One of the newest things that is flying around in all college sports.
NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has become a hot topic around recruiting for all sports. But what is it and what can be done?
What Is NIL?
Essentially NIL is a way for student athletes to now make money on endorsements by selling the use of their name, image, and/or likeness.
It provides student athletes a way to capitalize on their success in athletics and garner some income, even if they may not be able to ultimately turn professional in the sport of their choice.
Due to this, it’s changed the recruiting landscape for all sports. The NIL of a school is a major factor in a recruit’s decision-making process.
So, for Penn State to thrive in their sports, they will need to develop strong NIL programs.
How To Support Penn State NIL?
Luckily the NIL at Penn State became a bit less complicated with a merger. Success With Honor and Lions Legacy Club, previously separate entities, have merged into Happy Valley United.
Donations to Happy Valley United from individuals, companies or other organizations go toward helping Penn State student athletes impact the community and represent the university. It also helps in recruiting new athletes to the Penn State programs.
From their website:
Happy Valley United is the NIL collective that serves all 31 sports and over 850 student-athletes at Penn State. NIL opportunities allow student-athletes to engage with charitable causes and participate in business engagements, to build their brands while making a positive impact. The collective connects fans, alumni, businesses and charities with student-athletes while harnessing the power of Nittany Nation. Supporters can connect with their favorite Blue and White teams through memberships, tax-deductible donations and corporate sponsorships.
Happy Valley United’s NIL presence has extended to events shortly after the organizations creation to include the men’s basketball team having many players support the “Food Truck Rally in the Valley” to benefit Housing Transitions, wrestlers like Levi Haines participating in Nittany Lion Pride and athletes participating in Tussey Mountain’s WingFest among other things.
Donations can be directed to specific sports programs and can be tax-deductible to be used and directed for charitable sponsorships.
There is also an option to give a monthly/yearly donation that makes one a member of the group and can grant access to special events, get some Penn State merch and even get tickets and/or autographed items.
For more information or to donate, check out their website: https://happyvalleyunited.com/
