White Sox's NIL deals make them the latest pro fran atlanta braves jersey acuna jr chise to invest in college athletes

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Name, image and likeness (NIL) deals have changed the face of collegiate sports. It appears that professional sports franchises are taking notice.

The White Sox announced Wednesday the launch of their own NIL program, CHISOX Athlete. The program was established to "help empower student-athletes, their voices and careers both on and off the field," the team said.

They're the latest sports franchise to enter a partnership with collegiate athletes. The Braves and the NHL's Panthers signed agreements with local athletes last year.

But the White Sox's program is different. For starters, the maiden class features eight athletes, far more than the Panthers and Braves have on offer. Additionally, Chicago's brand partners will be offered professional and career mentorship, not to mention a pair of complimentary tickets to select games through the end of 2022.

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So who is CHISOX Athlete sponsoring? And how does it compare to similar efforts undertaken by other professional sports franchises? The Sporting News takes a look.

What is CHISOX Athlete?

CHISOX Athlete is the White Sox's NIL program. It will offer athletes access to financial and professional trade secrets, as well as facilitate connections between athletes and sports executives. Athletes are expected to promote the White Sox brand on their social media accounts.

The program's initial class consists of local athletes attending colleges across the Midwest.

Who is CHISOX Athlete sponsoring?

CHISOX Athlete signed NIL deals with eight athletes. Interestingly, none of them play baseball. Although a partnership between a professional franchise and a collegiate program of the same sport hasn't been expressly prohibited, none of the franchises that have linked up with collegiate athletes have signed anyone in the sport they compete in. Per Front Office Sports, teams are concerned that the juice isn't worth the squeeze, so to speak.

The eight athletes sponsored by CHISOX Athlete:

Ahamad Bynum, DePaul men's basketball

Bynum is a Chicago kid, born and raised. He went to Simeon High School, continuing the basketball tradition of legends like Benji Wilson and DerVineyard Vines rick Rose. The incoming DePaul freshman was a four-star recruit, per 247Sports. Bynum is expected to play a big role in the Blue Demons' upcoming season.

Kylie Feuerbach, Iowa women's basketball

Caitlin atlanta braves gift shop Clark gets all the shine with the Hawkeyes, and rightly so. But the 6-0 Feuerbach — a product of Sycamore, Ill. — is no slouch. She played in all 32 games for the Hawkeyes last season, her first in Iowa City.

Before that, Feuerbach was the crown jewel of Iowa State's 2020 recruiting class, twice earning Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors during the 2020-21 season.

AJ Henning, Michigan football

Big Blue had a resurgent season last year, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. Although Henning didn't play a major role, he did contribute. He even scored a return touchdown. He should see more game time in 2022.

MORE: NIL new guidelines, explained

Anaya Peoples, DePaul women's Tommy Bahama basketball

The Danville, Ill., product has plenty of experience on the biggest stage. Peoples started 46 games over three seasons at Notre Dame. After seeing her minutes dwindle in South Bend, Peoples transferred to DePaul.

She'll hope to ma atlanta braves button up jersey men ke a difference on a Blue Demons side that is looking to build off a last season's NCAA Tournament appearance.

Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois men's basketball

With Kofi Cockburn's departure, Illinois is looking for a star. It might have one in Shannon. The Chicago native and Texas Tech transfe atlanta braves red jersey large r is a freakish athlete blessed with a smooth lefty stroke. He hit 51 percent of his 2-point attempts and 38 percent of his 3-point tries last year for the Red Raiders.

Temi Thomas-Ailara, Northwestern volleyball

Thomas-Ailara is one of the best outside hitters in the best volleyball conference in the country. She notched 492 kills in 2021 for the Wildcats and averaged the fourth-most kills per set in the Big Ten (3.94 K/S).

Thomas-Ailara is from Glenwood, Ill., and is entering her senior season with Northwestern.

Cameron Williams, Michigan women's basketball

A five-star recruit atlanta braves shirt near me out of Windy City basketball factory Whitney Young, Williams played in 30 games for the Wolverines in 2021-22. She has been solid in limited minutes and may be called upon to do more heavy lifting following the graduation of Naz Hillmon.

Kiki Van Zanten, Notre Dame women's soccer

The lone soccer representative on this list earned All-ACC honors in 2020 as she nabbed seven points in 514 minutes last year.

Van Zanten calls Buffalo Grove, Ill., home but represents Jamaica internationally. She was selected to train with the ReggaMiguel Cabrera e Girlz during their 2023 World Cup qualifying run.

What other professional sports franchises have signed athletes to NIL deal?

The Braves and the NHL's Panthers are other professional sports franchises that have signed collegiate athletes to NIL deals.

The Braves made Georgia gymnast Rachel Baumann and Georgia Tech backup quarterback Jordan Yates the first "Braves Athletes" after posting on Instagram asking athlet atlanta braves jersey es if they were interested in working with the team.

The Panthers signed an NIL deal with former Miami quarterback D'Eriq King last year. Additionally, the franchise offered NIL deals to every eligible Florida Atlantic woman athlete as part of its "FLA Athlete" program.

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