UGA partnering with NIL advisory firm
On July 1, student athletes throughout the state of Georgia will be able to earn compensation for their “name, image and likeness.”
When that day arrives, the University of Georgia will be prepared to help show Bulldog athletes how to make that happen.
Thursday morning, UGA announced a partnership with NIL advisory and education firm Altius Sports Partners, which will help educate student athletes at Georgia on the upcoming changes that will allow them to profit from their name, image and likeness.
That’s where ASP will come in.
Specialists with the group will provide strategic guidance and educational programming to help student athletes understand the policies, their impact, and empower them for everything regarding NIL. Student-athletes will be able to gain access to those resources both in-person and virtually.
“We are excited for our partnership with Altius Sports,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said. “I’m thrilled to be able to offer this educational and personal development opportunity to all our student-athletes in advance of the expected NIL changes in collegiate athletics.”
The current NIL legislation, passed by a 50-2 vote by the Georgia State Senate, will officially go into effect once signed by Governor Brian Kemp. A spokesman for the Governor’s office tells UGASports that a date for the signing has not yet been set.
Once in place, ASP and UGA Athletics staff will present a year-long series of educational workshops as well as open discussions and other resources for student-athletes. NIL-specific instruction for UGA student-athletes will include personal branding and brand management; business formation and entrepreneurship basics; financial literacy; and opportunity management.
“Education will be critical to prepare our student-athletes to thrive in a new paradigm,” said Will Lawler, UGA Deputy Athletic Director for Legal and Regulatory Affairs. “With expertise in diverse topics from the regulatory to student-athlete development, Altius will provide a wide variety of programming to assist our student-athletes in developing the skills they need to forge a successful path through the new and uncharted environment.”
Throughout the year, the program will also probe deeper into money management; taxes; social media opportunities and monetization; personal appearances; merchandise; camps and clinics; in-kind deals; equity and investing; and health and wellness, among other issues.
“This partnership with the University of Georgia Athletics will allow ASP to work hands-on with one of the most elite athletic programs in the country on a unique approach to student-athlete NIL education,” said Casey Schwab, CEO, Altius Sports Partners. “With ASP’s comprehensive educational curriculum and our collaborative work with UGA Athletics, UGA student-athletes will be equipped to embrace and excel in the NIL era during their time in Athens and beyond.”
