UF Swimming's Emma Weyant Signs NIL Deal with Hometown Before Olympics

The University of Florida Swimming prodigy set to compete in her second Olympics has signed an NIL deal with Visit Sarasota County

Noah Henderson | Jul 22, 2024

Jul 24, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Emma Weyant (USA) reacts after competing during the women's 400m individual medley heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Network / Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Network

The Olympics are right around the corner, and for American athletes, the 2024 Summer Olympics represents a new dawn. The 2024 Paris Olympics will be the first time that athletes in summer sports can cash in on their athletic talents without sacrificing a collegiate career. Emma Weyant, a rising senior and standout swimmer at the University of Florida, is one of sixty-three current college athletes suiting for Team USA. Already owning an Olympic silver medal from the 400-meter medley at the 2020 games, Weyant looks to once again stand on the podium as she competes in the same event –– this time with NIL sponsors behind her.

Weyant recently signed a novel NIL deal with Visit Sarasota County, a taxpayer-funded public enterprise that seeks to grow the local economy with increased tourism. The deal will feature Weyant, a Sarasota, Florida native, in various marketing materials and social media. The deal is a perfect fit for Visit Sarasota County, whose mission statement is to “make Sarasota County a better place by promoting our community on the world stage.” There is no bigger or more global stage than the Olympics.

President and CEO of Visit Sarasota County, Erin Duggan, is confident in the interest Weyant can bring as a hometown hero, "her achievements and connection to our community make Emma the perfect ambassador for Sarasota. This collaboration will promote our beautiful county and showcase our destination as a training ground for champions."

For Weyant, the NIL opportunity is well received, "I am honored to represent Sarasota, a place that has always supported me throughout my swimming career… this partnership with Visit Sarasota County allows me to give back to the community and share the beauty and opportunities that Sarasota offers with a wider audience." The Olympian grew up racing for a club swim team in the Sarasota area and was a high school standout at Riverview Highschool. Now, representing her state’s flagship university and the Team USA globally, she can give back to her roots.

Local tourism boards across the nation should take note. With all eyes on Paris for the next month, leveraging local stars is an effective way to garner notoriety. In an age where amateur athletes are financially compelled to become influencers, the dominance of athlete partnerships is greater than ever.

With the quick rise to stardom athletes experience during the Olympics, sponsors can buy in at the ground level or pay big weeks later once athletes have eclipsed major fame. Right now, it looks like Visit Sarasota County made a good bet on the burgeoning stardom of Emma Weyant.

Published Jul 22, 2024

NOAH HENDERSON

Professor Noah Henderson teaches in the sport management department at Loyola University Chicago. Outside the classroom, he advises companies, schools, and collectives on Name, Image, and Likeness best practices. His academic research focuses on the intersection of law, economics, and social consequences regarding college athletics, NIL, and sports gambling. Before teaching, Prof. Henderson was part of a team that amended Illinois NIL legislation and managed NIL collectives at the nation’s most prominent athletic institutions while working for industry leader Student Athlete NIL. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Economics from Saint Joseph’s University, where he was a four-year letter winner on the golf team. Prof. Henderson is a native of San Diego, California, and a former golf CIF state champion with Torrey Pines High School. Outside of athletics, he enjoys playing guitar, hanging out with dogs, and eating California burritos. You can follow him on Twitter: @NoahImgLikeness.