University of Texas football player Kelvin Banks Jr. prefers to do his talking on the field. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Junior offensive lineman has the critical job of protecting his quarterback’s blindside. With a rare combination of size, strength, balance and footwork Banks has many professional scouts projecting him to go in the top ten in the next NFL draft. “I’m not even thinking about that right now,” Banks told reporters at SEC Media Days this past July.
Players like Banks are loved by their coaches because they prioritize the team and what they do on the field first. Fortunately, Banks has an experienced team protecting his intellectual property while he protects Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. Athlete’s First, the leading sports agency that represents Banks, along with its roster of current NFL stars: Aaron Rodgers, Justin Herbert, and Tua Tagovailoa, works with Vertione, a San Francisco-based company, to activate real game footage of Banks that can then be used as part of NIL deals currently being made for him.
As Banks plays what is likely his last season as a Longhorn, Veritone will use its AI-powered software to select, preserve, and manage footage that he will be able to monetize–with NCAA compliance. In August, Veritone signed a multi-year agreement to be the NCAA’s global archive of record and exclusive video licensing agent. The NCAA’s vast media archive is organized by Veritone’s Digital Media Hub and includes footage from sports including football, basketball and baseball. Veritone has worked in support of over 15,000 current and former student athletes to date.
Veritone also works with the conferences, schools and companies to organize and streamline the NIL process. Their partnership with Learfield enables video licensees to secure approvals for incidental use of school trademarks contained in video footage. “When people are looking to sponsor or endorse an athlete, they have to produce a commercial,” says Ryan Steelberg, CEO of Veritone. This can be a difficult undertaking for student athletes who lack media training. It also takes up time that a student athlete could be spending training, practicing or studying. “Time is a scarce resource for student athletes,” Steelberg says, “Imagine having pre-cleared footage of those athletes ready to use.”
Empowering Women’s Sports with Fast-Tracked Footage
Opportunities are growing for student athletes in every sport to benefit from NIL deals; the ability to quickly access and license video footage of an athlete’s best moments can help increase their earning potential. Women’s sports is one of the segments where Veritone is seeing increased demand.
When Caitlin Clark was still in college, she appeared in a 30-second, televised spot for State Farm. It ran on CBS during the 2024 Women’s March Madness tournament. Narrated by 2x WNBA Champ Lisa Leslie, the ad asked, “What Does It Take to Achieve Greatness?” and used video clips of Clark getting focused pre-game, shooting her trademark deep-range three-pointers in games, and huddling with her Iowa teammates and coaches. “State Farm wanted to maximize the investment that they were making in Caitlin Clark,” Steelberg says, “so Veritone, working in conjunction with The Marketing Arm and State Farm, obtained NIL clearances within 24 hours for the entire 2023 and 2024 Iowa Women’s Basketball Team, its coaches and support staff.” Vertione also obtained rights for opposing university trademarks and respective players for Ohio State, Indiana, and Michigan.
NCAA Championship Moments Preserved and Shared
Clearances to license content are executed by Veritone throughout the year, but activity spikes around major NCAA Championships. “This collaboration will allow us to preserve and share the rich history of NCAA championships while providing enhanced accessibility and licensing opportunities,” said Chris Termini, NCAA Managing Director of Championships External Operations. Media from NCAA championships are cataloged, organized and searchable for licensing using Veritone’s AI-powered technology. The AI also works as an automated police force, helping to identify content used without the right’s holder’s permission. “Content is one of the most stolen products out there,” says Steelberg.
Younger Athletes are Getting in the Content Game
Steelberg sees a new horizon for athletes, as content becomes a new form of currency.
“These relationships start in Junior High,” Steelberg says. “Agents and athletes, they’re starting to look at lifetime value.” An athlete’s lifetime value (LTV) is the total worth an athlete brings to their career, sponsors, and the sports industry over their life.
Veritone manages the NIL clearance process from athlete identification and engagement to legal matters and payment disbursement, “We want to make sure this is safe and accessible for all athletes. Hopefully, this will be a stream of incremental revenue for them.” Steelberg says.
He envisions a world where every single player in high school, D1, D2, all the way through the pros will have pre-cleared footage in their own personalized footage locker–a portal of content that they can use on social media and choose whom they grant access to.
“There’s going to be some use of avatars and synthetic voice use for athletes as well,” Steelberg says, referring to advanced artificial intelligence that analyzes and mimics a real person’s speech. With the mention of that, Steelberg’s tone becomes cautionary. “We make sure we’re very protective and secure with these advanced technologies.”
