Recently, the NCAA passed a new rule stating that college athletes are now permitted to make money off their names, images, and likenesses, according to nbcsports.com. This means that college athletes now have the ability to pursue business opportunities with connections to their sport.

“I believe [college athletes and entrepreneurship] go hand in hand because they are trying to take their name and make it into a business,” entrepreneurship teacher Michelle Brinker said.

Some athletes have already started to take advantage of this new rule, creating their own merchandise to sell. For example, University of Nebraska volleyball payer Lexi Sun started selling her own sweatshirts through a company called Ren, according to espn.com.

Not only does selling merchandise help these athletes make money, but it also helps them get their name out into the world. With their merchandise in stores, customers see a name, put a face to it, and recognize the athlete for their talent.

“I think that college athletes could benefit by selling their own merchandise because they can build their own personal fan-base depending on what school they go to and if they go pro after college,” senior Katelyn Irvin said.

Other athletes are using these opportunities to pair with or create businesses. Florida State and University of Miami football players McKenzie Milton and D’Eriq King have signed themselves as co-founders of a company called Dreamfield Co., which helps with providing more opportunities for athletes to grow their fanbases, according to espn.com.

With the NCAA’s new law in action, athletes can explore business opportunities and create a name for themselves.

“It allows athletes to start their own brand,” Brinker said. “As they do well in college, everybody will know them, and they will build that brand with them as they go. It could make it harder for Nike and brands like that to come in and take their brand because they will have been building it way before they become athletes that everybody knows.”