High Level Experiences Empowers Ole Miss Athletes in NIL Brand Building

HLX platform supports Rebels in their first step of entrepreneurship, building unique monetization opportunities for all athletes

Mar 23, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Ole Miss Rebels guard Kennedy Todd-Williams (3) reacts in the second half against the Marquette Golden Eagles at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Three and a half years into NIL across college athletics, the only constant has been change. From brands investing early in high-profile athletes to school collectives throwing big budgets at football and basketball stars, there is still a major population that is underserved. While the concept of "NIL for all" is a novel idea, few companies are focusing on this. Enter High Level Experiences (HLX), a new technology brand that empowers any student-athlete in any sport to grow their digital footprint to set them up for long-term success off the field.

HLX is a monetization hub that gives athletes the tools to quickly set up pay-walled services - such as their own website, one-on-one coaching, downloadable guides, gaming tournaments and merchandise lines - to build their personal brands in unique ways. Originally a gaming platform, HLX has evolved into a "white-glove" service that helps athletes use digital technology in new ways to create meaningful relationships with fans and brands alike, leading to sustainable NIL opportunities.

Kicking off initially with a major presence at Ole Miss, HLX is expanding their athlete roster across the country, including current and former student-athletes from any and all sports, not just football or basketball stars who have traditionally dominated the NIL budgets of collectives.

Earlier this semester, Ole Miss invited HLX to present at the school's first-ever NIL Summit to onboard student-athletes to the platform and build their own personal websites to enhance their monetization opportunities.

"Working with the HLX team has been an incredible experience. they go above and beyond to support athletes, building genuine relationships that truly make you feel valued," Ole Miss women's basketball player Kennedy Todd-Williams shared. "Their expertise in helping college athletes engage with their audience and monetize opportunities has been instrumental in building my personal brand."

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In conjunction with HLX onboarding student-athletes at Ole Miss' NIL Summit, major Rebels supporter and president of Riverland Roofing, Billy Landes recognized the potential impact of the platform and decided to sponsor personalized websites for any interested student-athletes to help them elevate their NIL opportunities.

From there, the chief marketing officers of both HLX and Riverland - NIL content educator Sam Green and Tate Martin - came together to concept a dedicated NIL Night hosted by the roofing company. Taking place on November 12, the event offered local Oxford businesses the chance to meet Ole Miss athletes, build meaningful relationships, explore potential NIL opportunities and learn how best to support each other.

"Working with HLX has been one of the biggest blessings since the start of the school year," added Ole Miss softball player Ashton Lansdell, who launched her own merchandise collection live at HLX and Riverland's NIL Night this week. "They go out of their way to get to know you. They listen and care for you as a person. HLX does their absolute best to make your visions come true while guiding you with ways to maximize your brand."

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"As I traveled from school to school, I noticed a common trend: athletes were constantly directing their audiences to other people’s websites, losing potential revenue and engagement in the process," Green said. "To change that narrative, I partnered with HLX to empower athletes to keep all the money, audience, and attention within their own personal brand."

Clearly, Ole Miss Rebels are now set up for long-term NIL success with a resource like HLX and with a planned expansion to other athletes and schools across the country, more student-athletes will soon be able to leverage the platform and technology for their own entrepreneurial and monetization endeavors.