Bobby Robinson Offers Tips to NCAA Athletes Looking to Leverage Their Name, Image, and Likeness

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Social media and trademark attorney Bobby Robinson spoke to multiple media outlets including WRALTV, FOX 46 Charlotte, and FOX Carolina News following the NCAA's recent rule change to allow athletes to get paid for their name, image, and likeness. Bobby offers legal insights and tips NCAA athletes should take to begin building their brands. 

WRAL TV Excerpt

Bobby Robinson is a Charlotte-based attorney and NIL expert who represents athletes. He provided WRAL with a playbook as to what athletes and students should do as early as middle school.

“You have scouts, you have leagues, who are coming after kids who are in middle school," Robinson said. "So, this is the right time for parents, particularly of minor athletes, to really start to think about how to protect their brand, long term.”

He believes this news will force a change in the way student-athletes view their own value.

“The goal right now is to really think as if you were an entrepreneur," Robinson said. "You have to sort of approach this to say, ‘how do I leverage my name, image and likeness for my benefit?'”

Robinson said not only should college athletes begin to protect their brands, but also high school and even middle school athletes. He suggests five steps athletes and their parents should take immediately for their brands.

1. Form a business entity, such as an LLC, to mitigate their risk.
2. Retain legal counsel to overview contacts to protect brand and image.
3. Apply for copyrights and to trademark their names and brand.
4. Buy or register all domain names or social media handles that apply toward the a student athlete, to avoid paying someone else later for access to their own namesake.
5. Become familiar with the FTC social media endorsement guidelines so they’re not unintentionally exposing their brand to potential liability.

Robinson said doing those things opens up different ways student athletes can benefit from these new NIL rules.

“So you have the influencer marketing space, promoting products and services on social media. You now have the ability to make personal appearances, that is huge. But, then also, it’s their ability to create an independent business. So, if I have an apparel brand, I can now do that," he said.

Read the full article and watch the segment here. 

FOX 46 Charlotte Excerpt

A social media attorney says this is just the beginning.

“There’s no better time to be a student-athlete and a rising student-athlete with the advent of being able to monetize you NIL, your Name, Image, and Likeness,” Bobby Robinson said, a social media and trademark attorney.

Read the full article and watch the segment here.

FOX Carolina News Excerpt

If you need assistance navigating social media law and intellectual property matters, contact Bobby Robinson at BRobinson@maynardnexsen.com.