There’s perhaps no better example of what a college athlete can be in the new era than [autotag]Livvy Dunne[/autotag].
The rising senior LSU gymnast has the biggest social media presence of any college athlete, building a following of more than 10 million across multiple platforms. That makes her the most valuable women’s college athlete in terms of name, image and likeness deals per On3 and second only to Bronny James, the son of LeBron James who recently committed to USC.
Dunne recently appeared at a meet and greet as part of On3’s NIL Elite Series, where she gave advice to current high school football recruits on navigating the NIL space.
“I would say taking your time to pick your brand deals and to be picky,” Dunne said per On3’s Pete Nakos. “There’s no problem in saying no to brands if it doesn’t feel right to you.”
Dunne also said that having a strong support system in place is key.
“I would say having a good support system is so important,” she said. “My family, they stand behind me, and my mom, she helps me. My sister helps put together videos and sends them to the brand while I’m at practice or competing. So, she’s definitely a huge component in my everyday life and helping me with these brand deals. But having a good support system and compartmentalizing your day, so you don’t get overwhelmed (is crucial).”
We’ve seen a lot of change in college sports, and athletes now have more agency than ever before. But with agency comes more responsibilities, and no one knows that better than Dunne, who has arguably become the face of NIL in college sports.
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