White Sox’s NIL deals make them the latest pro franchise to invest in college athletes
Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals have changed the face of college sports. It seems professional sports franchises are taking notice.
The White Sox announced the launch of their own NIL program, CHISOX Athlete, on Wednesday. The program was created to “empower student-athletes, their voices and careers on and off the field,” the team said.
They’re the newest sports franchise to partner with collegiate athletes. The NHL’s Braves and Panthers signed agreements with local athletes last year.
But the White Sox program is different. For starters, the maiden class consists of eight athletes, far more than the Panthers and Braves have to offer. Additionally, Chicago brand partners will be offered professional and career mentors through the end of 2022, not to mention two complimentary tickets to select games.
🚨 THE NOW IN 🚨
That #White socks are proud to introduce CHISOX Athletes – a NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) program designed to empower student athletes, their voices and careers on and off the field. pic.twitter.com/ZVyhDngB8m
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 17, 2022
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So who does CHISOX Athlete sponsor? And how does it compare to similar efforts by other professional sports franchises? Sports news takes a look.
What is CHISOX Athlete?
CHISOX Athlete is the White Sox’s NIL program. It will provide athletes with access to financial and professional trade secrets and facilitate connections between athletes and sports managers. Athletes are expected to promote the White Sox brand on their social media accounts.
The first class of the program is made up of local athletes who attend colleges throughout the Midwest.
Who does CHISOX Athlete sponsor?
CHISOX Athlete signed NIL deals with eight athletes. Interestingly, none of them play baseball. Although a partnership between a professional franchise and a collegiate program in the same sport has not been specifically prohibited, none of the franchises that have partnered with collegiate athletes have signed anyone in the sport in which they compete. According to Front Office Sports, teams are concerned the juice isn’t worth the squeeze, so to speak.
The eight athletes sponsored by CHISOX Athlete:
Ahamad Bynum, DePaul Men’s Basketball
Bynum is a Chicago kid, born and raised. He attended Simeon High School and carried on the basketball tradition of legends like Benji Wilson and Derrick Rose. The incoming DePaul rookie was a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports. Bynum is expected to play a big role in the upcoming Blue Demons season.
Kylie Feuerbach, women’s basketball in Iowa
Caitlin Clark gets all the shine with the Hawkeyes, and rightly so. But the 6-0 Feuerbach — a product of Sycamore, Illinois — is no slouch. She played in all 32 games for the Hawkeyes last season, her first in Iowa City.
Prior to that, Feuerbach was the crown jewel of Iowa State’s 2020 recruiting class and was twice named Big 12 Freshman of the Week during the 2020-21 season.
AJ Henning, Michigan Football
Big Blue had a resurgent season last year and secured a berth in the College Football Playoffs. Although Henning didn’t play a major role, he did contribute. He even scored a return touchdown. He should see more playing time in 2022.
MORE: NIL new guidelines, explained
Anaya Peoples, DePaul Women’s Basketball
The product from Danville, Illinois has a lot of experience on the biggest stage. Peoples started 46 games in three seasons at Notre Dame. After seeing her minutes at South Bend dwindle, Peoples switched to DePaul.
She hopes to make a difference with a Blue Demons team looking to build on last season’s NCAA tournament performance.
Terrence Shannon Jr., men’s basketball from Illinois
With the departure of Kofi Cockburn, Illinois is looking for a star. It might have one in Shannon. The Chicago native and Texas Tech transfer is a nutty athlete blessed with a slick left punch. He hit 51 percent of his 2-point attempts and 38 percent of his 3-point attempts last year for the Red Raiders.
Temi Thomas-Ailara, Northwest Volleyball
Thomas-Ailara is one of the best wingers in the country’s top volleyball conference. She had 492 kills for the Wildcats in 2021 and averaged the fourth-most kills per set in the Big Ten (3.94 K/S).
A native of Glenwood, Illinois, Thomas-Ailara is heading into her senior season with Northwestern.
Cameron Williams, Michigan women’s basketball
Williams, a five-star recruit from the Whitney Young basketball factory in Windy City, played in 30 games for the Wolverines in 2021-22. She was solid in minutes and may be called upon for more heavy lifting after completing Naz Hillmon.
Kiki Van Zanten, Notre Dame Women’s Soccer
The lone soccer representative on this list earned All-ACC honors in 2020 when she recorded seven points in 514 minutes last year.
Van Zanten is based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois but represents Jamaica internationally. She was chosen to train with the Reggae Girlz during their 2023 World Cup qualifying run.
What other professional sports franchises have signed athletes for the NIL deal?
The NHL’s Braves and Panthers are other professional sports franchises that have signed collegiate athletes to NIL contracts.
The Braves made Georgia gymnast Rachel Baumann and Georgia Tech backup quarterback Jordan Yates the first “Braves athletes” after asking the athletes on Instagram if they were interested in working with the team.
The Panthers signed a NIL deal with former Miami quarterback D’Eriq King last year. In addition, the franchise offered NIL offerings to all eligible Florida Atlantic athletes as part of its “FLA Athlete” program.