Trending...
- PIQSTAR INC. Launch Signal of Care
- Growth Story Expands: $54.6M Contract, $30M Revenue Run Rate, 800+ Customers, 50+ Patents & New AI Cybersecurity Products for Cycurion, Inc $CYCU
- Dr. Jay Johannigman Returns to Cincinnati Following 46 Years of Military Service
ATLANTA - WisconsinEagle -- NIL Club today highlighted results from recent brand campaigns that show why follower count alone is becoming a less useful measure of a college athlete's marketing value.
That distinction is particularly important in college sports, where most athletes are not national celebrities. A football star with hundreds of thousands of followers can deliver broad awareness, while a swimmer, volleyball player or Division III athlete may offer a smaller but highly relevant audience.
"The athletes driving real results for our partners are not always the ones with the biggest audiences," said Mick Assaf, CEO and co-founder of NIL Club. "College athletes have credibility within their teams, campuses and communities. When the right athlete reaches the right audience, that connection can turn into measurable action."
The clearest evidence comes from conversion. For SoFi, a campaign through NIL Club generated more than 47,000 new accounts, with nearly 60 percent of them funded. That funding rate was close to five times the roughly 12 percent industry benchmark.
More on Wisconsin Eagle
A separate campaign for a major cryptocurrency exchange generated roughly 4,800 referred sign-ups and more than 2,600 funded accounts, about a 54 percent sign-up-to-funded rate, compared with roughly 12 percent from cold paid social. More than 1,600 of those customers went on to place a first trade.
Content campaigns have produced similar results. For a nationwide Subway activation, more than 170 college athletes created nearly 200 pieces of original content over three weeks, generating more than a million views and a combined engagement rate above 8 percent across TikTok, Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories. Rather than building the campaign around one athlete with a massive national following, Subway worked across athletes from different sports, schools and communities.
The approach reflects a broader change in creator marketing. Brands are increasingly looking at engagement, audience fit and measurable performance alongside reach when deciding which creators can deliver value.
"Reach will always matter for the right campaign," Assaf said. "But it should not be the only measure of an athlete's value. If an athlete can create effective content, connect with the right audience and produce a measurable result, brands should be paying attention."
More on Wisconsin Eagle
For college athlete marketing, the shift gives brands more ways to define influence and athletes a chance to demonstrate it.
About NIL Club
NIL Club is a college athlete platform built by YOKE, an Atlanta-based technology company. NIL Club connects college athletes with fans and brands through NIL opportunities including fan communities, brand campaigns and merchandise. The platform works with athletes across NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA programs nationwide.
Fans can join their favorite athletes' clubs at https://nilclub.com/colleges
NIL Club App Follow NIL Club
That distinction is particularly important in college sports, where most athletes are not national celebrities. A football star with hundreds of thousands of followers can deliver broad awareness, while a swimmer, volleyball player or Division III athlete may offer a smaller but highly relevant audience.
"The athletes driving real results for our partners are not always the ones with the biggest audiences," said Mick Assaf, CEO and co-founder of NIL Club. "College athletes have credibility within their teams, campuses and communities. When the right athlete reaches the right audience, that connection can turn into measurable action."
The clearest evidence comes from conversion. For SoFi, a campaign through NIL Club generated more than 47,000 new accounts, with nearly 60 percent of them funded. That funding rate was close to five times the roughly 12 percent industry benchmark.
More on Wisconsin Eagle
- "JACKIE the STRIPPER," Starring Charlotte Kirk and The PUSSYCAT DOLLS' Kimberly Wyatt, Now Streaming on PRIME
- Migguel Anggelo Celebrates the Immigrant Experience, Latino Identity, and the Power of Iconic Latin Rhythms During Hispanic Heritage Month
- Indianapolis Criminal Defense Firm Rigney Law LLC Relaunches Criminal Law Podcast "Tales from the Brown Desk"
- 3ptechies Makes Its Articles Audio-Ready With Instaread Voice Technology
- Genuine Hospitality, LLC Selected to Operate Fairfield Inn & Suites Tampa Wesley Chapel
A separate campaign for a major cryptocurrency exchange generated roughly 4,800 referred sign-ups and more than 2,600 funded accounts, about a 54 percent sign-up-to-funded rate, compared with roughly 12 percent from cold paid social. More than 1,600 of those customers went on to place a first trade.
Content campaigns have produced similar results. For a nationwide Subway activation, more than 170 college athletes created nearly 200 pieces of original content over three weeks, generating more than a million views and a combined engagement rate above 8 percent across TikTok, Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories. Rather than building the campaign around one athlete with a massive national following, Subway worked across athletes from different sports, schools and communities.
The approach reflects a broader change in creator marketing. Brands are increasingly looking at engagement, audience fit and measurable performance alongside reach when deciding which creators can deliver value.
"Reach will always matter for the right campaign," Assaf said. "But it should not be the only measure of an athlete's value. If an athlete can create effective content, connect with the right audience and produce a measurable result, brands should be paying attention."
More on Wisconsin Eagle
- Pregis to Highlight EPR Expertise, Sustainable Packaging Solutions and Live Automation Demonstrations at Pack Expo International 2026
- Infinity Infusion Solutions Launches "Women Leading Infusion Care" Campaign for National Women in Business Month
- HuskyTail Digital Puts AI to Work Behind the Scenes to Cut Client Turnaround Time
- AI, Real-World Data "RWD" and U.S. Expansion Put Predictive Healthcare in Focus for POMDOCTOR Ltd. (N A S D A Q: POM)
- $11.18 Million DARPA Award Ignites a Major New Catalyst as FDA, Robotic TMS and Commercialization Milestones Converge for NRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc
For college athlete marketing, the shift gives brands more ways to define influence and athletes a chance to demonstrate it.
About NIL Club
NIL Club is a college athlete platform built by YOKE, an Atlanta-based technology company. NIL Club connects college athletes with fans and brands through NIL opportunities including fan communities, brand campaigns and merchandise. The platform works with athletes across NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA programs nationwide.
Fans can join their favorite athletes' clubs at https://nilclub.com/colleges
NIL Club App Follow NIL Club
Source: NIL Club
0 Comments
Latest on Wisconsin Eagle
- Phoenix 5/7 Emerges as a Genre-Fluid Artist Collective
- Massage Revolution Expands to Santa Monica With New Wilshire Boulevard Location
- "Warrior Defined" Event Brings Men Together in Charlotte, With Calls for Events Across the U.S
- Dion Abadi Publishes Free Collector Tips Hub for Art and Jewelry Buyers
- World-Renowned Body Language Expert Mark Bowden Headlines INSPIRE Northwest 2026 in Wenatchee, WA
- ASN Software Introduces New California CARS Act Dealer Updates
- USA Air Management Marks 30 Years of Air Duct Cleaning in NJ Urges Homeowners to Schedule Dryer Vent Cleaning Before Heating Season
- Dr. Jay Johannigman Returns to Cincinnati Following 46 Years of Military Service
- Allstream Energy Partners, SEO Experts in Oil and Gas, Awarded Gas Processing OEM Agreement
- Growth Story Expands: $54.6M Contract, $30M Revenue Run Rate, 800+ Customers, 50+ Patents & New AI Cybersecurity Products for Cycurion, Inc $CYCU
- Sky Quarry Restarts Nevada's Only Crude Oil Refinery — A Major New Chapter Begins in This Highly Lucrative sector for N A S D A Q: SKYQ
- Nutriband Inc. (N A S D A Q: NTRB) Breaks Into Uncharted Territory: 52-Week High Eclipsed as Shares Surge 22% —AVERSA™ Puts Investors on High Alert
- PIQSTAR INC. Launch Signal of Care
- Jacqui Condon Selected to Workers' Compensation Panels for Three Professional Athlete Associations
- New Metallized PE Film from Pregis Brings Recyclability to High-Barrier Food Packaging at Pack Expo International in Chicago
- Transformational $104 Million Musculoskeletal Healthcare Opportunity as Expansion Strategy Accelerates for Cardiff Lexington Corp (Stock Symbol: CDIX)
- PropAccount.com Launches Marketing Hub Within PropGenie, Giving Prop Firm Operators an Automated Marketing Team
- Save 15 Percent Off Florida Keys Accommodations with KeysCaribbean's Advance Purchase Rate Discount
- Woodside Rehab & Nursing Enters a New Era of Clinical Excellence and Growth
- Thar Process Partners with French Leader ExtrateX to Bring Prep to Process-Scale SFC to Europe