With the NIL era upon us, student-athletes can now accept requests for personalized video messages on Cameo. So, who’s commanding the highest price?
The floodgates opened on July 1 for NCAA student-athletes to profit off of their names, images, and likenesses, and over the past six weeks we’ve seen a rush of endorsement deals, sponsored posts, and so much more.
Some athletes, however, have taken matters into their own hands, not bothering to wait for brands to come calling. Dozens have taken to Cameo, the site where users request personalized videos from celebrities and influencers for a pre-determined fee.
Cameo celebrities can name their own prices, which range from a single dollar to well over $2,000. The current crop of student-athletes aren’t quite audacious enough to request four figures, but a handful of names are asking for $100 or more.
Boardroom did a deep dive and found each of the student-athletes asking for triple digits. Let’s start at the top of the list with the single most expensive college athlete on Cameo.
$177
Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma football)
It makes sense that a Heisman Trophy candidate could request the highest fee of any student-athlete on Cameo as of this writing.
Last season as a redshirt freshman, Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Spencer Rattler completed 68% of his passes for 28 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He also ran for an additional six scores. In Lincoln Riley’s super-charged offense, he’s more than poised for a superstar performance in 2021.
Along with appearing on Cameo, the Sooner QB has worked to build his personal brand unveiling a personalized logo, participating in autograph signings, and inking a deal with fast-food chain Raising Cane’s.
Even better, Rattler said that he will donate a portion of his NIL earnings to underprivileged communities.
On Cameo, Rattler has generated 22 5-star reviews and the site specifies that he typically responds within a day.
Not bad for someone with an absolute ton on his plate as he prepares for the 2021 campaign.
$160
Bijan Robinson (Texas football)
Oklahoma might have the most expensive student-athlete on Cameo, but soon-to-be-fellow-SEC-member and bitter rival Texas takes second place with running back Bijan Robinson. Like Rattler, Robinson is a Heisman candidate and is coming off of a stellar freshman season, where he led the team in rushing yards (703) and yards per carry out of all players with more than 10 attempts (8.2).
Robinson has also signed with Raising Cane’s and is participating in autograph sessions. Unlike his unparalleled speed on the field, he takes four days to respond to requests, but he still has great reviews, averaging 4.9 out of 5 stars.
$150
Faion Hicks (Wisconsin football)
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU football)
Another pair of high-major football players will run you $150 and there are plenty of similarities between the two. Hicks and Hodges-Tomlinson are both cornerbacks, both entered college as 3-star recruits, and most importantly, both respond within five days on Cameo.
Unfortunately, the two have just one review between them, but it was for Hicks and he earned 5 stars. Not to be outdone, Hodges-Tomlinson earned a spot on the preseason Jim Thorpe Award watchlist.
Experts remain split on whether that award or a positive review on Cameo is more prestigious.
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$100
Amy Bockerstette (Paradise Valley CC women’s golf)
Buddy Boeheim (Syracuse men’s basketball)
Tyger Campbell (UCLA men’s basketball)
Michael Devoe (Georgia Tech men’s basketball)
Trent McDuffie (Washington football)
Chris Olave (Ohio State football)
Gable Steveson (Wisconsin wrestling)
Lexi Sun (Nebraska women’s volleyball)
Master Teague III (Ohio State football)
Casey Thompson (Texas football)
A whopping 10 athletes ask for exactly $100 on Cameo, and each has a great case for why they should demand such a price tag.
Perhaps the most fascinating is Amy Bockerstette, the only non-NCAA student-athlete to make our list. Bockerstette is a sophomore golfer who made history earlier this year in becoming the first collegiate athlete with Down syndrome to earn a college athletic scholarship — and compete in a national championship event.
Her accomplishment earned her an appearance on the Today Show, while CBS, ESPN, and Golf Digest all covered her history-making moment. And it’s possible that her Cameo move was inspired by a FaceTime moment with Gary Woodland that went viral after he won the 2019 US Open.
All proceeds from her Cameo appearances go to the I Got This Foundation, which Bockerstette founded to help other young golfers with disabilities learn the game.
But even after you’ve received your share of inspiration from Bockerstette, there are still plenty of other great opportunities to hear from student-athletes at the $100 level. Syracuse men’s basketball leading scorer and son-of-the-Hall-of-Famer Buddy Boeheim is also available.
(You may as well use your moment to shoot your shot and ask for some Buddy Buckets gear.)
Not a basketball fan? Request a message fromNebraska volleyball star Lexi Sun or Minnesota wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson.
Livvy Dunne (LSU gymnastics) and Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State football) should also get honorable mentions here, requesting $99 each. Notably, Dunne is the only college athlete currently with over one million followers on both Instagram and TikTok.
The College Sports Cameo Breakdown
Out of the 14 college athletes requesting at least $100 on Cameo, it should come as no surprise that the majority (eight) are football players. Our overall list includes:
- 8 football, 3 basketball, 1 volleyball, 1 wrestling, and 1 golf athlete
- 12 men and 2 women
- 5 from the Big Ten, 4 from the Big 12, 2 from the Pac-12, and 2 from the ACC
- 6 seniors, 4 juniors, and 4 sophomores
Of course, these numbers are current only as of the time of this writing, as this ecosystem is absolutely certain to grow. Plus, not all athletes have profiles, begging the question: how much could phenoms with massive social media followings like Paige Bueckers, Bryce Young, or Hanna and Haley Cavinder pull on the app?
With student-athletes free to finally make some money, more can get in on the fun at any moment.
