COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri's athletics department said Thursday it is expanding its efforts in the NCAA's name, image and likeness (NIL) space. The announcement came after Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, also on Thursday, signed legislation that gives the state’s universities increased ability to source endorsement deals for their student-athletes.
Mizzou, the state’s flagship public university in Columbia, said it will create an in-house team to manage its NIL initiatives and will hire for a newly created position, assistant athletics director for name, image and likeness, to lead that division. It said the in-house NIL team will also include positions focused on graphic design and creative video.
Additionally, Mizzou said it is launching a new portal to connect students with businesses, will begin selling jerseys of some of its athletes and is creating new education programs for its student-athletes.
The new Mizzou programs come after the NCAA in July 2021 started to allow athletes nationwide to earn income from their name, image and likeness, reversing long-held policies that prohibited university students from profiting off their status as student-athletes. Since the NCAA’s policy change, more than two dozen St. Louis-area companies have entered the upstart NIL industry, a figure expected to get significantly larger as the market evolves and gains more clarity.
Several companies have targeted Mizzou athletes for NIL deals, with local brands 1st Phorm and Arch Apparel inking endorsement deals with Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook. DB Zou 2022, a so-called NIL collective, is pooling money together to support Mizzou athletes with deals.
The legislation Parson signed into law Thursday allows university employees, including athletic coaches, to be involved in sourcing deals for their athletes. Previously, Missouri universities were not allowed to help their student-athletes close NIL deals.
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