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University of Tennessee (UT) track & field athlete Chandler Hayden is among WWE's latest crop of Next In Line talent signings. She recently opened up about the program and what opportunities it provides athletes like her.
The NIL program was created to open channels between the company and collegiate athletes. These youngsters will be provided full access to the Performance Center in Orlando, FL, image and media training, and all the tools they need to jumpstart their careers and succeed in the company.
Chandler was included in WWE's second batch of NIL signings on June 13, 2022. The Sophomore student is one of 15 athletes recruited this month.
She recently sat down with Wate.com for an interview where she opened up about her athletic journey and her expectations in wrestling. Being nervous at first, she attended an NIL summit and connected with Triple H, which prompted her to take a shot with the company.
Talking about the advantages of the program and how it can help collegiate athletes in their careers and lives, Hayden had this to say:
“I feel like I’ve taken full advantage of NIL here (UT). I’ve done multiple different deals with larger companies. I feel like this might motivate other athletes to dip their toes in NIL and take advantage of it. If they see what I get to do within the WWE they may want to do that as well.” (H/T: Wate.com)
The young athlete hopes to connect with another Tennesse track and field standout, Bianca Belair, at this year's Summerslam, which will be hosted by their home state in Nashville, TN.
WWE has taken full advantage of NCAA's NIL rules
On July 1, 2021, the NCAA (collegiate sports authority in the US) passed the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) rule nationwide. Under it, college athletes can monetize their name, image, and likeness by signing contracts and profiting off of their names and brands.
Since then, the company has kickstarted its NIL program (now abbreviated to Next In Line) and has signed dozens of college athletes.
Arguably the most well-known NIL signing that the Stamford-based company has made would be Gable Steveson, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold medallist and two-time NCAA champion in heavyweight wrestling. He is the face of the company's Next In Line program and even featured on both nights of this year's WrestleMania 38.
NXT's revamp combined with the company signing college athletes by the dozen all but confirms that WWE has shifted its focus toward more home-grown talent rather than signing wrestlers with experience in the independent circuit.
