It’s been a little more than a year since college athletes were given the opportunity to profit off of their name, image and likeness. Athletes here in Connecticut are enjoying the benefits of this new era in college athletics.
“It’s a big deal,” said UConn freshman basketball player Alex Karaban. “I’ve been loving it so far, just kind of promoting myself out there, kind of like my own business in a sense.”
“Walking down the street, people are seeing him, giving him high fives, kids are coming around for autographs,” said Evan Berman, a real estate agent based in West Hartford who hired Karaban and his teammate Richie Springs to help promote his business.
Berman made t-shirts for the athletes to wear and walked around West Hartford center so that the Huskies can interact with fans.
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“You know, we can make a little extra money, we don’t have to work at any extra jobs or anything so it’s a very good opportunity for us,” Springs said.
“These students bring a lot to the state, they put fans in the seats, they sell parking, they sell t-shirts and they make a lot of people happy and they’re a great form of entertainment,” Berman said. “They’re giving so much to us that I wanted to do a little something to give back to them.”
Berman connected with the athletes on the NIL Marketplace. UConn partnered with Opendorse to help student-athletes market themselves, and it’s teaching them some valuable lessons.
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“You learn how to operate a business,” Karaban said. “The ins and outs of a business, learn how to pay taxes now.”
The opportunities are there for all athletes, some big like Paige Bueckers’ deal with Gatorade and others more locally focused. In both cases, it’s another way for the athletes to make an impact.
“I love giving back to the community,” Springs said. “I love hanging out with the fans. I love meeting new people.”
“It’s definitely awesome, I’ve always prided myself on helping local people and giving back to the communities,” Karaban said.
“I hope other people in the community get some ideas, give athletes — whether they’re basketball players, volleyball players, swimmers, soccer players, football players — give other athletes a chance to get some exposure for themselves and maybe promote their businesses at the same time,” Berman said.
