Former Lourdes basketball star has jumped in feet first to the NIL era (2024)

The “Name, Image and Likeness” phenomenon — known by the acronym NIL — went into effect in July of 2021.

That passage, which went through the courts and the NCAA, permits college athletes to strike deals with companies, thus making a profit by selling their name, image and likeness rights.

It has its critics. Naysayers contend that it has transformed college sports into a money grab, that the purity that once distinguished the college game from its professional counterpart is now dead.

If the naysayers are right, is that necessarily a bad thing?

Former Lourdes all-around athletic star Alyssa Ustby has an answer. The University of North Carolina senior basketball star says NIL deals allow the best of all words for college athletes like herself. The All-ACC forward has stayed true to her school, about to play a fifth season at UNC. And thanks to the NIL, she’s making some side profits, working on the business side of things and also tapping into her creative side, as the creator of her advertisem*nt contest.

All she needed was a quick mind and sometimes a tripod along with a camera to do her filming. Organizational and time-management skills have also been a must. Ustby happens to have all five working for her.

She’s loving this NIL era. Among the companies she has signed NIL deals with are Lowe's, Taco Bell, Cane's, Hulu & Live TV, Lysol, Ritz Crackers, Turbo Tax, Kaplan, American Eagle and Good Molecules.

POST BULLETIN: Give us a quick rundown of how the NIL is working for you and others.

USTBY: This is a great opportunity for student-athletes. They are now able to build things for themselves.. A lot of times, non-athletes are able to do internships or have other business opportunities. But athletes don’t have the extra time for that. It has been great for my career development, which will come post sports.

Is it more you going to businesses or them coming to you?

It is a little bit of a mix of both. At first it was me cold calling some of these brands, talking to them about what I do with my brand and how I can help them promote their service. Student-athletes have a lot of different kinds of platforms and our campus (student body) gives us a lot of support.

What was the first NIL deal you ever struck and what did it look like?

My first NIL deal was with Lowe's. That was a fun one. I got to make a video, taking my audience with me to Lowes as I got some dormitory accessories at their store. We were just promoting college room decor. It was my brother (James Ustby, who also lives in North Carolina) who filmed it on his phone. I edited it myself and put music behind it. My creativity and my editing skills came into play. Once it was done, I posted it on Instagram and TikTok. It was fun to do. It is fun working with so many skills at one time. You’re communicating with business people, meeting deadlines and trying to meet expectations in terms of the creative concept. It’s fun to be creative and think outside the box. You can (consider) other people’s ideas, and then come with your own and not copy them. I love doing content. I love it so much that it doesn’t feel like work and it just happens to also bring in money.

How much time a week do you spend on this NIL material?

I likely spend three or four hours a week on it. That is hard to track, though, because I’m in communication all the time with texts from companies asking me if I want to advertise their stuff.

What is the most you’ve made on any single NIL deal?

I have had a few five-figure ones. But it is not just about the money. One of my favorite NIL deals is with a skin-care brand (Good Molecules) and they have given me the least amount of money. I like them because of how personal they are with me, Their CEO flew out to have lunch with me and I’m also looped in throughout the entire process with them. I’d consider working for them one day.

How much is spent on filming these ads and how much is spent on editing?

Most of the time it takes about 30 minutes to film and the editing is a pretty quick process. There was one advertisem*nt for Hulu that I did that took a little bit more creative directing because they wanted their message in a very particular way. (Brands) give me more or less freedom with what I want to do. But I am not high tech. I have a tripod set up for my phone that I use or I have my brother film it or a teammate. That it’s not high tech feels more authentic.

What are the various brands looking for when they pick an athlete to sell something for them?

They want to work with people who have developed a presence on social media. You want to get as big an audience as possible. The bigger your audience, the more likely you are going to get NIL deals.

You have what you call your own “platform.” What is something you have concentrated on promoting and how did you get started?

I’ve always wanted to build my own brand, but when I first started this stuff, I didn’t even realize I was building a brand. I was just having fun making these video, relatable basketball ones that I’d post. There was no NIL when I first started. I was just doing it for fun. I wanted to shed more light on other sports at the University of North Carolina. Our school is known for basketball, but there is so much more that comes with the UNC brand. I got to every single sport that we participate in — there are 26 of them. With my (content), I wanted to shed a light on how incredible sports are here.

You created content from those sports. How did you do it?

I’d go out there and train, like with the top UNC soccer player, comparing how someone from the basketball team would compare with someone on the actual team, showing their strength and skill (compared to hers). It was a great excuse to meet so many athletes in so many different sports.

You even did a gymnastics video, comparing you to the real thing. How did that go?

With that, I was basically a crash dummy, trying to imitate what those girls were doing. I tried to do a backflip (which didn’t go well), while those girls were flipping like three times off the board. It’s been cool to show how incredible these athletes are. It just didn’t sit right with me that not many people knew much about them. So I started a content series showing what they do.

Do you have an agent or do you just fly solo on getting these companies to hire you for your content?

I recently signed with an agent. He is working with me, trying to get deals with companies that fit my brand. This way, I don’t have to keep checking my email or be busy calling people back. It was a lot on my plate before I had an agent. I’m grateful to have him. He sets up interviews for me that I do over zoom and he plans how he can help me. He seems very interested in aiding me in whatever I want to do next.

What is your plan for after this next school year is over and your college basketball time is done?

I want to go pro and play as long as I can. Also, my agent who I signed with is very forward thinking. He is already helping me, figuring out how to develop my brand. My brand is that I am an athlete, but I want to make sure my brand is also that I am Alyssa Ustby and not just a basketball player.

You seem to be handling this NIL era well. But is their a downside to all of it for some?

A downside is I think it has hurt the recruiting process some. Now, some girls are basing their decision on where they are going to go on how much money they can make on NIL deals. I'd suggest that athletes look at academics, how they blend with a team and its coaches and its culture before anything else. NIL deals should come last.

Pat has been a Post Bulletin sports reporter since 1994. He covers Rochester John Marshall football, as well as a variety of other southeastern Minnesota football teams. Among my other southeastern Minnesota high school beats are girls basketball, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls track and field, high school and American Legion baseball, volleyball, University of Minnesota sports (on occasion) and the Timberwolves (on occasion). Readers can reach Pat at 507-285-7723 or pruff@postbulletin.com.