The Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League sign quarterback D’Eriq King.
You read correctly.
The Panthers announced that they have signed Quarterback King as part of the Panthers’ first-of-its-kind NIL program. In becoming the Panthers first, ‘FLA Athlete’ King becomes the country’s first collegiate athlete to sign a NIL agreement with a professional sports team.
“We are thrilled to welcome D’Eriq to Panthers Territory as our first ‘FLA Athlete,” said Chief Strategy Officer Sam Doerr. “D’Eriq is a superstar both on and off the field, and we are excited to reach and engage South Florida sports fans in new ways through this collaborative partnership.”
The Florida Panthers recently became the first U.S. major professional sports team, and first in the National Hockey League, to establish a NIL program that provides college athletes the opportunity to profit from their name, image, and likeness.
As part of the endorsement, King will appear at Panthers games and events and work closely with the Panthers’ digital and social media teams to produce content to engage fanbases across South Florida.
Additionally, King will work with the Panthers to develop a merchandise collection, co-branded art, and his own exclusive BB&T Center concession menu item, which will be available at all Panthers’ home games and events for the upcoming season.
King already has NIL agreements with College Hunks Moving Company, Murphy Auto Group, Dreamfield, The Wharf, and Panini America.
On the playing field, King and the Miami Hurricanes open their college football season on September 4th at Mercedes Benz Stadium, where the Alabama Crimson Tide awaits.
Photo/FloridaPanthers/twitter
