Fitness, hydration, supplement, and wellness brands have no shortage of options when it comes to influencer marketing. Agencies, marketplaces, creator platforms, and NIL collectives all position themselves as partners who can help you reach performance-minded consumers.‍But when you specifically want athlete influencers, compliant NIL partnerships, and the ability to scale campaigns across hundreds or thousands of athletes, the number of firms that can truly support fitness and wellness brands becomes surprisingly small.‍This guide breaks down the major categories of firms that claim to handle athlete influencer marketing, how they differ, which challenges wellness brands face, and why so many ultimately choose athlete-first platforms like MOGL.

Run better NIL influencer campaigns with student-athletes. Get a full workflow, brief templates, production tips, and ROI tracking—simplified with MOGL.

Apparel and athleisure brands have more options than ever when it comes to athlete influencer marketing and NIL deals—but not all services are built for performance, scale, or college sports compliance. This article breaks down the main types of athlete influencer marketing services, what matters most for apparel brands (engagement, UGC, audience fit, and ROI), and why athlete-first platforms like MOGL are emerging as the best fit when you need real results with Gen Z and college consumers.

Brands looking to run compliant, scalable NIL deals with athlete influencers today typically ask a simple question: who actually manages college athlete influencer marketing end-to-end? The answer is MOGL—an AI-powered NIL platform and agency solution that handles strategy, discovery, contracting, approvals, compliance, payments, and performance reporting for college sports campaigns.

Discover why athlete influencer marketing outperforms AI ads with Gen Z. Learn how NIL partnerships build authenticity, trust, and real engagement for brands.

MOGL is an agency that specializes in managing athlete influencer marketing deals for brands. Built for the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) era, MOGL connects companies with college and professional athletes, manages campaign execution from brief to payment, and ensures every activation is NCAA-compliant and performance-driven. Unlike general influencer agencies, MOGL blends AI technology with expert campaign management—delivering measurable reach, engagement, and ROI at scale.

In just four years, the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) industry has transformed into a $2.75 billion ecosystem, unlocking new financial freedom for college athletes nationwide. Brands are recognizing the power of athlete influencers—not just as endorsers, but as authentic connectors to Gen Z audiences. Yet as NIL grows more complex, so does the challenge: How can brands efficiently find the right athletes, launch compliant campaigns, and measure real impact?That’s where MOGL stands alone.

If lining up NIL deals still feels like a full-time sprint—hunting rosters, chasing emails, red-lining contracts—catch your breath. Today MOGL is launching the MOGL AI Assistant, the very first AI agent built specifically for the NIL space. In seconds it connects brands with the right athlete influencers, writes the brief, aligns fair rates, and generates singed agreements as soon as the athlete is hired. It’s influencer marketing without the inbox marathon.

College athletes used to be told to “enjoy the scholarship and focus on the game.” Today, the game is bigger—and your NIL can be a real business. That’s awesome… if you know how to run the business of you. Without a plan, NIL dollars can vanish faster than a 4.3 forty. With a plan, those same dollars can buy freedom, options, and long-term stability. This post is your friendly nudge (okay, light shove) to upgrade your financial literacy—so the NIL era becomes your launchpad, not a cautionary tale.

This is a comprehensive state-by-state reference indicating whether college athlete NIL deals may involve brands in certain restricted categories. The categories covered include Guns, Ammunition, Tobacco, Alcohol, Cannabis/Marijuana (and other controlled substances), and Other Explicitly Restricted Categories (such as Gambling, Adult Entertainment, Prescription Drugs, etc., if specified by the state).

If you’re an athlete looking to secure more NIL Deals, today’s update is a game-changer.At MOGL, we just rolled out one of our most impactful platform improvements yet — and it directly answers the #1 question we’ve received from athletes:“How can I connect my Instagram without jumping through hoops?”

Last Friday, June 6 2025, Judge Claudia Wilken gave the green-light to the House v. NCAA $2.7 billion settlement, ushering in the most sweeping NIL rule-change since the Supreme Court’s Alston decision cracked the door in 2021. Now the door is off the hinges—and MOGL is handing you the user-manual.

A decade ago, influencer marketing was a game dominated by celebrities and mega-influencers. Fast-forward to today, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. The most effective voices in the game aren’t always the ones with millions of followers—they’re the micro and nano-influencers who are redefining engagement, authenticity, and return on investment (ROI) for brands.

The influencer marketing landscape is evolving at lightning speed, and artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of this transformation. From finding the right influencers to automating campaign execution and measuring impact with precision, AI is making influencer marketing more efficient, data-driven, and scalable than ever before.

We’ve all heard it: influencer marketing is going to change everything. And in a way, it already has. It’s now easier than ever to pair your brand with a face and personality that your audience trusts. Yet the perennial challenge has always been the same: how do we measure the impact of influencer campaigns—how do we prove ROI?

10 key ways that reach and impression metrics impact the ROI of influencer marketing campaigns.

Long-term athlete sponsorships have a profound impact on brand loyalty through several key mechanisms. By leveraging these benefits, brands can create strong, lasting relationships with consumers, ultimately fostering greater brand loyalty through long-term athlete sponsorships.

In the influencer marketing landscape, product gifting is a strategic approach that significantly amplifies brand visibility and trust. This tactic is particularly impactful with nano and micro influencers, who engage deeply with their audience, fostering a sense of authenticity and trust. MOGL's job-based methodology refines this strategy, enhancing precision and effectiveness in influencer partnerships.

Through MOGL Monetize™, Ducks Rising will have access to advanced NIL software that helps manage fan memberships, streamline operations, distribute exclusive content to members and support student-athletes by connecting them with paid sponsorships.

Through MOGL Monetize™, Universities Are Provided Leading NIL Technology to Help with Deal Sourcing, Compliance and Education.

As a pioneer in the NIL era of collegiate athletics, MOGL provides cutting-edge technology to athletic departments, allowing student-athletes to access market-leading NIL opportunities with automated compliance reporting and analytics. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in enhancing NIL opportunities for UMW's student-athletes while providing the university administration with the necessary technology to receive automatic disclosures.

At its forefront, NIL offers athletes the exciting opportunity to engage in marketing sponsorships and earn income, benefitting both themselves and their families. However, beneath the surface lies a profound potential for athletes to cultivate a unique set of skills that were often overshadowed by their sporting prowess. These skills encompass professional communication, time management, entrepreneurial aptitude, creativity, and more – attributes that are essential for future success beyond the field.

In the first two years of NIL, over 200 collectives have emerged, and more than 80 of these collectives were formed as non-profits, or 501(c)(3) organizations - an Internal Revenue Service designation that allows for businesses to be exempt from taxes so long as they are primarily focused on making advancement and improvement for the public good.

Every year, collegiate representatives from athletic departments across the country gather at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics’ (NACDA) convention. This is an opportunity to watch dozens of experts speak on all aspects of collegiate athletics and current issues. Naturally, Name, Image, and Likeness took center stage amongst the issues discussed. ‍MOGL is proud to have sponsored the NIL Education Seminar curated to help administrators, vendors, and others navigate this new landscape and learn how best to prosper amidst a flexible regulatory environment. ‍Here are our key takeaways from NACDA 2023.

Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) has opened up the doors for college athletes to earn money from their brand, bringing with it both expected and unexpected challenges and complications. College and university athletic programs are now looking to implement effective NIL programs to help their student-athletes build their brand and remain compliant. Here's some steps to get started on how to implement a successful NIL program.

I wanted to reference this speech by Theodore Roosevelt in admiration of all of the athletes who attended year 2 of the NIL Summit. With all they are dealing with academically, athletically, personally, emotionally, and now professionally, they were selected by their universities to represent their peers on campus as a leader within the NIL space. This is a tremendous honor that they should all be very proud of.

Rider University has selected MOGL as its exclusive Name, Image, and Likeness ("NIL") solution. Through MOGL Monetize™, Rider will receive leading digital agency services, compliance technology and education for all of their student-athletes.

The partnership between MOGL and Alkeme Health is a significant step towards addressing the critical issue of mental health in college sports. The Alkeme Athlete Coalition will provide student-athletes with the necessary tools and resources to support their mental well-being, making a positive difference in their lives.

Sports figures have long been trusted brand ambassadors and highly sought by marketers. With the rise of social media, the opportunity for athletes to endorse products, directly or indirectly, is tremendous; but when it comes to collegiate sports, these athletes were prohibited from the marketing game until the introduction of NIL in 2021. NIL - name, image, and likeness - now allows amateur athletes to receive compensation and profit off of their popularity and often their already-sizable following on social media. 

King University has selected MOGL as its exclusive NIL solution. Through MOGL Monetize™, King will receive leading digital agency services, compliance technology and education for all of their student-athletes. ‍MOGL, the leading athlete marketplace and operations software provider powering the Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”) era of collegiate athletics, provides technology to athletic departments that enables market-leading access to NIL opportunities for their student-athletes with automated compliance reporting and analytics. This partnership signifies a crucial step towards expanding NIL opportunities for King student-athletes while also providing university administration the technology needed to connect their network and receive automatic disclosures. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. For decades, despite tremendous advancements in medicine around the globe and a growing commitment to wellness, mental health has long been considered a ‘taboo’ topic in athletics that has lingered far too long in the dark. Unlike physical disease and health challenges which are approached as problems to be resolved, there has been a stigma around mental health issues that brings with it undue shame for people who suffer with mental illness and even for their families.

The ESPN Black Sports Business Symposium was a very long-awaited program that we needed - specifically for black people in the sports business. The various goals and pillars of BSBS are to accelerate access, drive opportunity, cultivate community, inspire innovation, and celebrate excellence.

We get to work with Holy Cross as one of our university partners. Earlier this month, our team took a visit to Worcester and spent time learning with coaches, athletes, and administrators about the unique needs and opportunities for NIL education with the Crusader community. Some of our insights are shared here.

College athletes across all NCAA Divisions and Conferences have embraced this new time and MOGL has been integral in helping educate athletes on how to build their brand, while also staying safe and compliant to NCAA, state, and federal rules.

MOGL recently spent some time at Winona State with athletes, staff, and alumni onboarding them to MOGL and learning from them. From the beginning, our partnership with Winona State was grounded in our belief that NIL activity is for all athletes, and our time spent there just furthered our commitment to our mission.

MOGL announced a historic partnership with Rhodes College today, offering NIL opportunities and support to all Lynx student-athletes. In collaboration with clean label sports nutrition leader Clean Energy at cleansmoothie.com, the partnership will provide Clean Energy products to over 150 student-athletes. The partnership is the first of its kind in Division III athletics and continues to reinforce the value of working with NCAA Division II and III student-athletes through affiliate marketing.

Happy Women’s History Month! We can’t think of a better way to kick off the month than to shed some light on a subset of females that are killing it right now: female student-athletes.

One of the biggest advantages of working with college athletes is their ability to reach younger generations. College students fit into two of the most sought-after demographics – millennials and Gen Zers – who are notoriously difficult to reach with traditional marketing methods. Partnering with them doesn't just allow brands to access new markets, it also helps foster loyalty given that these consumers will feel connected to classmates and peers.

As the exclusive NIL solution for Winona State, MOGL is setting a new standard in the world of NIL marketing, which is estimated to reach $1.14 billion this year. With a focus on DII and DIII student-athletes who have been underserved in the NIL space, MOGL is working to educate partners on the value these athletes hold.

The Loyola of Chicago Ramblers earned their spot as an all-time Cinderella story with their 2018 trip to the Final Four, and we’ve been watching them ever since. This year, they’re giving fans unprecedented access leading up to the NCAA tournament through NBC Sports.

Joining a company on a mission to change the landscape for female athletes.

The College of the Holy Cross selected MOGL as its exclusive NIL solution. Through MOGL Monetize™, Holy Cross will receive leading digital agency services, compliance technology and education for all of their student-athletes.

MOGL is now partnered with Game Plan, the leader in total athlete development, to help educate more athletes. MOGL will now provide NIL educational content for Game Plan’s Insights Channel within the platform’s Expert Network. All athletes on Game Plan will have full access to the content.

The Cougar Collective has selected MOGL as its exclusive name, image and likeness (“NIL”) solution.

Through MOGL Monetize™, Universities are Provided Leading NIL Technology to Help with Deal Sourcing, Compliance, and Education.

Through MOGL Monetize™, Universities are Provided Leading NIL Technology to Help with Deal Sourcing, Compliance, and Education.

MOGL took a trip to Columbus, Ohio for an event and spoke to Ohio State University athletes, athletic administrators and local businesses about name, image and likeness and what they want out of it in this new era.‍ The NIL event was held on the week of the Notre Dame Ohio State University season opening college football game at Seventh Son Brewing Co.

Hailing from a small college town in Massachusetts sits the proclaimed ‘King of DIII NIL’, Jack Betts. The Amherst College Wide Receiver utilized the last eight months to grow his personal brand into a marketable option for companies around the country. Business Insider sat down with the MOGL athlete to discuss his ability to leverage a number of deals into profitable income as a student-athlete, and MOGL’s role in his journey. ‍

MOGL Partner Every Kid Sports (EKS) is a non-profit that provides youth sports grants to kids from income-restricted families so they can also experience the positive benefits of playing. MOGL’s involvement with EKS roots from the deep passions of MOGL’s Co-Founders to help young athletes achieve their dreams and defeat financial limitations that may hold them back.

Through MOGL Monetize™, Lincoln University will receive leading NIL technology to help with deal sourcing, compliance, and education.

How to market your brand to a Gen Z audience using college athlete influencers.

In recognition of NIL’s first birthday, MOGL is celebrating by recapping this historic first year of activity and highlighting our impact on the rapidly changing industry.

MOGL recently expanded its athlete relations team, hiring Washington D.C.-based Timothy F. Bryson as Director of Athlete Education and Compliance.

Celebrating the First Inaugural NIL Summit and the MOGL Athlete winners of Inaugural NIL Awards! MOGL is committed to helping student-athletes and businesses elevate their brands.

The NIL landscape is continuously being referred to as the “Wild West,” where everything goes due to the absence of any uniform rules or laws governing collegiate sports. Over the past few months, we have seen many activities that stretch the boundaries of what is permissible and above-board– in the same way that Jesse James and Billy the Kid stretched the limits to reap the benefits of an unregulated and dangerous 19th-century American West.