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🏅 Interview with Amy Hughes
Teaming up with
Hey there,
Amy Hughes oversees Georgia Southern’s Athlete Brand Management task force, which provides student-athletes with educational resources about NIL and assists them in building their NIL brands. As a marketing expert, Hughes helps athletes translate their personality and talent into NIL dollars.
She’s been a marketing expert long before NIL came along, though. In 2014, Hughes became a lecturer at Washington State, where she taught concepts like merchandising, branding, trademark licensing, and marketing to students. She then transitioned into a marketing specialist role for Georgia Southern, which eventually led her to her current role: Director of Athlete Brand Management and Licensing.
We’re really excited about this interview. If you found it informative, make sure you share it with your friends. Now let’s get you into it!
— Cole, Justin and Collin
Tell us about your role at Georgia Southern and what specific initiatives are you currently tackling.
As Director of Athlete Brand Management (ABM) and University Licensing for nearly two years, I lead a comprehensive NIL program that empowers student-athletes (SAs) to navigate the ever-evolving NIL landscape. This includes building educational programs, securing resources (both on campus and externally), and equipping our SAs with the skills needed for personal and professional success. I also work closely with our official collective, Eagle Nation Collective, and other stakeholders on various projects and initiatives that will help our students succeed.
Current Initiatives: We're particularly excited to be collaborating with academics to develop credit-bearing NIL/brand management courses. This innovative program, shaped by valuable input from student-athlete academic services, campus administrators, and faculty, will benefit both SAs and other students interested in the NIL space. We can't wait to launch this program soon!
What strategies have you implemented to educate and support student-athletes in navigating NIL opportunities?
Our robust education program empowers student-athletes (SAs) to navigate NIL effectively. We collaborate with faculty, staff, and community partners throughout the year, offering sessions on personal finance, branding, marketing, and entrepreneurship – all scheduled around SAs' busy schedules. Additionally, our partners at Opendorse provide ongoing content via Zoom and on-site visits.
Constant communication is key to our success. I maintain close relationships with ADs, coaches, team operations, SAs, our NIL collective, Opendorse, and media rights experts. This collaborative approach ensures SAs feel supported, informed, and well-positioned to thrive in the NIL landscape. I actively try to stay ahead of the curve by monitoring industry trends and successful initiatives at other schools. If I see a cool idea, you better believe I'm sharing it with all relevant stakeholders. I especially pay attention to SAs finding success at peer institutions and smaller programs. Our SAs are already familiar with what the well-known athletes are doing out there. I want to show them what the other 98% are doing, and how they got there.
We can also tailor individual NIL game plans for each SA. During consultations, we discuss their favorite brands and businesses, focusing on partnerships that align with their interests and goals. We then help them develop targeted strategies to connect with those brands and maximize their NIL potential.
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How do you collaborate with local businesses and national brands to create NIL opportunities for Georgia Southern athletes? What kind of feedback have you received from these partnerships?
We leverage our partnerships with Learfield/MMR, the Eagle Nation Collective, and the athletic foundation to proactively identify and explore NIL opportunities for SAs. This collaborative approach connects SAs with potential partners at local, national, and donor levels, including fans, brands, and foundation members. As the university's trademark licensing director, I can uniquely integrate NIL as a marketing tool for new licensees, backed by data from Opendorse, Collegiate Licensing Co., and other credible sources.
Feedback has overall been great; once in a while, someone will weigh in on how they believe that NIL will ruin college sports. Through clear communication and creative thinking, I can effectively counter misconceptions about NIL. Let's face it: many just assume the worst and never consider how legitimate deals can impact the lives of our athletes and their families. By explaining how NIL works and the benefits of leveraging influencer marketing, many brands have shown interest. Understanding and communicating the value proposition for businesses of all sizes is key in helping both sides realize the potential of NIL.
We’ve talked to other people in a role similar to yours. Talk to us about what sets Georgia Southern apart and what makes your brand management unique at Georgia Southern.
While many programs exist, what sets us apart is our comprehensive approach. We view student-athletes (SAs) as well-rounded individuals, fostering success on and off the field. Our goal from day 1 is to equip them with the skills and knowledge to thrive beyond their playing days. NIL becomes a powerful tool for professional development and future career opportunities.
This philosophy wasn't born overnight. We built upon the strong foundation of our pre-existing APEX program (athletes preparing for employment experiences), which already addressed areas like networking, finance, and personal branding. We simply integrated NIL's impact into these existing frameworks, creating a seamless and powerful support system for our SAs. Last year we added taxes and entrepreneurship to our programming, and brought in experts from our university's Business Innovation Group and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program to assist with those sessions.
How do you foresee the future of NIL evolving at Georgia Southern University, and what steps are you taking to prepare for potential changes in the market?
We're actively navigating and adjusting to the latest NIL developments, particularly the revenue sharing element. Obviously I can be more hands on now, so my role will continue to evolve in order to best serve the needs of our student-athletes. Our forward-thinking leadership has also positioned us to effectively assess and adapt as needed, both internally and with external partners like Eagle Nation Collective and Learfield. With open communication and alignment as core values, we're well-positioned to navigate this landscape and continue to deliver a high-level experience for students, fans, donors, and alumni.
