OpenLocker signs NIL deals with 9 Florida athletes at NIL Summit
On the eve of the second annual INFLCR NIL Summit, OpenLocker announced it signed name, image and likeness agreements with nine Florida athletes, each of whom will attend the NIL Summit. The NIL Summit is held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Through the NIL deals, the athletes will release autographed collectibles using their NIL rights.
The Florida athletes include two football players in running back Trevor Etienne and linebacker Shemar James, men’s basketball guard Alex Klatsky, women’s basketball players Aliyah Matharu and Zippy Broughton, and gymnasts Trinity Thomas, Morgan Hurd and Victoria Nguyen, and diver Elisha Dees.
“We are very excited about the NIL Summit to showcase and share our creative NIL solutions with hundreds of schools and athletes,” OpenLocker president and founder Brian Klatsky, who’s the father of Alex Klatsky, said in a statement. This activation with the University of Florida will bring to life the unique ways in which OpenLocker expands opportunities for student-athletes.”
OpenLocker is also a sponsor of the NIL Summit. The Florida athletes involved in the deal will sign their collectibles at the NIL Summit, according to a news release. There will be 10 collectibles available per athlete. Each one will allow the owner of the collectible to participate in a virtual meet and greet.
The collectibles will cost between $49 and $89, according to the release. The collectibles will also provide access to Gataverse, an online community for Florida fans.
“This is pretty special,” Florida Director of NIL Ben Chase said in a statement. “Gataverse, and the leadership team at OpenLocker, created a unique NIL activation for our nine NIL Summit attendees, from across five different sports. It really shows they care about maximizing NIL opportunities for every athlete, and that aligns directly with our mission here at Florida.”
NIL profiles for Florida stars
As a freshman last fall, Etienne earned Freshman All-SEC honors after rushing for 719 yards and six touchdowns. He received SEC Freshman of the Week recognition for his Week 11 performance. He rushed for a season-high 129 yards on 17 carries against rival Florida State. Etienne also rushed for 100 yards on eight attempts in a win against South Carolina.
Etienne was a four-star prospect who was ranked No. 286 nationally in the 2022 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. His On3 NIL Valuation is $428,000.
James earned Freshman All-SEC honors last season after playing in all 13 games, including four starts. He recorded 47 total tackles, including two sacks, plus a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
James was a four-star recruit who was ranked No. 57 nationally in the 2022 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $80,000.
According to the release, OpenLocker plans to partner with athletes across all of Florida’s athletic programs through collectibles and experiences. Members of Gataverse, plus Florida athletes and their parents, can receive discounted rates on StayGainesville rental properties.
The nine athletes involved in the latest OpenLocker campaign will also appear on OpenLocker’s podcast.