Richmond Leader

Richmond Athletics Launches Official NIL Marketplace

Richmond Athletics announced the launch of the Richmond Spiders NIL Marketplace Thursday. The Marketplace, now available at http://spides.us/NIL, will serve as an all-in-one platform for Richmond student-athletes to connect with fans, brands, sponsors, donors, and others interested in using a current Spider's Name, Image, or Likeness. The Richmond Spiders NIL Marketplace is the centerpiece of a new partnership between Spider Athletics and Opendorse, the leading technology provider in the athletic endorsement industry.
 
"Our Spider student-athletes excel at the highest levels of athletics and academics in the NCAA," said University of Richmond Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hardt. "We're proud and impressed with the way they represent the University of Richmond, so it's easy to see why many businesses, alumni organizations, and other groups would also want to connect with Spider student-athletes. The Richmond Spiders NIL Marketplace will help facilitate these connections, resulting in more opportunities for our student-athletes as well as establishing positive relationships with some of our most valuable external partners."
 
Every student-athlete at Richmond will have the opportunity to create an Opendorse profile, which they can customize and promote to fans and potential business partners on their personal social media accounts. Through the platform, Spiders will have the ability to review opportunities, accept deals, receive compensation, and disclose their NIL activities to Richmond Athletics.
 
Fans, brands, sponsors, and donors will be able to use the Marketplace to browse, pitch, book, and pay Spider student-athletes for NIL activities in a platform that ensures institutional compliance with all NCAA rules and Virginia law.
 
Opendorse has built its NIL marketplaces on a decade of athlete marketing technology and experience. The marketplace is used by over 75,000 athletes to manage deals from pitch to payment, and even tax prep, every day. Opendorse has facilitated hundreds of thousands of NIL deals and endorsements with athletes at every level of sports.

Richmond's partnership with Opendorse also includes access to a suite of compliance, content, and education tools that will enhance each student-athlete's NIL experience, including both in-person and virtual educational seminars on topics related to the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics endorsements. 

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