Meta Partners With NCAA to Help Women Athletes Maximize Their NIL

One of the biggest tech companies in the world is partnering with the NCAA to help women athletes across the country capitalize on their NIL potential.

Jun 4, 2024; Eugene, OR, USA; A NCAA logo flag at Hayward Field / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Things are everchanging in the world of college sports, something that has been the case throughout time. But when Name, Image, and Likeness rules were changed by the NCAA to allow their student-athletes to be compensated while still maintaining their amateur status, that opened up a whole new realm of possibilities.

Because NIL is so new, there are still things being worked out at the oversight level and within every program across the country. Even though changes could be coming in the near future, it's clear that the NIL landscape is here to stay.

So as current athletes are able to start making money of their name, image, and likeness, it's not surprising to see some of the biggest brands in the world partnering with stars across different sports and universities.

With that in mind, NCAA President Charlie Baker announced a partnership with tech giant Meta that could change the landscape of NIL going forward.

The two are going to collaborate on the NCAA x Meta NIL Empower Program which will help women maximize their name, image and likeness. 100 female student-athletes will be selected to participate in one of two three-month programs where they will be able to form direct relationships with Meta experts and be provided product and business practices.

Meta has been involved with NIL for the previous three years with the NIL Empower program, but this will allow their reach to be even greater.

"Investing in the next generation of athletes and supporting the growth of women's sports on our family of apps is a continued priority for us. We are proud to partner with the NCAA on the NIL Empower program to maximize student-athletes' efforts to grow their community, unlock business opportunities and protect their online well-being," Sibyl Goldman, vice president of global partnerships at Meta, said per the NCAA.

The growth of women's athletics has been clear in recent years.

This program will now the women who participate in this program to learn the best ways to maximize the potential that their NIL opportunities bring them.

"This is a great opportunity for women college athletes to enhance their personal brand, directly engage with college sports fans and make connections for their future," Baker said as part of his statement.