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The Next Generation of Sports Stars Is Being Built Outside the Big Leagues — And Off The Field

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The Next Generation of Sports Stars Is Being Built Outside the Big Leagues — And Off The Field

College athletes are becoming the next big sports influencers, using NIL deals and brand partnerships to break into fashion and luxury.

The line between fashion, sport and entertainment has never been more blurred. Award-winning actors are now just as well known for their podcasts, TikTok stars are releasing Grammy-nominated albums and NBA players are modeling for underwear companies. You could argue that this dilutes the value of fame, but another perspective is that it creates new value propositions that simply weren’t available before. 

Jack Liechtung, founder of athlete management and brand partnerships agency Canopy Talent, believes the latter.

“Our thesis has always been: these athletes that we work with on a day-to-day basis are far more than just the sport they play,” Liechtung tells Entrepreneur. “Historically, people have looked to them as the bottom line of a balance sheet. So if their sport doesn’t make enough money, they’re kind of useless. I think that’s a terrible way to look at it.”

Chris Gay, president of top modeling firm The Society Management, which represents Kendall Jenner and Adriana Lima, sees a similar opportunity.

“What’s incredibly interesting from a collegiate and fashion standpoint is these kids have a really engaged following,” Gay tells Entrepreneur. “They don’t have to win the championship or play the biggest revenue sports. There’s a whole community of people deeply invested in the kid who is playing volleyball, the kid who’s playing water polo and so forth.”

Working primarily with collegiate athletes in overlooked sports like gymnastics, swimming, softball, and volleyball, Liechtung has seen firsthand just how wide the gap can be between their perceived brand value and their actual influence.


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