Overtime launches creator studio, empowering college athletes

Future. As sports giants like Nike and Adidas have shown, professional athletes wield massive influence, and college athletes are no exception. Now, following recent NCAA rule changes, they can finally get paid for their fame. Startups like Overtime are the first in line to help them leverage their brand, launching a creator studio and partnering with high school and college ballers. With players finally able to tap into the $13B industry of college sports, expect huge paydays ahead.

Layups and likes
Sports start-up Overtime is launching a college athlete creator studio.

• The studio has dedicated $1 million for NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals with college athletes, starting with a partnership with Space Jam star and USC football player Ceyair Wright.
• The company is in talks with a dozen other high-profile athletes to launch creator based content, from short-form video and podcasts to apparel and brand sponsorships.
• To date, Overtime has raised over $140 million, including funding from Jeff Bezos, Drake, Alexis Ohanian, and NBA stars like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

“Athletes [are now able] to realize their value and to capitalize on their creative expression in the burgeoning creator economy,” says Overtime CEO and Co-Founder Dan Porter.

Getting the bag
Overtime’s athlete creator studio comes on the heels of recent NCAA policy changes, following a Supreme Court ruling against the college organization. Now, for the first time in the NCAA’s 115-year history, collegiate athletes can finally monetize their fame.

It’s a move that many believe is long overdue, with schools pulling huge profits from collegiate sports while their players went unpaid. Markel Starks, former Georgetown basketball star, says that “to see some type of relief coming the players’ way means a lot. The NCAA has made billions throughout the years off the backs of so many student athletes.”