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Contributors›Maribeth Kuzmeski
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Marketing Strategist, Author, Speaker

Maribeth Kuzmeski

Maribeth consult and deliver keynote presentations to financial services companies, Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurial minded corporations, women’s organizations, and industry associations on the topics of marketing strategy, sales, persuasive communications strategies and branding. She conduct live and virtual interactive training sessions designed to guide participants to create their own powerful marketing messages, and facilitate large group sessions where participants create and share business development strategies. She is also the founder of The Brand Squad, a group of top-tier business students at Oklahoma State University who have been trained and certified to assist other student-athletes with their NIL efforts. Each Brand Squad member is matched with student-athletes to help them generate deal opportunities, assist with their social media, develop entrepreneurship opportunities, and work on ideas to monetize their NIL. To find out more and start your own Brand Squad: www.Brandsquad-osu.com.

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Contributor Brief·Maribeth Kuzmeski · 1 articles
Updated Sep 5, 2023

NIL Compensation Must Reflect Actual Athlete Market Value, Not Industry Pittance

Kuzmeski argues that college athletes commanding demonstrable marketing value deserve compensation proportional to their actual earning power, not the token amounts currently offered by institutions and brands. She advocates for transparency and equity in NIL deals, positioning athlete leverage and proof of marketability as the basis for renegotiating standard contracts upward.

pittance offered

current standard NIL compensation relative to athlete market value

“Athletes demanding equitable compensation when their marketable value exceeds pittance offered.”

If a College Athlete Proves Their NIL Marketing Worth, Show Them the Money

Core tension in NIL market dynamics

Athlete proves measurable marketing impact via engagement/reach data9
Institutions resist proportional compensation despite demonstrated ROI8
Digital likeness licensing undervalues athlete earning potential8
Market inefficiency creates leverage opportunity for informed athletes7

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28%Athlete proves
Athlete proves measurable marketing impact via engagement/reach data
Institutions resist proportional compensation despite demonstrated ROI
Digital likeness licensing undervalues athlete earning potential
Market inefficiency creates leverage opportunity for informed athletes

1

article provided; single case insufficient for broader pattern analysis

Show them the money—when performance data proves value.

If a College Athlete Proves Their NIL Marketing Worth, Show Them the Money

Compensation must follow proof, not tradition or institutional convenience.

If a College Athlete Proves Their NIL Marketing Worth, Show Them the Money

“Athletes with measurable market proof should reject lowball digital likeness offers.”

Themes:Data-driven athlete compensation based on measurable market valueInstitutional resistance to equitable NIL pricing despite athlete ROIAthlete leverage through transparency and performance proof

Latest article

Sports & Entertainment · Sep 5

If a College Athlete Proves Their NIL Marketing Worth, Show Them the Money

Athletes demanding equitable compensation when their marketable value exceeds the pittance offered for digital likenesses

Read article →
If a College Athlete Proves Their NIL Marketing Worth, Show Them the Money

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  • AM
    Alex M.·2h agoquestion

    What sparked your research into disruptive innovation?

    Curious what the original insight was that led you to the Innovator's Dilemma framework.

  • SL
    Sophia L.·1d agoidea

    Would love a deep-dive into EdTech adoption barriers.

    Your framing of sustaining vs. disruptive innovation feels directly applicable to school systems.

  • DR
    David R.·3d agoquestion

    How do you see AI changing the personalized learning landscape?