A pay day could be on the horizon for NCAA athletes. Through that organization’s name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation proposal. Giving reason to wonder how this proposal could potentially impact Cincinnati college athletes.

Monday’s Cincy Sports Journal Weekly Review featured details on the NCAA’s NIL proposal. Potentially paving the way for NCAA student-athletes to make money through endorsements. Along with compensation for participating in promotional events like autograph signings. This proposal and the shortage of live games presents an opportunity. To let the mind wander about the possibilities that this proposal could unleash.

This could be a boon for advertisers and athletes alike. Especially in media markets where college sports are the biggest show in town. Or even the biggest show in an entire state. There’s also potential opportunities in bigger media markets like Cincinnati. Even though Cincinnati has several major league sports teams.

College Basketball players would be the ones most likely to get endorsement deals in Cincinnati. College Basketball is mostly where the action is locally in the winter. Partly because Cincinnati doesn’t have an NBA or NHL franchise. Yet also because of the high profile programs located in and relatively close to the Cincinnati area. It would be hard to imagine Kentucky Basketball players not finding endorsement opportunities. Given the program’s history and passionate fan base. Elsewhere locally, Cincinnati Football players could have a good chance to cash in too.

This proposal wont be an equalizer for less lucrative college sports. However, it’s still an opportunity for athletes to cash in on the fruits of their labor. Even those in sports that don’t get much media attention. While athletes in higher profile sports like football stand to gain plenty. Athletes at high profile programs in less lucrative sports might also gain.

For example, hockey players in states that border Canada. Along with wrestlers at a school in the Midwest, particularly Big Ten schools. One snag in the current proposal is a restriction on athletes using their school’s logo. Which will limit an athletes ability to cash in on their name, image and likeness. However, athletes could potentially utilize regional ties. Where more are likely to already know where the athlete plays. Whether the school they attend could or couldn’t be mentioned.

After all, Cincinnati Football fans likely already know who Desmond Ridder is. While many people in South Dakota might not know him. Unless they follow the Cincinnati Bearcats as an alum or are big fans of AAC football. Many Cincinnati sports fans likely know where Naji Marshall goes to school. Regardless of whether he could wear Xavier University apparel in an ad.

Hopefully, this proposal could help raise the profile of female athletes. Imagine the endorsement deals Sabrina Ionescu could’ve reeled in. If this proposal or a better plan was already in place six months ago. While it’s unlikely to change the pay equity issues facing women’s sports. At best, it will be a way to help raise the profile of women in sports.

Not everyone will be making big bucks from this proposal. However, somethings’s better than nothing, especially for non-scholarship athletes. Along with athletes in sports lacking in well paying professional opportunities. Anything other than college sports’ current economic model. One that unfortunately compares to America’s 19th century economic models. A century that featured the horrors of slavery. Along with high levels of economic inequality during the Gilded Age.