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Paolo UggettiESPN
Pac-12 athletes will now be able to get something more than retweets for their highlights.
On Thursday, the conference announced an initiative alongside Twitter, NIL marketplace Opendorse and sports technology startup Tempus Ex Machina that will allow football and men’s and women’s basketball players to monetize videos of their top moments on the field.
During the 2022-23 season, Tempus Ex Machina, which has a partnership with the Pac-12, will provide athletes with a custom digital video after each game that includes their best plays and camera shots from various angles.
Once players tweet their highlight reel out, Twitter’s Amplify platform will populate the video with pre-roll advertising. According to the Pac-12 and Twitter, the athlete will be paid based on the advertisement that was sold.
In exchange for posting two highlights per week after a win or a loss, football players who are approved for the program will receive a total of $1,250 as well as a potential percentage of the program’s overall revenue, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN.
“The Pac-12 is committed to providing our student-athletes with best-in-class technology, tools and promotional platforms that support their individual brands,” Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff said in a statement. “Our partnership with Tempus Ex is focused on enhancing our student-athlete and fan experiences, and today’s announcement is another important step in positioning the Pac-12 as a leader when it comes to student-athlete promotion and brand building.”
According to the release, the Pac-12 is the first conference to provide athletes with the ability to monetize their highlights.
“Twitter has always been and will continue to act as the megaphone for athletes to use their voice,” David Herman, senior partner manager at Twitter Sports, said in a statement. “Now they can leverage their most impactful moments on the field to earn meaningful NIL compensation. We’re thrilled to roll this program out with PAC-12 football and look forward to expanding it to sports and conferences across the country.”
