Photo: WWE HOFer Poses With New NIL Class
As noted earlier, WWE is welcoming a new class to their "NIL" (Name, Image, Likeness) Next In Line Program that will see standout amateur wrestlers, football players, gymnasts, and other athletes report to the Performance Center. There, they will focus on developing useful skills for a WWE career like brand building, media influence, communication, live event promotion, creative writing, and community relations.
Michigan State Football took to social media to proudly tout the recruits they've provided to the program at the NIL Summit. In the pics provided, we can see WWE Hall of Famer Triple H posing with the newest recruits involved.
Spotted on the red carpet 👀@maliq_thefreak @TripleH pic.twitter.com/IGyitzReUN
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) June 13, 2022
The first wave of "Next In Line" athletes were introduced in December 2021 and included Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson. This year's event takes place through September 15 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, GA.
If the designated college athletes complete the program successfully, they "may earn an exclusive opportunity to earn a WWE contract", according to WWE. You can see the mission statement of the NIL Summit below:
The NIL Summit was born of the idea of giving student-athletes from across the nation a platform to converge on as a community of influencers and change agents, to share ideas and collaborate alongside the transformative brands and organizations shaping the future of college sports.
Inspired by great gatherings like TED, ComplexCon and SXSW, the NIL Summit is intended to both celebrate the great achievements of student-athletes, while also equipping them with the tools, resources and information necessary to maximize their outcomes both in the near term, and well after they are done playing sports.
The event democratizes knowledge by giving student-athlete delegates access to the information they need to harness the tremendous but fleeting power of their influence to ensure a head-start in life. That knowledge comes directly from industry leading practitioners and subject matter experts, including: pro and collegiate athletes, agents, influencers, entrepreneurs, as well as executives from the world's biggest brands and social media companies. Education is delivered through multiple mediums, including: keynotes, speaker panels and hands-on-workshops and experiential activities.
Triple H recently returned to his position as Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development since suffering a cardiac event last year. The circumstances led to Triple H announcing his in-ring retirement at "WrestleMania 38" in April, though he clearly shows no signs of slowing down behind the scenes.