New Website Aims to Connect Local Businesses and Student-Athletes for NIL Opportunities

A new website launched on Thursday aims to connect Centre County businesses and student-athletes who can now profit from their names, images and likenesses.

HappyValleyTalent.com, developed by the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County and Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, was unveiled during a Zoom call for members of the local business community.

“I know it will benefit students, and I believe very strongly that there will be a mutual benefit to our community,” Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour said at the start of the call, during which she gave an overview of the ins and outs of university policy and Pennsylvania law governing NIL.

The NCAA in July updated its rules to allow student-athletes to cash in on their names, images and likenesses where permitted by state law, a long forbidden opportunity that was available to most other, non-athlete college students. At the same time, Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law legislation amending the Public School Code to allow college athletes to make money from endorsements or business ventures without impacting eligibility.

The new website allows businesses, students (not just athletes), alumni and others looking to market themselves to create accounts and connect for ventures allowable under NIL law and university policy, such as autograph signing, appearances at events, endorsements and more.

For students and members of CBICC, HVAB and eight other business associations that partnered on the site, registration is free. For all others, a $99 subscription is required

Businesses can contact talent privately, or vice versa, and events can then be promoted through the public-facing portion of the website, which will allow for users to receive notifications when events are scheduled. The “upcoming events” page includes a link to travel accommodations for those who plan to come from out of town.

“This initiative is one that can be a true win-win-win for the business community, students and our local economy,” CBICC President and CEO Vern Squier said in a statement. “It is meaningful to our community’s success now and in the future.”

He added during the call, “Our economy derives so much off of tourism and tourism-based economic development which translates to events, activities, meetings, and certainly if our talent in our community remains at high levels then we all benefit from that increased talent level.”

Happy Valley Adventure Bureau President and CEO Fritz Smith said that it was important to help Penn State students leverage NIL locally because many other schools are in more urban areas with large business communities.

“Knowing that other communities where major universities are have large business communities and a lot of opportunities for their athletes to monetize themselves, we felt that it was incumbent on us to be proactive in this effort and to provide some support to Penn State and sort of rally our community around this concept,” he said.

The site, which also includes general resources for understanding NIL, will be more effective at developing opportunities and economic activity the more individuals and businesses use it, Smith said.

“Today’s announcement was a start to ensuring that our local businesses and students/athletes understand how to navigate the NIL era in a mutually beneficial way,” Smith said. “We only expect participation and enthusiasm to grow as the issue is more largely understood and opportunities emerge.”