Rachel Maeng joins Eric Kasimov to talk about NIL, college sports, influencer marketing, athlete brands, and the money changing the system.

Rachel is a former Rutgers student-athlete, fractional COO, NIL strategist, and founder who built and sold an influencer agency. She explains why real NIL is different from revenue sharing, why college sports keeps getting more expensive, and why access still matters.

Topics covered:

• Why influencer marketing is the prequel to NIL
• What real NIL actually looks like
• How revenue sharing and roster caps changed college sports
• Why paid athletes face more fan pressure
• Why sports has turned into a money game
• The gap between top programs and everyone else
• How recruiting rankings and camps shape opportunity
• Why athletes are being asked to become media companies
• Why internships, mentors, peers, and sponsors matter

Chapters in This Episode

00:00 — Rachel Maeng on her current work
00:34 — Fractional COO work, NIL, and representation
01:42 — Rutgers, student government, and alumni advocacy
03:27 — Rutgers in the Big Ten and the reach of major universities
05:13 — Why Rachel chose Rutgers
06:55 — Big schools, small schools, and the future of college athletics
07:18 — Women’s flag football and Title IX
09:23 — Cutting sports, roster caps, and international athletes
12:57 — Syracuse, football spending, and donor ROI
14:14 — Why college teams are hiring GMs
16:16 — Student fees, tuition, and the cost of college sports
18:00 — NIL money, fan pressure, and athlete criticism
19:39 — Recruiting rankings, camps, and access
22:43 — College sports deficits and the money problem
25:36 — The growing gap between top programs and everyone else
27:10 — Recruiting facilities, spending, and shared governance
29:13 — Sports betting, expansion, and more games
32:10 — Rachel’s view on NIL
35:43 — Why Rachel watches more college sports now
37:35 — Flag football, NFL expansion, and global growth
39:17 — Youth sports, cost, and the money game
43:55 — Athletes as media companies
46:15 — TikTok, creator marketing, and the road to NIL
48:31 — Advice for young women in sports and business
54:50 — AAPI representation and women in sports business
57:50 — Sponsors, mentors, peers, and building community
59:10 — Internships, networking, and real career experience
1:03:38 — The enrollment cliff and the future of college
1:10:37 — Staying curious through podcasts, documentaries, and daily learning
1:11:26 — LA, the Olympics, and travel realities
1:15:51 — How to find Rachel Maeng

Connect with Rachel Maeng:

X | LinkedIn | Instagram

Connect with Eric & SportsEpreneur:
SportsEpreneur.com | X | LinkedIn
Eric on LinkedIn | X

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