It didn’t take long.
Within the first week of the new name, image and likeness (NIL) era, a dozen BYU student-athletes have signed endorsement or sponsorship deals, according to BYU athletic department officials.
However, not all deals are public knowledge — at least not through BYU. It is up to each company and student-athlete to disclose their agreement.
Because of that, although they weren’t the first, two BYU football players were the first to share their endorsement deals on social media last week.
Tyler Batty and Austin Riggs signed endorsement deals with Blamshot, a family-owned company that sells lip balms in 20-gauge shotgun shells, on Wednesday.
“Balmshot is honored to break new ground in the support of college athletes at BYU and we are enthusiastic about the opportunity to expand the awareness of a fantastic product with a special mission throughout the BYU community and beyond,” co-owner Daniel Walker said in a news release. “We are confident that both Tyler and Austin will make strong brand ambassadors and make an impact on the special needs community in the process. These two fine men were already working privately to elevate and enrich the lives of individuals with special needs, which made reaching these deals quick and easy for all involved.”
With the new NIL rules in place, student-athletes are not only able to start making some cash, but they are also part of a historic moment in college athletics as well. It was part of the reason Batty and Riggs signed with Balmshot.
“When I heard about this opportunity from Balmshot it was better than I could have ever expected,” Riggs said in a press release. " Not only do I get to endorse a great product, but I get to be a part of something special in the process.”
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