NIL

Name Image & Likeness

Minnesota ICE Academy NIL Program

MICHAEL HARMON

NIL Director

Mike Harmon is an accomplished sports marketing and licensing executive who has driven change and results at each career stop through innovative, analytical, mutually beneficial strategic partnerships. He has developed brand and licensing strategy at the league (NASCAR), team (Minnesota Vikings, Columbus Crew, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Bullets [Wizards], Baltimore Blast, and Baltimore Bays), media rights-holder/sponsor (SiriusXM and Getty Images), and collegiate NIL (CAMPUS) levels. He has also helped guide numerous NFL, MLS, NBA, MISL, and NCAA Power Five conference student-athletes and NASCAR drivers in building their personal brands and capitalizing on their NIL.

Mike joined MN ICE Academy to build a best-in-class comprehensive NIL program for student-athletes to develop and monetize their personal brands and certify NIL representatives to provide the best possible guidance for their student-athlete clients.

OPPORTUNITY OVERVIEW

With the rapid proliferation of NIL at the collegiate and prep ranks coupled with the lack of universal governance, there is an incredible amount of confusion within the space. While providing a long-overdue opportunity for student-athletes to exploit and capitalize on their athletic accomplishments, the NIL system in the collegiate ranks can easily lead to non-compliance and subsequent ineligibility for the very young people it was meant to help.

Different regulations by state, vague enforcement guidelines handed down by the NCAA, and states now passing laws prohibiting enforcement of NCAA rules, have led to the introduction of several federal bills attempting to provide uniformity in the marketplace, none of which have made it out of committee to this point. Add to the mix no regulation of who can guide and “represent” these student-athletes, it is a recipe for disaster.

The Minnesota ICE Academy NIL program will be designed to guide student-athletes and their parents or guardians to better navigate this “wild west” landscape that is NIL.

SPECIFICATIONS

The first prong of the Minnesota ICE Academy NIL Program will feature education in the form of a modulated course to arm student-athletes and their parents or guardians with the information they need to make well-informed decisions around NIL.

The second level of service that Minnesota ICE Academy can provide is personal guidance for the student-athlete beyond the course, enacting many of the elements on behalf of him or her.

NIL Educational Program

  • Personal Brand
  • Understanding NIL
  • Navigating the ever-changing NIL landscape
  • Networking
  • Evaluating offers
  • Accepting offers
  • Executing offers

  • Representation

NIL Personal Mentoring and Guidance

  • Mentor student-athlete and parents on their licensing activities

    • Provide one-on-one coaching to develop the participant’s personal brand by
        • Develop a personal brand plan

        • Leverage the student-athlete’s
            • social channels,

            • appearances,

            • charities,

            • causes,

            • volunteering, etc.

    • Represent participants for their NIL licensing rights for opportunities including endorsements, appearances, media, autograhed memorabilia, clinics, etc.

    • Identify appropriate brands aligned with the participant’s personal brand and help solicit NIL opportunities

  • Provide a one-stop shop for the participants and interested brands

SUMMARY

With the challenges presented by the ever-changing NIL landscape, the Minnesota ICE Academy NIL Program will provide a beacon for student-athletes and their parents or guardians to help them navigate this complex space to ensure financial success and eligibility compliance along with financial literacy.

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