UK enhancing athlete support in NIL

Jun. 19—The University of Kentucky has a high-profile men's basketball program that helps players get drafted into the NBA at a solid rate.

UK had a groundbreaking volleyball season that finished with an NCAA Championship.

UK has developed into an SEC power in women's basketball.

The Wildcats have improved on the football field to be consistent winners and upped their interest level across the board.

There are more players than ever, it seems, for UK and the University of Louisville that have higher individual profiles than in years past.

UK basketball has done a major job of keeping its name in front of BBN and college basketball in general. Having John Calipari as head coach also has a certain pull.

He talked at length about name, image and likeness during a Zoom media call recently, noting where that attention can lead after a rising star is done with his one or two years of college basketball.

Calipari looked at Cade Cunningham, who finished his freshman season at Oklahoma State and will likely be the top pick in the NBA Draft but could've also been in the G League this season.

"Cade Cunningham could have done that, but he went to college," Calipari said.

"Forget about just Kentucky, think about college. He went to college, and he went to Oklahoma State. Cade Cunningham, not just basketball and what it did for him — his brand, his ability to take advantage of that on the market is through the roof.

"And he was in Oklahoma. I'm saying, Oklahoma State, a great program, and they're in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and that happened for him. You think about Kentucky and what that means if guys come here."

Now anticipating coming legislation that would allow benefits from name, image and likeness, UK is building on its suite of benefits to enhance each student-athlete's personal brand.

UK has named this initiative "The Kentucky Road."

The program, specifically for UK student athletes, will be curated by UK's academic and student-development professionals, along with the best external vendors.

Kentucky athletics has a proven track record of expanding student-athlete financial opportunities after their playing days at UK.

UK can develop athletes to excel in professional sports leagues, and more importantly, they get help with post-eligibility scholarship and networking opportunities, job placement programs and lucrative touring opportunities where Kentucky alumni interact with the best fans in college sports: The Big Blue Nation.

"We believe it is our responsibility to tailor that experience to meet the needs of young people in order to empower them to achieve their dreams," UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart said. "By taking The Kentucky Road for four years, our student-athletes will be given the tools and experiences they need to prepare for the 40 years to follow."

UK will build on existing first-access delivery of media content to student-athletes directly to their smartphones. UK will also continue improving hands-on education geared toward maximizing personal branding, in addition to business and financial literacy programs.

"I've been fortunate that UK has been open with me since I first arrived on campus about enhancing my experience and providing me with the necessary content and education to grow my brand," said Rhyne Howard, two-time Southeastern Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year. "On top of media and brand training sessions, we receive digital content constantly before and after games for us to share. They have also developed and sought my input in building and maintaining RhyneHoward.com and the #CrownHer campaign to increase my exposure.

"Our program also has its own creative director, and she's given me feedback on some logo work and other branding assets I have worked on as a digital media and design major. I'm excited to see how we build even more opportunities this upcoming year through The Kentucky Road."

Kentucky has been a leader in partnerships with content distribution platforms INFLCR and OpenDorse, each of which has provided student-athletes, coaches, staff and influential alumni direct access to photos and videos. UK has also built relationships with social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.

For years now, Kentucky's Brand and Content division has been delivering content to UK's best messengers, the student-athletes, and then amplifying their voices through department and team accounts.

"It was very important to have pictures and videos sent to your phone right after games and it was very convenient for us to post more and build our brands," Tyler Herro, now with the NBA's Miami Heat, said of UK Athletics' partnership with INFCLR.

Kentucky student-athletes benefit from many opportunities that go along with competing on one of the biggest stages in college athletics. Wildcats have added hundreds of millions of followers on personal social media accounts. In 2020, Kentucky athletics social channels generated more than 1 billion impressions, while team and individual accounts prompted millions of engagements.

"For people that only see us with a face mask on and shoulder pads, there's more to that. There's more to that when we take that off, when we're at our house, we're out doing what we like to do," Kentucky football alumnus Kash Daniel said. "Being more than an athlete and getting that out to people to let them see that, 'Hey, he's not just a football player.' You know that really means a lot to me."

UK can help student-athletes with enhanced support to benefit even more from their personal brands through data-backed insights and strategic thinking.

"Kentucky athletics staff and partnerships with platforms like INFLCR helped my social media a lot," said PJ Washington, now a star forward on the NBA's Charlotte Hornets. "Content was just ready for me and I can send that to whoever I want, post them wherever I want, and say whatever I want so it was definitely a helpful tool."

In 2019, Kentucky partnered with Empower3d and Michael Haddix to design a multi-level curriculum to prepare student-athletes for future aspirations ranging from playing professional sports to entering the career workforce. The first such program in the country, The Kentucky Road financial education programming is designed to allow students to understand finances through gamification, real-world scenarios and competition.

"During my time at Kentucky we had access to unparalleled resources," All-American and two-time SEC Volleyball Player of the Year Leah Edmond said. "Whether it was academic, financial education, media content or just the access to relationship-building assets across a host of fields, The Kentucky Road was truly transformational for my career on and off the court."