maddy goodman

I am a junior at Indiana University studying apparel merchandising with a minor in Fashion media.



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News Story

NIL and the College Athlete: Empowerment, Opportunity, and Controversy

By: Chelsea Keusch, Maddy Goodman and Ally Patterson

Bloomington, IN (November 5, 2024)

Nick Martinelli, Northwestwern player number 2, poses for the camera on team media day. Martinelli utilizes  photos like these, along with posting his own videos  to grow his media presence leading to more NIL deals. Photo courtesy of Nick Martinelli

As senior Nick Martinelli looked up to the final scoreboard of the 2022 basketball state championship game, he was filled with joy. He could hear the loud cheers of the crowd and could see the smiling faces of all of his teammates. All of their hard work had finally paid off and they had won the state championship title for their school, Glenbrook South High school. Martinelli had been a leader on the team, both in skill and attitude, and knew this championship would lead to several college offers. In all of the joy and excitement, Martinelli knew he had a lot to think about when it came to collegiate opportunities. He eventually chose to attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. As he began his college journey, he soon discovered that collegiate athletics were evolving, particularly with the realm of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) prospects. “NIL is great for athletes especially those in the Big 10 where fans are very invested in how their team is doing and use social media to check up on the players and stats,” Martinelli said. The implementation of allowing NCAA athletes to accept NIL deals gave athletes like Martinelli the opportunity to make money off of their skills in ways that were unimaginable for earlier generations. As a driven athlete, he viewed this as a chance to develop his own personal brand. However, he was aware that having a strong social media presence was just as important for success in this new arena as having skill on the court. At first, Martinelli was nervous about using social media. Previously all of his attention had always been on his game, and he largely saw Twitter and Instagram as a distraction. However, he chose to work towards NIL deals after talking about the opportunities it could bring to his career with his teammates and coaches. He began sharing behind-the-scenes looks into his life as a student-athlete, as well as highlights from practices and games on social media platforms. As his accounts began to gain traction, he was able to gain multiple opportunities pertaining to NIL.

Professor Galen Clavio answers C250 students’ questions during a guest lecture over NIL. Clavio is an expert on the topic and shares with students the basic history and the current state of NIL in the NCAA. Photo taken by Kenzie Vitale

In the world of college athletics, the idea of Name, Image, and Likeness, also known as NIL, has transformed the lives of many collegiate athletes. In the past they have been limited to scholarships or the very little endorsements that only their school profited from, student-athletes can now control their personal brands through social media. This directly turns their followers into financial opportunities. “Athletes [do] have market value, do have compensatory value, and are able to leverage those rights, those opportunities, as they choose where they are going to go to school or stay in school,” Professor Galen Clavio, Director of the National Sports Journalism Center, said.  In addition to increasing their own marketability, athletes with large fan bases often improve the school’s reputation by presenting it in a fresh way, which frequently attracts more applications overall. For example, “Caitlyn Clark started appearing in State Farm commercials in her Iowa jersey. That was a separate contract signed by the University of Iowa, to try to capitalize off of Caitlyn Clark,’s publicity” Clavio said. Athletes that gain national attention draw more fans to games, boosting earnings from merchandise and ticket sales.

Nevertheless, this change has produced a cutthroat market where skill can be overshadowed by popularity. While some athletes find it difficult to generate traction, others who are adept at social media may land big agreements. As athletes concentrate on developing their brands rather than just the sport, this discrepancy may cause conflict across conferences. Athletes that play at smaller institutions such as sophomore athlete, Molly Tapak, who plays soccer at Southern Illinois University, does not receive NIL offers, and has less of a platform through her school to obtain a substantial following. This can be frustrating as they are putting in the same amount of work as any other college athlete and see few results in the aspect 

Molly Tapak, Southern Illinois outside back, dribbles the ball down the field past her opponents, the CIU Flames. Tapak continues to work hard at practice, but spends little time developing a social media brand due to her school’s size. Photo courtesy of Molly Tapak

of NIL opportunities.”Very few girls on the team receive any sort of NIL deals, and the ones that have obtained sponsorships, have done so through non-soccer related posts,” Tapak said.  While Tapak recognizes the positive possibilities of NIL deals, she feels her school has not been majorly impacted by the implications. Since the school itself doesn’t draw a lot of attention, this leaves hard working  athletes with fewer possibilities to gain national attention, and in turn NIL deals, themselves.

Furthermore, there might be a lot of pressure to keep up an engaging online presence. Athletes frequently find themselves balancing training, academics, and content creation, making it difficult to distinguish between their personal and sports life due to the continual scrutiny they receive from fans and possible sponsors. Cooper Noard, a college men’s basketball player at Cornell University says, “It is difficult to balance waking up at 5 am most days of the week for practice, to then going to class for several hours to come home and somehow find time to hang out with friends all while exhausted physically and mentally.” Although Cooper does not receive NIL money he also says “I think NIL is great for college athletes. I’m a day one supporter of college athletes being able to make money as long as it doesn’t interfere with the integrity of the team and the sport.” 

Cooper Noard, Cornell men’s basketball player number 31, poses for the camera on team media day. Noard continues to focus all of his efforts on improving his game rather than investing time into growing his social media. Photo courtesy of Cooper Noard. 

There is no denying social media’s impact on collegiate athletics in this day and age. Although NIL rights have created opportunities, they have also brought forth complications that have changed the definition of student-athlete status. 

NIL Voxpop 

Students on Indiana University Bloomington’s campus share their thoughts on how NIL has impacted their respective campuses.

Public Relations Story

Apple’s Newest Apple Watch Takes a Step Forward in Bettering Technology

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts
Mayah Weeks
Megan Liebhaber
Maddy Goodman

CUPERTINO, California (Sept. 9, 2014) — September 9th, 2014, marks the recent release of Apple’s newest product, the Apple Watch. Tim Cook (the chief executive officer of Apple) held this event to provide details on the features of this new product, such as (add specifics), on Sunday night in California. This watch aims to promote aspects previous watches have never had, such as ways to document your health and fitness with this new Apple personal technology. The launch was not only about the latest product itself but rather about how Apple is capable of integrating new technologies into consumers’ daily lives.

The Apple Watch has many customizable and designable features. This product comes in various screen sizes and colors, allowing customers to design their watches to fit their needs. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, describes the watch as “The most personal device we have created.” This can be considered accurate as customers can pick screen sizes, displays, and even the watch’s color. This watch keeps users healthy by providing health metrics connected with the ability to download apps that keep them informed, such as iMessage and different news outlets. The introduction of the Apple Watch further shows Apple’s dedication to promoting health and fitness. The watch is equipped with sensors that can track your heart rate and how many steps you have walked, and it even allows you to set your own personal fitness goals. During the launch event, Kevin Lynch demonstrated the new technology by showing off its features. For example, the running routes. “This is not just a fitness tracker; it’s a health and fitness companion,” he says.

IU Student is relaxing in bed between her classes. Her Apple Watch displays the time, ensuring she is on time for her next class.
Best Buy worker is completing a transaction with a customer. As he taps on the screen, his Apple Watch displays that he is running behind on his daily activity goals.

Tracking fitness goals is not the only thing the Apple Watch can do. With the physical customization ability, the device’s changeable bands and customizable watch faces allow consumers to express their style, allowing the Apple Watch to be worn for various occasions, from workouts to formal events. Jony Ive, Apple’s Chief Design Officer, says, “The Apple Watch is a singular, continuous piece that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.” The watch is available in multiple configurations, including the standard model, the sporty Apple Watch Sport, and the luxury Apple Watch Edition, catering to different consumer preferences. Like the iPhone, the watch runs off an IOS system as well, but more specifically, one created just for the watches called watchOS, which allows the watch to connect with apps that will enable consumers to get messages. Such as text messages and music control, all without needing an iPhone. This level of connectivity, along with its health-focused features, aims to make the Apple Watch a critical tool for modern living.

The Apple Watch’s goal is to integrate into the daily life of consumers, providing us with relevant information at just the click of a button. One could feel the excitement building for the arrival of the Apple Watch, which was not surprising given the company’s track record of successfully introducing ground-breaking goods. With a dedicated app store for the watch and partnerships with developers, Apple intends to establish a healthy ecosystem that enhances the watch’s functionality and user experience. This can be a standard in consumer electronics because of the mix of technology, health tracking, and personalization. Techies were speculating about the watch’s possible market impact as Apple got ready to launch in early 2015. Rivals like Samsung were already on high alert, realizing that Apple’s arrival may drastically alter the wearables market. Industry observers predicted that the Apple Watch would create new design standards and break sales records.

 The September 9th, 2014, release of the first Apple Watch was a turning point in wearable technology. With its emphasis on connectivity, fitness, and health, Apple aimed to transform how people used technology daily. That’s exactly what Tim Cook meant when he said, “This is just the beginning of a new chapter.” The Apple Watch indicated a new era in personal technology that many consumers already anticipated, with its “cutting-edge” capabilities, dedication to customization, and clear vision for the future. The watch was more than just a novel device; it significantly changed how technology could improve daily living.


Steve Jobs presents the features of his new Apple product.

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