Meta launches NIL Empower 2.0 class with 30 female athletes

On3 imageby:Pete Nakos09/07/22

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Meta has unveiled its second NIL Empower class. With a focus on education, mentorship, career coaching and brand connections, 30 women athletes from across nine conferences will have the opportunity to increase their NIL value on Facebook and Instagram.

Each athlete will be associated with a brand as part of the deal. Meta has already signed five athletes to a partnership with the meal-planning company Eat to Perform. The company is still looking to sign on more brands as part of the initiative.

As part of their partnership with the technology conglomerate, athletes will sit in educational sessions with Meta and NIL experts. The classes will include lessons on the best practices on Facebook and Instagram, specifically with a focus on reels and monetization. This will put the student-athletes at an advantage to build their social media following and cash in with their NIL.

Four-time WNBA All-Star Alana Beard will also sit down for a career development workshop with the selected athletes. She is now the founder of Transition Play, which is a platform focusing on the talent development of athletes.

Athletes will also be assigned an NIL mentor where they will be given one-on-one access. The first iteration of the initiative launched last fall. Meta has been an agressive player in the NIL space. Earlier this year it announced a partnership with INFLCR, bringing social media education and direct account support to student-athletes on the platform.

No terms of Meta’s contract were disclosed.

Women cashing in with NIL Era

Meta is not the first organization to use NIL as a marketing tool. Sprouts Farmers Market signed 50 women to NIL deals to celebrate Title IX’s anniversary. Bumble also announced a very similar deal with 50 more female athletes.

Women have been one of the biggest winners in the NIL Era. Data recently released by Opendorse, which provides technology to the athlete endorsement industry, showed that women who play basketball, volleyball, softball and who compete in swimming or diving rank third through sixth, respectively, in terms of the total compensation earned on the platform, by sport, through the end of May.

Athletes involved in Meta NIL Empower class

Here’s the complete list of players that have inked NIL deals with Meta.

NameSchoolSportGrade
Acacia LoftonClark Atlanta Women’s Track & FieldFreshman
Alex Jean GloverSMU Women’s VolleyballJunior
Alexia MobleyLouisvilleWomen’s BasketballRedshirt freshman
Anna CamdenPenn StateWomen’s BasketballSenior
Cami WilsonOregonWomen’s Acrobatics and TumblingJunior
Corey FriedenbachSan Diego StateWomen’s Track & FieldSenior
Emily ColeDukeWomen’s Track & FieldJunior
Flau’jae JohnsonLSUWomen’s BasketballFreshman
Francesca BelibiStanfordWomen’s BasketballSenior
Gabby AndersonHarvardWomen’s BasketballFreshman
Hannah BarberAlabamaWomen’s BasketballFifth-year senior
Hasna-Kaarina BadjiRhode IslandWomen’s Track & FieldGraduate student
Jess DoyalDavidsonWomen’s VolleyballJunior
Katie BeilerLouisvilleWomen’s RowingSenior
Kaylin HsiehNotre DameFencingJunior
Kelly RichardsonGeorgetownRowingSophomore
Laila PheliaMichiganWomen’s BasketballFreshman
Laney HigginsOglethorpeWomen’s VolleyballFreshman
Leah ClapperFloridaWomen’s GymnasticsGraduate student
Lexi EdwardsOhio StateWomen’s GymnasticsSenior
Logan EgglestonTexasWomen’s VolleyballSenior
Makenzie SteeleClemsonWomen’s Track & FieldSophomore
Olivia SekanyWashingtonWomen’s SoccerGraduate student
Paige SinickiOregonWomens SoftballSophomore
Sierra BrooksMichiganWomen’s GymnasticsJunior
Sitori TaninLoyola ChicagoWomen’s BasketballJunior
Sophie JonesDukeWomen’s SoccerSenior
Syd MckinneyWichita StateSoftballSenior
Sydney StephensIllinoisWomen’s SoccerSophomore athletically (due to COVID year)/Junior academically
Zoe SchweitzerOhio StateWomen’s GymnasticsSenior