Dante Moore on NIL & Balancing Football at Oregon

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore, one of college football’s top talents and a high-profile name in the NIL landscape, recently spoke about his approach to NIL and how he balances it with football.

Moore has been successful in NIL, with a valuation around $3 million and deals with brands like Panini America, Beats by Dre, and Nike, showing how top athletes can secure major partnerships during their college careers.

Moore keeps his NIL work in perspective. He says that while some critics think NIL has gotten too big, he views it as a deserved opportunity to be compensated for his name and influence especially given the financial realities student-athletes face today.

He emphasized that NIL isn’t just about money for him, but also about personal meaning and fulfillment, growing up watching big athletes in commercials makes achieving similar opportunities “pretty dope,” as he put it.

Interestingly, Moore said NIL did not factor into his decision to return to Oregon for another season, suggesting that while NIL earnings are important, his choice was based more on football and personal goals.

Moore’s approach reflects a growing trend among elite athletes:

NIL deals can be significant even in the millions
But balancing brand work and performance requires focus
Athletes are increasingly viewing NIL as one part of their overall brand journey, not the whole thing

How should elite athletes like Dante Moore balance NIL opportunities with performance and long-term goals and what advice would you give someone navigating both at the same time?

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