ATLANTA – The Georgia Bulldogs are due to arrive in Indianapolis on the Friday before the College Football National Championship game on Monday.
While pride lies on the line between the Dawgs and the Alabama Crimson Tide, this is the first season that victory could also result in more promotional deals for the players.
On July 1, 2021, the NCAA passed a preliminary name, image, and similarity policy that will allow student athletes to appear in and benefit from promotional campaigns and other offers.
DAWGS STAR BECOMES DIGITAL WITHOUT POSSIBILITY
Today tens of thousands of Atlanta commuters pass a billboard featuring UGA defense attorney Jordan Davis every day.
A billboard in Metro Atlanta promoting the Morgan & Morgan law firm shows UGA defensive lineman Jordan Davis ahead of the College Football National Championship Game. (FOX 5)
“We ran a ‘Size Matters’ marketing campaign. When you see Jordan Davis and his influence on the UGA’s defense, of course, size matters,” said Dan Morgan, partner at Morgan & Morgan law firm. “It connects our brand with a brand that people have watched and loved for generations.”
Davis is just one of several UGA football players to benefit from the new policy this season.
Zaxby announced a deal with quarterback JT Daniels in August to serve as the brand ambassador for the 2021-2022 season.
Running back Zamir White and linebacker Nakobe Dean have opened online clothing stores. Dean can also be seen on billboards for a law firm and chiropractic clinic.
“I think it was important to have the name, image and likeness in Georgia because there was a movement across the country and we didn’t want our athletes and our universities to be left behind,” said State Representative Chuck Martin. R-Alpharetta, who serves as chairman of the Higher Education Committee of the House of Representatives.
Rep. Martin was the main sponsor of legislation last year that allowed student athletes to make money in Georgia using their name, image, and likeness. The law never officially went into effect as it contained a forfeiture rule in case the NCAA made its own regulations.
“I saw a billboard up in Hall County this year that featured a young man who was easy to walk. Right now, I don’t think he’s a University of Georgia scholarship holder, but he had a good one Soccer.” Season, and he has some kind of deal, “said Rep. Martin.” That’s a great thing for him because he doesn’t get any help there to play football there. So maybe he’ll get some money that will help him with his books and his room and his food. “
A billboard in Metro Atlanta promoting the Morgan & Morgan law firm shows UGA defensive lineman Jordan Davis ahead of the College Football National Championship Game. (FOX 5)
There is no publicly available information on how many UGA players have made NIL deals or for how much money. According to the UGA Athletic Association, this information is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
The policy is still in its infancy and likely to evolve in the years to come, but Morgan said his company will continue to use college athletes for marketing campaigns if they can.
“It also helps recruits for the schools if they know their way around [are] Brands coming in to help their players, “Morgan said.” It’s not that we’re giving these players life changing money, it’s giving them the opportunity to make some money doing what they do for an hour-long photoshoot Using their image in town and getting money that not only they but their family needs, it has been a kind of gray area in the past where some of these players aren’t even allowed to do part-time jobs without going against the NCAA break rules, that’s madness. So it’s just kind of an evening on the field. We definitely want to be at the forefront to show that we are for the people, but also for the players. “
Morgan and Morgan have also campaigned with offensive lineman Evan Neal from Alabama and players from West Virginia. They are also in talks to run ads with the entire Georgia Tech basketball team.
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