NILSU: LSU Athletes Announce Endorsement Deals

Thursday marked a seismic change for college athletics as the NCAA’s new rules allowing athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness went into effect at midnight, July 1.

Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards signed a bill into law on Thursday, making the state the 23rd to allow athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness.

“It is only fitting that college athletes be able to benefit financially from their hard work and to have more control over their personal likenesses, which many organizations and entities have already done for years,” Governor Edwards said. “It’s beyond time for this law, and I am excited for the opportunities it will open for Louisiana’s talented athletes.”

Barely 24 hours into the brave new world we’re living in and some LSU athletes are already cashing on themselves.

Junior cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. announced early Thursday morning on Twitter a partnership with Walk On’s.

Seniors Myles Brennan and Austin Deculus, and sophomore Kayshon Boutte also announced partnerships with various brands. Brennan partnered with Smoothie King and Small Sliders, while Deculus and Boutte partnered with Yoke Gaming.

But it’s not just football players who are profiting. LSU sophomore gymnast Olivia Dunne may prove to be the biggest earner in all of college athletics thanks to her followings on Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok. As of this writing Dunne has 1.1 million Instagram followers and 3.9 million followers on Tik Tok. It’s assumed Dunne will become a millionaire in the coming days with endorsement deals. LSU even flew Dunne out to New York Thursday and Dunne’s Instagram handle was posted in Times Square.

LSU, to its credit, is fully embracing the changes in NIL tweeting out a hype video narrated by Jamal Adams, while the football recruiting office put out a graphic for future athletes that breaks down potential earnings if they choose LSU.