San Diego State University (SDSU) is taking a major step forward in its Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) initiatives by partnering with Out2Win, an AI-powered athlete marketing intelligence platform. This collaboration is designed to streamline how brands discover, analyze, and connect with SDSU student-athletes for NIL opportunities, enhancing the university’s ability to support its athletes in the evolving NIL landscape.

The partnership, announced on March 4, 2025, through an SDSU press release, signifies the university’s commitment to equipping its athletes with cutting-edge resources to maximize their marketability.

“At SDSU, we are always looking for ways to empower our student-athletes and stay on the cutting edge in the evolving NIL landscape,” said Brenden Hill, Assistant Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Development and NIL. “Partnering with Out2Win gives us a centralized platform to showcase our athletes, attract more brand opportunities, and efficiently track NIL activity—all while saving our team valuable time.”

Out2Win’s platform, according to the press release, provides SDSU with advanced NIL tracking, benchmarking, and brand partnership tools.

Solving NIL Challenges with AI

One of the biggest challenges in NIL management is tracking athlete engagement and marketability across a large roster. With over 450 student-athletes, SDSU officials said they needed a solution that could consolidate data, analyze brand potential, and create a more objective process for securing partnerships.

“Previously, recommending student-athletes for partnerships was based on visibility and personal interactions,” Hill explained. “Now, we have a data-driven approach to identify opportunities for our athletes, making the process more efficient and effective.”

Out2Win’s AI tools allow SDSU to move beyond traditional NIL deal-making by providing real-time analytics. Athletes will have access to a shareable media kit featuring engagement metrics, audience demographics, and personalized branding insights, while the university can use the data to match student-athletes with brands looking for the right fit.

Each student is given a score based on their marketability. When asked whether some students might be turned off by an AI-generated number for their financial viability, Hill compared it to a grade on a test. 

“Somebody issues you a 76 on a paper, does that make you less intelligent than someone who got an 85 on a paper? We see scoring and grading associated with things and ranking. When students have athletic performances, they’re going to rank third in the conference in scoring and fourth in the conference.,” Hill said. 

The platform aims to simplify monitoring athletes’ social media presence, eliminating the need for manual tracking. With the ability to assess engagement metrics, impressions, and audience demographics at the click of a button, SDSU’s NIL department can provide informed recommendations to brands and sponsors.

In the fall, the Daily Aztec’s reporting on NIL compensation highlighted how some student-athletes, particularly those with less brand recognition, felt disillusioned by the pressure to market themselves. For many, the need to self-promote became a distraction from their primary focus on their sports, leading to frustration. Several athletes including international athlete Tiaare Ahovelo, Nick Boyd, and Trey White shared concerns that NIL deals, while beneficial for some, were more of a burden for others, taking time and energy away from training and competition. This sentiment was particularly evident to those who had limited access to large deals and felt overwhelmed by the demands of social media marketing.

According to a Sports Illustrated article written by Troy Brock on December 30, 2024, while some student-athletes earn substantial NIL compensation, the majority earn much less. The median NIL earnings for college athletes are reported to range between $7,000 and $8,000 annually. This figure highlights the disparity between top earners and the majority, where big-name athletes dominate the headlines, but many others see little financial benefit. 

Moreover, in an article by Erica Yee and Adam Echelman published on March 6, 2025, CalMatters reported from a wide range of schools that California athletes have collectively earned a reported $11.9 million in name, image, and likeness compensation. Of those schools, San Diego State has collectively earned $431,000 since 2021 in NIL deals. Sports like basketball and football attract the lion’s share, emphasizing how opportunities are disproportionately distributed. These figures highlight a larger issue: while NIL deals have opened doors for some, they have not been as lucrative or accessible for everyone.

​In that same CalMatters article, it was reported Jaylon Tyson, a former basketball guard at UC Berkeley, received $390,000 from private donors, while UCLA gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles earned $3,000 from Grammarly. In contrast, athletes in less prominent sports, such as UCLA’s women’s water polo team, earned just $152 over three school years, despite winning a national championship. These disparities highlight that NIL earnings often depend on the sport’s popularity, the athlete’s prominence, and the university’s fan base. ​

Enhancing Opportunities for All Athletes

Beyond serving higher-profile athletes with established NIL opportunities, Out2Win also benefits those who are still developing their brand presence. The platform offers coaching and insights that help student-athletes enhance their social media engagement and grow their marketability.

“A lot of student-athletes don’t know where to start when it comes to building their brand,” Hill noted. “Now, we can provide individualized coaching sessions to help them understand their potential and develop strategies to grow their following.”

Additionally, Out2Win offers demographic insights that were previously difficult to obtain, allowing SDSU to refine its NIL approach by identifying key audience segments, regional influence, and engagement trends.

Integrating NIL Across SDSU’s Ecosystem

The new partnership does not interfere with existing relationships between SDSU athletes and NIL collectives such as The Mesa Foundation or Aztec Fast. Instead, it enhances these connections by providing comprehensive data that supports informed decision-making for brand partnerships.

“This platform allows us to make more accurate recommendations for brands looking to work with our athletes,” Hill said. “It also helps us in negotiations, ensuring our athletes receive fair market value for their deals.”

As the NIL landscape continues to evolve, SDSU is committed to leveraging technology to stay ahead of the curve, Hill added. With Out2Win’s AI-driven intelligence, the university is aiming to expand its NIL reach, giving a better experience for student-athletes and ensuring sustainable long-term success.

Looking to the Future

With NIL opportunities still in their early stages since the policy’s inception in July 2021, the integration of AI technology is expected to play a significant role in shaping the future.

“I don’t see Out2Win as the only technology we’ll use,” Hill added. “We already implement multiple platforms, and as NIL grows, we’ll continue adopting tools that increase our efficiency and impact.”