them.”
Degree
It’s important for athletes to partner with companies they want to be associated with. This applies to national brands too. Teeter participated in Degree’s #BreakingLimits campaign and had an opportunity to share her personal story beyond sports.
“Reach out to companies that you believe in their mission, and you believe in their campaign. The Degree campaign, I truly believe in them and I could back it. So that was something I was really excited about.”
Be Proactive
Teeter has learned to be proactive. Whether it be NIL education or pursuing opportunities, her advice for other athletes is to make things happen for yourself and stay positive.
“Be proactive. If you are interested in a company, reach out. The worst they can say is ‘no.’ I’ve received ‘no,’ but doesn’t really stop me.”
