A New Wave of NIL Opportunities
Published on October 11, 2024, at 2:23 p.m.
By Rhodes Reddick.
University of Alabama football players are making waves in the podcast industry.
Freshmen Jaylen Mbakwe and Ryan Williams launched the “New Wave” podcast on Sept. 2, 2024. The purpose of the podcast is to share their experiences at Alabama and feature guest speakers related to the program. Episodes are expected to be released every other week.
The podcast comes as the Crimson Tide enters a new era for their football program. Former coach Nick Saban did not allow true freshmen to speak to the media. Now, however, Crimson Tide media coverage is at an all-time high with two true freshmen shaping their own brand.
Mbakwe and Williams are showing there is no seniority in taking advantage of timely opportunities to draw in new fans. Mbakwe has been on campus since January 2024 and Williams since May 2024.
“At the All-American game, we were in front of the media the whole weekend and everyone kept telling us to start a podcast, so we did,” said Mbakwe, about deciding to start the podcast with Williams.
In its first month of production, “New Wave” gained over 12,000 subscribers and 24,000 followers on Instagram. The podcast is an example of how student-athletes are able to promote themselves through their name, image and likeness (NIL).
“While their efforts on the field are easy to recognize, many student-athletes have talents outside of sports that can now be brought to light with the introduction of NIL,” said Alex Thompson, UA director of athletic communications.
Walt Brock and Preston Adelman have led the efforts in producing “New Wave.” They serve as director and assistant director of creative for Alabama football.
“New Wave” is filmed in The Advantage Center, located in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
“The staff at The Advantage Center helps a lot by posting on our social media accounts since we are so busy. They play a big role in the behind-the-scenes process of making the podcast happen,” said Mbakwe.
Mbakwe confirmed that staff want student-athletes to create opportunities based around the students’ own interests.
With the help of a dedicated staff, Mbakwe and Williams receive support in writing episode scripts and posting on social media platforms. Many institutes have established their own NIL entities to support student-athletes and allow them more opportunities to build off their strengths and interests.
This type of NIL avenue is what the NCAA intended when it approved the policy in 2021. Navigating the NIL world has been challenging for all sports but especially football. While some schools look at NIL as the ability to write a signing bonus for recruits, others have emphasized the potential to start building the student-athletes’ long-term brand.
“New Wave” is an example of allowing student-athletes to profit while building their brands and strengthening their skills and interests. Mbakwe noted how much he has enjoyed developing “New Wave,” and he hopes to continue the show, even when he and Williams aren’t in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
But this Alabama pair aren’t the only ones recognizing the opportunities involved in the booming podcast industry.
Podcasts have become increasingly more popular over the last decade and continue to grow as an engaging source of information for listeners. Video podcasts are also becoming the norm, with 33% of U.S. podcast listeners opting for watchable podcasts.
“New Wave” is available on listening platforms but also available to watch on YouTube.
Podcasts are also appreciated by listeners because of their accessibility. Whether you are driving to work or on a walk, podcasts fill the void of human presence with a strong storytelling style.
“New Wave” episodes contain stories that make student-athletes seem like normal people as they discuss their personal recruiting experiences and student experiences. Even though the podcasts are edited, they are still conversational and make listeners feel connected to the story.
From a public relations perspective, podcasts are a great way to build brand loyalty and subtly introduce advertisements. As listeners are frequent multi-taskers, podcasts provide ample opportunity to advertise a product without overtly interrupting the podcast experience.
As the tide continues to turn, podcast subscribers will have the chance to watch student-athletes develop their NIL opportunities both on and off the field.
