The traditional has been shaken up and changed dramatically in recent years. A major catalyst? The long-overdue changes to the rule that kept student-athletes from . Historically, strict regulations prevented athletes from capitalizing on their own identities and sparked intense debate.
It was thought that athletes profiting off their college sports career would not only lead to unfair advantages and exploitation, but also compromise the amateur status. At the same time, many argued that athletes should benefit from their hard work and talent to provide opportunities for financial stability and the ability to control their own brand and image. In October 2020, athletes seized control, when the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) caused a seismic shift in college sports with their decision to allow athletes to capitalize on their name, image and likeness (NIL).
Soon after, , a freshman volleyball player at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, made history as the first collegiate athlete to monetize her brand on social media and leverage opportunities to grow her network — and net worth. At just 22 years old, Mitchell is now a trailblazing entrepreneur with a national NIL Award for Innovator of the Year and an influencer with 3.2 million followers on TikTok.
Not content to make history once, Mitchell is changing the face of collegiate athletics as a cofounder of PlayBooked. The company has two main parts: One helps college athletes use a unique plat.
