One of the largest NIL marketplaces is launching a new educational resource for their athletes to effectively cash in on their name, image and likeness.
Opendorse announced on Tuesday a partnership with NIL Real Estate and Keller Williams to provide a free real estate education program via the Opendorse app, giving their athlete network a variety of video lessons and articles focused around real estate careers, as well as real estate purchasing and investment, and access to over 190,000 Keller Williams agents nationwide.
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“We [Opendorse] seek to align ourselves with the best in everything we do, and Keller Williams is a proven leader in real estate,” Julian Valentin, Opendorse’s Head of Customer Success, told The NIL Deal in an exclusive interview. “This program through NIL Real Estate will provide 100K+ athletes with the opportunity to pursue a career in real estate and learn how they can buy a home and invest in real estate. It’s a win for all parties, especially student-athletes.”
When asked about how the partnership came to be, Valentin said Opendorse quickly realized the importance of real estate in the NIL space during discussions with Keller Williams last year.
“We started conversations with NIL Real Estate and Keller Williams last year,” Valentin continued. “As discussions continued, it became clear that there was a strong desire from both sides to help student-athletes and provide them with genuine educational opportunities in the real estate space. We’re thrilled to bring this partnership to life for student-athletes and institutions.”
We're excited to announce our partnership with @kwri and @NILRealEstate!
— Opendorse (@opendorse) May 2, 2023
Athletes now have free access to on-demand real estate education and the opportunity to obtain a free real estate license.
Learn more: https://t.co/wcg2J7EqgS pic.twitter.com/PmdYx78Hrw
“From a career perspective, real estate is the perfect fit for student-athletes. Many athletes are self-starters that know how to work hard. They understand accountability. Athletes are recognizable and many have outstanding people skills. They know how to achieve success in a dynamic and flexible environment. And now, they can get a jumpstart on their career now while they’re still in school,” Valentin added.
For months now, NIL has slowly spread its wings past the common direct deal or partnership with athletes seeking more diverse opportunities — whether it be seeking equity positions or working towards investing their money. As NIL grows, so do athletes desire to find new ways to maximize their profits while they’re in school, with real estate being one of the major up-and-coming players in the space, allowing athletes to gain equitable assets early in their collegiate careers.
“This partnership is a great example of how impactful NIL can be for college athletes,” Opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence said in a statement. “Real estate careers and investment have been a popular path for athletes for years. Now, with help from Keller Williams and NIL Real Estate, athletes can get a jump on their future with support from the pros.”
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“We are beyond grateful for Opendorse and, with our team at Keller Williams, for this opportunity to support college athletes with life development beyond sports,” Carl Spencer, co-founder and CEO of NIL Real Estate, said in a statement. “It’s so rewarding for us to provide athletes across the nation with access to real estate education and the opportunity to earn their license.”
“There’s real joy in seeing the impact on the lives of the athletes and their families who are learning more about one of this nation’s greatest economic drivers, real estate.”
