Through its enhanced partnership with INFLCR, WKU athletics has officially launched its new Hilltopper Local Exchange to strengthen the connections between student-athletes and businesses looking to work together in name, image and likeness.

The Hilltopper Local Exchange is a free student-athlete NIL business registry, custom-designed for approved businesses, collectives, donors, alumni and any others wishing to connect with WKU student-athletes. It will provide a customized portal where businesses and student-athletes can communicate, negotiate and enter NIL transactions.

“After a successful first year navigating Name, Image and Likeness, it has become clear we have student-athletes who are ready to monetize on their marketability and a business community who desire to work with our Hilltoppers,” WKU director of athletics Todd Stewart said in a news release. “One of our primary goals has been to find unique ways to bring the community and student-athletes even closer together in the NIL sphere while maintaining the institution’s required distance from the specific deals themselves. Hilltopper Local Exchange will provide both sides a streamlined platform to find NIL opportunities through a simple, compliant process.”

After being approved by WKU’s NIL working group, registered businesses or organizations can search, filter and initiate conversations with student-athletes to discuss an NIL deal. Student-athletes may also initiate conversations with registered businesses themselves in the Hilltopper Local Exchange.

Once the NIL deal between a registered business and a student-athlete is completed, the business will use the Hilltopper Local Exchange to create a transaction that will produce a direct payment to the student-athlete and automate a disclosure to the WKU Compliance Office.