A few weeks before Christmas, Jordan Teicher had a New York Times story with several former athletes, including ex New York Jet and Columbia grad Josh Martin, talking about the great value LinkedIn had brought to them in terms of connecting and storytelling as they figured out what is next in the post playing careers. I am always impressed/intrigued when I, and others get the random LinkedIn connection from an athlete or a coach. Our group on LinkedIn, Sports Marketing and PR Pros, has about 2,500 current or former athletes and coaches from all levels who have opted in over the years, and many have remarked about the quality of content. Personally, I always reach out to those reaching out to see if it is, he/she or someone they have designated to get them signed up and connected, and for the most part the connections seem smart, inquisitive and legitimate. One of the latest examples is from Alex Katz, a minor league baseball pitcher who has built a great business doing custom shoe designs for athletes, Stadium Custom Kicks. We have spoken several times in the past six weeks, and I am enjoying learning about his business, and his growing career as much as the St. John’s University grad is hopefully learning from others he has met.
However, there is another growing opportunity to LinkedIn and athletes that could really end up being a unique pipeline. The idea surfaced during a catchup call with colleague Simon Ogus on Friday, when he mentioned that for all the athletes on LinkedIn, the platform had yet to clearly maximize unifying all these unique stories into a group or a service where they could connect more easily. That quickly brought to mind one of the burgeoning marketing opportunities for brands and younger athletes that will be becoming a lot clearer into 2021 and beyond; the ability to maximize Name, Image and Likeness by college, and potential high school athletes.
Why?
Ask almost all college students about the first things they are tasked with doing when they get to campus, and many will say that they are told, some required, to create a LinkedIn profile. It is all about story sharing and networking, but it is valuable tool that most have in their arsenal, and one for student-athletes and those looking to engage with them, to take advantage of when NIL comes to play. Yes, their social activity will probably be valuable, as will their initiative and marketability. But rather than hunting and pecking for partnerships big and small, LinkedIn can be perhaps the best, and easiest, business transaction related platform that most will have at their fingertips, and if they listened to those instructing them when they started at whatever school they are now at, the hardest part, the creation of the profile, is probably already in place. For brands, for causes, for other forms of partnerships big and small, LinkedIn is probably a platform already in use, so now the connections can be made, and perhaps, the business opportunity can work well, and smoothly for all.
Now there will always be challenges, especially as NIL slowly lurches its way along to colleges and universities state-by-state for now. However, for those looking forward, LinkedIn as the path to speed opportunity could, and should be a good one. Just ask those former pro athletes, and thousands of others, who have found untapped, proactive and creative value there.
For the student who is also an athlete, maybe, when you look to the benefits of NIL, your first “link” may already be in place.
