From UCLA Athletics:
UCLA Athletics today announced the launch of Westwood Exchange, a free business registry designed for companies, donors, fans and alumni that want to connect directly with UCLA’s student-athletes interested in capitalizing on their name, imagine and likeness (NIL). Companies can register for Westwood Exchange now via uclabruins.com/westwoodexchange. Examples of possible business deals include public appearances, autograph signings, social media promotion and endorsement, private lessons and athletic camps.
Martin Jarmond, the Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics, said “We are excited to add Westwood Exchange to our NIL programming. This streamlined process enables alumni, fans and local businesses to engage with our student-athletes like never before. Exchange gives our student-athletes direct access to Bruin Nation and vice versa. We are looking forward to seeing the synergy between our supporters and student-athletes moving forward.”
Once registered, a company or individual can search and initiate a conversation with student-athletes through a customized portal that includes access to every UCLA student-athlete, unless an individual chooses to opt out. Once an agreement between the company and a student-athlete is in place, payment can be made securely through the portal and a compliance disclosure will be automatically created as well as a 1099 tax form that will remain in the student-athlete’s account for tax reporting.
“I’m really excited for Westwood Exchange to launch! It’s going to be such an amazing platform for UCLA student-athletes to acquire great NIL opportunities,” said track and field student-athlete Shae Anderson.
Westwood Exchange is the latest step in UCLA Athletics’ proactive support for its student-athletes’ right to build their personal brand and profit on their name, image and likeness. UCLA Athletics previously announced Westwood Ascent, which focuses on three pillars – Education, Brand-Building and Monitoring and Disclosure. In addition, UCLA Athletics has partnered with and provided NIL program offerings with the UCLA Anderson School of Management (Anderson) and the Center for Media, Entertainment & Sports and UCLA Law School Ziffren Institute for Media, Entertainment, Technology and Sports Law.
“Over the past 10 months, our student-athletes have seized the opportunity to maximize their name, image and likeness and the unique opportunities available in Los Angeles and beyond. The launch of Westwood Exchange takes us to the next level by placing NIL squarely at the fingertips of Bruin supporters and student-athletes,” said Erin Adkins, Associate Athletic Director, Compliance.
Through INFLCR, all UCLA student-athletes have access to industry-leading brand-building technology that delivers media and photography to personalized galleries through the INFLCR mobile app, allowing for easy sharing to personal social media accounts. The INFLCR app also provides student-athletes with audience engagement measurement and analytics as well as the tools, content and financial literacy to participate in NIL opportunities.
More information on UCLA’s NIL program is available on uclabruins.com/westwoodascent.
INFLCR Plus Local Exchange: How It Works
INFLCR provides a school-customized NIL exchange as an extension to their athletics website where the school can send any business, individual or collective seeking to bring NIL opportunities to its student-athletes. Once registered, businesses can search, communicate, pay and report on behalf of student-athletes they’re transacting with, streamlining the student-athlete’s compliance and tax reporting responsibilities in their existing INFLCR app experience.
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