NIL Management App: Empowering Student-Athletes to Monetize

This proof-of-concept mobile app was designed to address the growing opportunities in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) management for student-athletes. With the evolving landscape of collegiate sports, the app empowers athletes to manage their personal brand, connect with sponsors, and monetize their achievements effectively.

As the product designer for the project, I focused on creating an intuitive and functional experience tailored to the unique needs of student athletes and the brands that collaborate with them. The app combines essential features such as profile management, sponsorship connections, and earnings tracking, all within a user-friendly interface.

The design process began with conceptualizing the core user flows. Athletes need tools to showcase their stats, highlights, and personal stories in a professional and engaging manner. The app’s profile management system was developed with these goals in mind, ensuring athletes could present themselves authentically while attracting sponsorship opportunities. Using Figma, I created wireframes and crafted the UI, emphasizing simplicity, accessibility, and modern aesthetics that appeal to younger users.

The app also caters to brands by providing a streamlined experience for browsing athlete profiles and proposing collaborations. The built-in transparency features ensure that both athletes and brands can engage in clear, fair transactions. Contract management and financial literacy modules were integrated into the concept to educate users on maintaining successful sponsorships and managing their earnings responsibly.

Beyond functional design, the app promotes long-term personal branding strategies for athletes. Educational resources on branding, social media management, and contract negotiation are incorporated to prepare users for a sustainable career both during and after their athletic pursuits.

Key challenges included balancing the complexity of sponsorship management with the need for simplicity in the interface. These challenges were addressed through iterative testing and feedback, ensuring the app remained easy to navigate while delivering robust functionality.

This NIL management app concept stands out by merging essential tools with an educational framework, empowering athletes to maximize their opportunities in the new NIL landscape. While still a proof-of-concept, it highlights the potential for innovative solutions to transform how student athletes manage their brands and financial futures.