Every athlete can define their brand regardless of the level of competition. Your brand is your reputation, story, and uniqueness that differentiates you from other athletes. In fact, there are times when it can be easier to connect with your audience as a D2 athlete. Here are five ways to connect to your followers:

1. More Relatable Journeys

Unlike D1 athletes, who are often seen as elite or untouchable, D2 athletes represent the everyday athlete’s story. Many D2 players weren’t five-star recruits. Instead, they had to fight for their spot, work through adversity, and prove themselves. This makes their journey more relatable to young athletes, high school players, and even recreational athletes who dream of playing at the next level.

Example: A D2 soccer player sharing their recruiting struggles or how they had to balance school, sports, and a part-time job is far more engaging to an aspiring athlete than a D1 player who was scouted early and given a full scholarship.

2. Closer Connection to Local Communities

D2 athletes often play at smaller schools where local businesses, alumni, and fans play a bigger role in their experience. This creates a more tight-knit community, making it easier for them to establish genuine connections with their followers.

 Example: A D2 basketball player partnering with a local gym or smoothie shop has more credibility with their audience because their followers have likely visited those same places. In contrast, a D1 player promoting a national brand may feel more distant.

3. More Time for Personal Engagement

Because D2 athletes don’t face the same intense media obligations as D1 players, they often have more time to engage with their followers. They can respond to DMs, comment on posts, and even create content based on their audience’s interests.

Example: A D2 football player who replies to messages about training advice or engages in Q&A sessions builds a deeper bond with their followers compared to a D1 athlete with thousands of unread messages.

4. A More Balanced Lifestyle to Showcase

Many followers appreciate authenticity, and D2 athletes often balance school, sports, part-time jobs, and social lives in a way that’s more relatable than the full-time athlete lifestyle of D1 players.

Example: Posting about balancing early morning workouts, internships, and college classes shows a real-life struggle that resonates with student-athletes and non-athletes alike.

5. More Authentic Storytelling

People love stories, and D2 athletes have some of the best underdog narratives. Whether it’s overcoming injuries, being overlooked in recruiting, or proving doubters wrong, these stories inspire and motivate.

Example: A D2 baseball player sharing a “How I Walked Onto My Team” post can resonate with thousands of athletes who didn’t get scholarship offers but still want to compete.

D2 Athletes: You’re the Expert - Use Your Skill to Build Your Brand

As a D2 athlete, you’ve spent years perfecting your craft, balancing intense training schedules with academics, and competing at a high level. Your expertise isn’t just in playing your sport—it’s in the discipline, strategy, and resilience that come with being a collegiate athlete. This makes you a valuable resource for younger athletes, local sports communities, and even businesses looking for relatable and hardworking ambassadors. Whether it’s sharing training tips, offering mentorship, or demonstrating techniques, your knowledge and experience set you apart as a subject matter expert. The key to building your brand is owning your expertise and sharing it in ways that provide value to your audience.

Using social media, content creation, and community engagement, you can leverage your skills to establish yourself as a go-to authority in your sport. Posting training breakdowns, game-day insights, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your routine helps position you as a knowledgeable and credible figure. Hosting Q&A sessions, partnering with local brands, or offering private coaching can expand your reach and open NIL opportunities. D1 athletes may have the spotlight, but D2 athletes have a more personal and relatable connection with their followers—use that to your advantage and let your expertise shape your brand.

Non-Profit Collectives are Disappearing

One reason Notre Dame played for the National Championship was the success of their NIL program. The Friends of Notre Dame (FUND) was founded by alum and former starting QB Brady Quinn. It was part of a group of early collectives that took a different approach to funding NIL for their students.

Even though FUND was highly successful, they recently announced they were ending activity at the end of 2024, and a new, for-profit collective called Rally, would replace it in 2025.

Collectives like FUND applied for and received 501(c)3 status from the IRS as tax-deductible charitable organizations. They used the money raised to pay athletes to promote and work for charities in the surrounding communities. Some of the collectives also made direct donations to charities.

On paper, this seems like a win-win scenario. Donors get a tax deduction, athletes get paid, and worthy local charities get support. The problem was the IRS and the tax code. There are very specific requirements for non-profit entities that must be met to maintain their status. One key requirement is the activities of the collective must be primarily public, rather than private, interests.

In the end, these collectives failed this test. Even though they donated and supported local charities, their primary function was to pay the athletes. Most programs with non-profit collectives are making the same changes as Notre Dame and forming new, for-profit collectives. How this will impact donation levels will be something to keep an eye on over the next few seasons, as NIL success has become synonymous with success on the field.

The New Collective Business Model

Small-dollar donors, membership, and subscription programs are the next iteration of NIL Collectives.

As the world of NIL evolves, so has how NIL Collectives gather funds to pay athletes. With big-dollar donor fatigue setting in, schools and collectives are looking for more sustainable ways to generate income to pay their athletes. The current trend is to offer smaller one-time donation opportunities to support specific programs or athletes, as well as monthly subscription options where boosters, alumni, and fans can donate anywhere from $25 and up per month to support their favorite teams. These subscriptions also come with membership perks like meet and greets with players or signed memorabilia or clothing.

This type of model can generate a consistent flow of cash for athletic departments to compete for top talent. It will take more time to build up big dollars to cover the cost of a five-star quarterback, but big programs will still have deep-pocketed alumni who can foot the bill until they have enough in the bank.