A 2019 poll found that 89 percent of varsity NCAA athletes feel taken advantage of by the organization.
This sweeping sentiment is unsurprising. For decades, the NCAA has been called out for unfairly leveraging the talent and likeness for revenue that student-athletes often receive no part of.
The poll also found that 43 percent of those surveyed agree that the NCAA has been exploiting these athletes.
The team at Actively Black are working to create put dollars back in the pockets of student-athletes who deserve a piece of the pie. The global sportswear brand recently announced a new collective of new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals with Jackson State University football stars Travis Hunter, and Shilo and Shedeur Sanders. The athletes will be featured in a rollout that, according to a news release shared with ESSENCE amplifies Black style and culture, and caters to Black communities, consumers and athletes around the world.
“Mainstream brands have long reaped the benefits from Black talent, culture and style without recirculating dollars back into the communities they profited from,” says Lanny Smith, founder of Actively Black in a news release shared with ESSENCE. ‘At Actively Black, we are forging new pathways to serve as a blueprint for Black communities to thrive. Travis, Shedeur and Shilo made history with their decision to disrupt the status quo and bring their exceptional talents to Jackson State University. As true trailblazers, they leveraged their influence on-and-off-the field to drive exposure to HBCU programs and empower future generations of Black students and athletes to support Black institutions and businesses. As a like-minded, unapologetically Black brand, we are proud to welcome Travis, Shedeur and Shilo to the Actively Black family and humbled to partner with them as we work toward our shared goal.”
Hunter and the Sanders brothers were some of the most hotly recruited college football prospects, and made quite the impression when choosing to attend HBCUs over other top-ranked PWIs.
With the latest partnership, Actively Black continues its mission to provide equity opportunities to students of color. Last year, the brand signed University of North Carolina basketball star Deja Kelly as their first-ever NIL partner.