GAME-CHANGER
Ready to make his mark on the sports card and memorabilia hobby, Spencer Rattler sat down with a pen in hand.
The star quarterback at the University of Oklahoma was about to make history as the first collegiate athlete to sign autographs for money at a major memorabilia convention under the new NCAA name, image and likeness (NIL) policy that went into effect on July 1.
Rattler was taking care of some autograph obligations backstage of the autograph pavilion at the National Sports Collectors Convention on July 31 when a familiar face approached. NFL Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith had a little advice for Rattler.
Rattler’s NIL representative Chris Cabott and Onyx Authenticated president Lance Fischer stood back as Smith guided the young athlete.
“Emmitt was saying, ‘You need to make sure you know which helmets are yours, and jerseys, tag your jerseys a certain way,’” Fischer recalled. “He said, ‘Don’t let the schools keep everything. This is all you. Make sure you make your money. Pay the school for the jerseys. You buy the jerseys and then you get to use those jerseys as long as they’re within NCAA compliance for the jersey itself.’ He goes, ‘You buy everything, you own it. And if you have to share any of that with Oklahoma for the logo rights, then do that. But that’s what you need to do.’”
That’s exceptional instruction from a guy who built his brand in college, ripping apart
