Like it or not — Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is here to stay — or so it appears.

For all the naysayers and traditionalists, we say it’s a good thing if done right. Sure, there are still some guardrails that likely need to be put in place, but it’s a step in the right direction for student-athletes. Especially for those that you might necessarily think of.

When most people think about NIL, the conversation typically goes to the ability of star athletes to get massive endorsement deals to set themselves up for success off the field, sometimes in the neighborhood of three-figure payments, often with cars and other lavish things a part of the package.

However, NIL also opens up opportunities for other non-revenue and lesser-known athletes to help offset some of the costs of things that come up in life outside of the time and expenses that go into being a college student-athlete. What’s good for some, should be good for all, right? That’s an important point about NIL that often gets overlooked.

That’s where “Team Paper” comes in. It has partnered with Ohio State softball as well as men’s and women’s basketball players to create a digital fan club where they offer exclusive content in return for fan support. For 10 dollars per month, you can become a member and get exclusive player interviews and members-only merchandise.

It’s just another example of what NIL has opened up for all types of athletes. At Ohio State, for softball, it’s called the “Columbus Dugout Club,” with 80% of the proceeds going directly to the players and one out of every 10 dollars going to the Boys and Girls Club.

Rob Kelliher, Player Acquisition Manager of Team Paper, thinks things like what is being offered in this new space of NIL is invaluable to players.

“Our partnerships with Ohio State Athletes are important because they solve three fundamental challenges facing student-athletes in the new landscape of college athletics, said Kelliher. “First, our team-based approach to NIL makes it easy for the fans to support all players at once. Second, players are not on their own or taking too much time individually to navigate the waters of NIL. Lastly, the team-based approach brings NIL opportunity to players, both male and female, who may not have opportunity through individual corporate NIL deals.”

In the further advanced era of Title IX and the growth that women’s sports have seen over the last few years, it sounds like a slam dunk — or a grand slam if you will for OSU softball. If you’d like to know more about “Team Paper” and the “Columbus Dugout Club,” you can visit the program’s website to find out more.

In the meantime, continue to follow the Ohio State softball team that — in case you haven’t noticed — is having a fantastic start to the 2022 campaign.

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