College Soccer: Breaking Down UCLA Forward Reilyn Turner’s NIL Deal With Nike

ByAndrew Pistone

2 min read

College Soccer: Breaking Down UCLA Forward Reilyn Turner’s NIL Deal With Nike

Some thought it might’ve been the University of Alabama’s football star Bryce Young. Other might have thought that University of Connecticut women’s basketball star Paige Bueckers might have been the lucky one. Possibly Gonzaga University’s men’s basketball stars Chet Holmgren or Drew Timme could have also been picked. But in somewhat of a surprise development, Nike’s first name, image and likeness endorsement deal has been signed with UCLA Bruins soccer star Reilyn Turner.

“I’m so excited to be a part of what Nike is bringing to the future of women’s sport. Picking up a ball opened up so many doors for me. Playing sports has allowed me to build relationships with people around the world, to go to an amazing school, to be part of a community that means everything,” she said. Via ESPN.com

Turner has been an emerging star in California for many years, proving her value in international tournaments of the United States’ under 20 and under 19 squads. While at UCLA, she’s been an unstoppable force in her two campaigns with the Bruins. She’s posted 21 goals in two seasons, and had a dynamite start to her 2021 campaign. In just 36 minutes of action on the road against Loyola Marymount University, Turner notched a hat trick, or three goals in that short span.

As if that wasn’t enough, she made a statement in the Bruins’ very next game against the defending champion Santa Clara Broncos. Turner dialed up the only goal the Bruins would have on the day in a highly impressive 1-0 victory over last year’s title winners.

Turner’s dynamite performance on the field of play make her a deserving recipient of Nike’s first NIL deal with a college athlete, but she brings more to the table than just athletic talent.

“Turner acknowledges the doors that soccer has opened for her, and she wants to give those same opportunities to local girls and boys, helping them get active, pursue their dreams and reach their highest potential,” Nike communicated in a statement. Via Insider.com

The language coming out of this NIL deal shows the continued evolution of these agreements that are only in their infancy. Rightfully so, many wondered about the financial earning power of athletes now that NIL endorsements were on the table, but Nike and Turner have refocused the narrative on grassroots support for local communities. It will be interesting to monitor how the deal between the shoe conglomerate and star athlete figures to give back to neighborhood sports programs.

Are you an Athlete?

Create a free profile to access the largest network specifically designed to connect athletes to opportunities. Get started.

RELATED ARTICLES
College Gymnastics: NIL Changes Dynamic For Young Olympic Gymnasts

College Gymnastics: NIL Changes Dynamic For Young Olympic Gymnasts

All the pressure in the world used to be on teenage gymnasts leading up to the Olympics. The...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri May 05 2023
Which Elite 11 Alumni could be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft?

Which Elite 11 Alumni could be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft?

For years, the Elite 11 quarterback camp has been the premier destination for high school...

ByJoey Grant | Thu Apr 27 2023
Auburn Gymnast Suni Lee’s NIL Deals are Gold Medal Worthy

Auburn Gymnast Suni Lee’s NIL Deals are Gold Medal Worthy

The 2020 Olympics were a challenge for all involved, considering the ever-changing logistics and...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Apr 07 2023
Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

For college basketball fans around the country, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year....

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Mar 07 2023
When Values Clash: Tackling the Alignment Problem for Sports Organizations and Athletes

When Values Clash: Tackling the Alignment Problem for Sports Organizations and Athletes

More than a century ago, Teddy Roosevelt Jr's injury during an amateur football game resulted in...

ByJoey Grant | Thu Mar 02 2023
Name, Image, Likeness: Do high school athletes have NIL rights in your state?

Name, Image, Likeness: Do high school athletes have NIL rights in your state?

We are well over a year into a new era of college sports. Back in the summer of 2021, the Supreme...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Jan 26 2023
New XFL Draft Picks use GMTM to be seen by coaches and fans

New XFL Draft Picks use GMTM to be seen by coaches and fans

In just under a month, the XFL will be taking yet another crack at creating a competing...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Jan 20 2023
Unlocking Billions: How World-Class Sports Organizations Manage Talent for Success

Unlocking Billions: How World-Class Sports Organizations Manage Talent for Success

What is the thing that has driven the $90 billion Sports industry? Talent Without talent, Sports...

ByJoey Grant | Thu Jan 19 2023
World Cup 2022: How social issues have taken global attention off the pitch in Qatar

World Cup 2022: How social issues have taken global attention off the pitch in Qatar

Qatar has taken center stage in the sports world in recent weeks as it welcomed soccer fans for the...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Dec 19 2022
College Soccer: What is the difference between NCAA Division-I & NAIA?

College Soccer: What is the difference between NCAA Division-I & NAIA?

Many soccer athletes across the United States aspire to play their sport at the college level, and...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sat Nov 26 2022
What is a 'Draw'? And Why Ties Still Exist in the World's Most Popular Sport

What is a 'Draw'? And Why Ties Still Exist in the World's Most Popular Sport

When it comes to the growing popularity of soccer in the United States, perhaps one of the...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Nov 23 2022
Soccer Coaching: The four most popular formations and why they work

Soccer Coaching: The four most popular formations and why they work

In soccer, formations define the different positions on the field taken by each player of a...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Nov 18 2022
Four Of The Most Important Skills Every Soccer Goalkeeper Has To Develop

Four Of The Most Important Skills Every Soccer Goalkeeper Has To Develop

Goalkeepers are really the only ones on the field who you can't compete without. Don't have a...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Nov 16 2022
How GMTM Helps Athletes Get Discovered

How GMTM Helps Athletes Get Discovered

At GMTM, we believe that Athletes shouldn’t be limited in what they can achieve based on their...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Nov 10 2022
Will Universities And Gambling Platforms Ever Join Forces?

Will Universities And Gambling Platforms Ever Join Forces?

There’s an interesting dichotomy between sports and gambling. They’re natural partners, and...

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Oct 18 2022
Johnson V NCAA: The Next Case That Can ReShape the future of the NCAA

Johnson V NCAA: The Next Case That Can ReShape the future of the NCAA

By now we are all familiar with the Alston case that shifted the dynamics of college sports, as...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Oct 06 2022
Soccer Recruiting: What College Coaches Look For In High School Recruits

Soccer Recruiting: What College Coaches Look For In High School Recruits

Realistically, soccer coaches and managers look out for different things in soccer players during...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Sep 28 2022
College Football: Five Stars Who Could Have Benefitted Most from NIL Ruling

College Football: Five Stars Who Could Have Benefitted Most from NIL Ruling

The NCAA's Division I Board of Directors announced a new...

ByBryan Armetta | Sat Sep 24 2022
How Continued Legalization of Sports Betting Affects College Sports

How Continued Legalization of Sports Betting Affects College Sports

In recent years the taboo of sports betting has started to come down and gambling on your favorite...

ByJamison White | Sun Sep 18 2022
EA Sports To Create College Football Video Game With These Updates

EA Sports To Create College Football Video Game With These Updates

After FOX Sports released a documentary on Christmas Day chronicling the life and career of the...

ByAndrew Pistone | Sat Sep 17 2022
Is playing College Soccer the best route to making the MLS?

Is playing College Soccer the best route to making the MLS?

Earlier this month, we witnessed the 2021 Major League...

ByJohnathan Wright | Sat Sep 17 2022
Trending Up: High School Football Athletes on GMTM - Week 2

Trending Up: High School Football Athletes on GMTM - Week 2

Football is back and tens of thousands of high school football players are on the field making...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Sep 15 2022
5 Tips To Help Get Recruited To Play College Soccer

5 Tips To Help Get Recruited To Play College Soccer

The college soccer recruiting process can be extremely competitive, and unfortunately, it does not...

ByJohnathan Wright | Mon Aug 29 2022
College Football: Three Transfer Portal Players to Watch in 2022

College Football: Three Transfer Portal Players to Watch in 2022

It's not even four years old, but it's hard to even remember what college football was like before...

ByBryan Armetta | Sun Aug 28 2022
Can Group NIL Deals Help Create Earning Potential Balance?

Can Group NIL Deals Help Create Earning Potential Balance?

The landmark decision to allow student athletes in college to profit off of their name, image and...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Aug 22 2022
Zach Soskin on Name, Image, Likeness: "It's building a brand. It's not going after every deal."

Zach Soskin on Name, Image, Likeness: "It's building a brand. It's not going after every deal."

"It was honestly just right place, right time," Zach Soskin says, recalling the chain of events...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sun Aug 21 2022
NIL In High School: Which States Give HS Athletes Name, Image, Likeness Rights?

NIL In High School: Which States Give HS Athletes Name, Image, Likeness Rights?

In only a few months since legislation passed in early July, the ability for college athletes to...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sun Aug 14 2022
College Soccer: Explaining how the best collegiate players turn professional

College Soccer: Explaining how the best collegiate players turn professional

For soccer players who want to play professionally, the path differs greatly from other major...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Aug 03 2022
Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

The name, image, and likeness of college athletes has been a topic of discussion for several years,...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Aug 02 2022
College Swimming And Diving: Is It Hard To Get Recruited?

College Swimming And Diving: Is It Hard To Get Recruited?

Collegiate swim and diving is a long-forgotten sport for women that can benefit them immensely. Not...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Tue Jul 26 2022
College Wrestling: NCAA Innovations That Every Wrestler Should Be Paying Attention To

College Wrestling: NCAA Innovations That Every Wrestler Should Be Paying Attention To

As one of the world’s oldest sports and centerpiece of the Olympics, wrestling is rooted in deep...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Jul 25 2022
Major League Baseball: What Caused The Major Player Contracts In The MLB?

Major League Baseball: What Caused The Major Player Contracts In The MLB?

The highest-paid baseball player in Major League Baseball is pitcher Max Scherzer from the New York...

ByAmanda Tylka | Fri Jul 22 2022
Soccer Coaching: What is each position in soccer responsible for?

Soccer Coaching: What is each position in soccer responsible for?

A proper soccer team will function at an optimal level when players in the team's setup understand...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sat Jul 16 2022
GMTM: The Athlete Social Network Empowering Female Athletes

GMTM: The Athlete Social Network Empowering Female Athletes

For the past 50 years, Title IX has played a vital role in empowering female athletes. The barriers...

ByTiffany Allen | Thu Jun 23 2022
Women's Basketball: Meet The Michael Jordan Of The Women's Game

Women's Basketball: Meet The Michael Jordan Of The Women's Game

Although there are many modern day women trying to replace the OG Michael Jordan of women’s...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Jun 13 2022
How to Make Money as an Athlete

How to Make Money as an Athlete

As College Athletics test the limits of Name Image and Likeness (NIL) to funnel money directly to...

ByLeland | Thu Jun 02 2022
How to Perform a Free Kick  Like The Pros: Step By Step Guide

How to Perform a Free Kick Like The Pros: Step By Step Guide

Scoring a free kick or utilizing it effectively can be the deciding factor in who wins a match. So...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Apr 19 2022
Men's College Basketball: Five Stars Who Could Have Benefitted Most From NIL Ruling

Men's College Basketball: Five Stars Who Could Have Benefitted Most From NIL Ruling

In the aftermath of a July ruling by the NCAA allowing for athletes to profit off of their name,...

ByBryan Armetta | Sun Apr 17 2022
America's soccer stars don't play in college. Is the NCAA to blame?

America's soccer stars don't play in college. Is the NCAA to blame?

It’s no secret that the way the US treats the development of its athletes is significantly...

ByAria Modirmassihai | Fri Apr 15 2022
Student-Athletes Develop For The Future At NCAA Leadership Forum

Student-Athletes Develop For The Future At NCAA Leadership Forum

For some student-athletes, leadership comes innately in different ways. Some may have a gift when...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Mar 09 2022
How Much Do Collegiate Olympic Athletes Make For Winning? Not Much

How Much Do Collegiate Olympic Athletes Make For Winning? Not Much

Imagine being in college student athlete sitting in a dorm room, dreaming about competing at their...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Feb 23 2022
Ranking the Top 5 Division III Football Conferences

Ranking the Top 5 Division III Football Conferences

In 2019 a CCIW (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) and a WIAC (Wisconsin Intercollegiate...

ByDrew Staczek | Sun Jan 30 2022
Name, Image, Likeness Benefits In Division II and III College Sports

Name, Image, Likeness Benefits In Division II and III College Sports

Now that the NCAA has taken the step to allow players to earn money off their image and likeness,...

ByJamison White | Fri Jan 21 2022
Women’s Pro Sports Might Be Coming To Nashville

Women’s Pro Sports Might Be Coming To Nashville

Despite not being considered a major sports market in the United States, Nashville does have a...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Jan 19 2022
Sportico Launches College Athletics Financial Database

Sportico Launches College Athletics Financial Database

As the landscape surrounding dollars and cents in college athletics has been significantly impacted...

ByAndrew Pistone | Thu Jan 06 2022
College Soccer: Breaking Down UCLA Forward Reilyn Turner’s NIL Deal With Nike

College Soccer: Breaking Down UCLA Forward Reilyn Turner’s NIL Deal With Nike

Some thought it might’ve been the University of Alabama’s football star Bryce Young. Other might...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Dec 31 2021
The Ten Most Followed College Sports Programs on Social Media

The Ten Most Followed College Sports Programs on Social Media

In the 21st century, having a strong social media following is one of the most important parts of...

ByAria Modirmassihai | Thu Dec 23 2021
College Football: Jack Coan’s Unlikely Path To Notre Dame

College Football: Jack Coan’s Unlikely Path To Notre Dame

Sometimes, life takes you in directions that you don’t expect. That could certainly be said for the...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Dec 20 2021
NCAA Creates Championships Channel For LG Smart TV Streaming

NCAA Creates Championships Channel For LG Smart TV Streaming

The end product on the field of play is usually a sight to behold. Collegiate athletes putting...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Dec 10 2021
NCAA, ESPN Will Broadcast More Women’s Gymnastics In 2022

NCAA, ESPN Will Broadcast More Women’s Gymnastics In 2022

With the momentum of the Summer Olympics [gmtm.com/articles/tag/summer-olympics/] behind it, NCAA...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Dec 01 2021