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BEYOND COMPETITION: AN EXPLORATION OF HOW COLLEGIATE WOMEN ATHLETES NAVIGATE NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS (NIL) OPPORTUNITIES
Adkerson, Carolyn Elaine
Adkerson, Carolyn Elaine
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Thesis/Dissertation
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2025-05
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Business Administration/Entrepreneurship
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https://doi.org/10.34944/ef20-e810
Abstract
The introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights has reshaped the collegiate athletics landscape, particularly for women athletes who are increasingly leveraging personal branding as a pathway to entrepreneurial ventures. This shift is transforming student-athletes into student-athlete entrepreneurs (SAEs). Despite the growth of NIL into a multibillion-dollar marketplace, women athletes continue to face disparities in financial opportunities compared to their male counterparts. This research addresses the urgent need to understand the lived experiences and support ecosystems of women SAEs within this rapidly evolving landscape.Employing a two-study qualitative approach grounded in interpretivist and grounded theory methodologies, this dissertation investigates how collegiate women athletes navigate NIL opportunities and engage with an evolving support ecosystem. Study One, based on 21 in-depth interviews with collegiate women athletes and supplemented by secondary analysis of four publicly available YouTube interviews, introduces the Ripple Effect of NIL Dynamics for Women Collegiate Athletes as a conceptual model. This model illustrates the cascading impact of NIL, beginning with the individual athlete and extending through their support networks, ultimately influencing the broader women’s sports ecosystem.
Study Two expands on understanding the NIL support ecosystem by analyzing interactions between traditional support networks (coaches, teammates, family, institutional resources) and emerging NIL-specific stakeholders (agents, collectives, brand programs, third-party platforms). Through 22 in-depth interviews with these stakeholders, this analysis develops the SAE Support Network: Competitive and Collaborative Forces in Navigating NIL Opportunities model, which visually maps the complex relational patterns, power dynamics, and interactions that collaboratively and competitively shape athlete outcomes.
Theoretically, this research extends Sports Entrepreneurship Theory and Social Support Theory by positioning the NIL Ecosystem at the intersection of sport management, entrepreneurship, and the creator economy. It incorporates emerging NIL-specific stakeholder roles and outlines the types of support they provide. Additionally, it enhances the Individual Sport Brand Management Framework (ISBMF) by demonstrating its relevance within collegiate athletics and introducing new dynamics shaped by institutional and gendered contexts. Practically, this study offers actionable insights for policymakers, NCAA officials, universities, brands, and sponsors. It advocates for equitable NIL policies, targeted educational initiatives, and support structures tailored to the unique needs of collegiate women athletes. Ultimately, this dissertation underscores NIL’s transformative potential to advance gender equity, increase visibility, and create entrepreneurial pathways within collegiate sport.
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