College sports is changing fast. NIL, social media, transfer rules, donor money, brand deals, and youth sports are now connected in ways that did not exist a few years ago. Eric Kasimov talks with Brent Wall, co-founder and CEO of Student Athlete Score, about athlete branding, NIL data, and why personal brand is becoming part of the athlete journey earlier than ever. Topics covered: What Student Athlete Score does for schools, athletes, and brandsWhy NIL still feels like a new Wild WestHow local businesses can work with student-athletesWhy follower counts, engagement, and fake followers all matterThe pressure on young athletes to build a personal brandHow the transfer portal is reshaping recruitingWhy Olympic sports and non-revenue sports face hard questionsWhat athletes can build beyond their playing careersChapters 00:00 — Sports towns, fandom, and life around Michigan athletics01:50 — The professionalization of sports at every level03:00 — Why young athletes now have to think about personal brand04:39 — Social media cleanup, exposure, and the pressure on kids06:32 — What Student Athlete Score does07:56 — Measuring athlete value on social media08:35 — How universities use the platform10:05 — AI, discovery, and local brand deals11:39 — NIL education, taxes, and athlete responsibility13:36 — The old Wild West of NIL and the new one15:59 — Compliance, NIL Go, and the fight around regulation16:22 — Eligibility, the five-and-five rule, and college sports consistency19:35 — Tournament expansion, TV money, sports betting, and more games23:00 — What happens to tennis, Olympic sports, and non-revenue programs26:17 — Donor fatigue and the need for NIL ROI29:41 — Why money does not guarantee winning31:19 — The transfer portal and mid-major programs as proving grounds36:00 — International athletes, age gaps, and roster pressure38:49 — Olympic athletes, NIL, and personal brand gaps40:28 — Bots, fake followers, and better data42:31 — Why athlete interests matter to brands43:31 — Building a platform for life after sports44:11 — Youth sports, high school athletes, and brand education46:21 — NIL as a sales and marketing education47:21 — Team dinners, micro-influencers, and local business value50:40 — How Student Athlete Score grew with universities51:26 — New commercial roles inside athletic departments52:57 — Where to find Brent Wall and Student Athlete Score Connect with Brent Wall | Student Athlete Score: StudentAthleteScore.comInstagram: @studentathletescore Brent on LinkedIn Connect with Eric & SportsEpreneur:SportsEpreneur.com | X | LinkedInEric on LinkedIn | X Related SportsEpreneur posts: Youth Sports Has Become a Full-Time Job for Parents | Dave Yoo of Onsides High School Athletes and NIL: The Future of Youth Sports The Real Cost of Youth Sports in 2026 NIL Hub | SportsEpreneur’s NIL News, Insights & Resources