College Athletes as Influencers: Exploring Parasocial Dynamics, Purchase Intent, and Brand Attitude in the NIL Marketplace

Abstract

College athletes are increasingly using social media to connect with fans, followers, and consumers in ways that extend beyond the capabilities of traditional sports coverage (Kassing & Sanderson, 2010; Hambrick et al., 2010; Yuksel & Labrecque, 2016; Frederick et al., 2012). By frequently sharing detailed aspects of their personal and athletic lives, college athletes cultivate feelings of familiarity and trust among their followers, encouraging fans to feel as if they have genuine relationships with the athletes they follow (Yuksel & Labrecque, 2016; Klostermann et al., 2023). While these relationships may be meaningful to followers, they also carry persuasive potential, creating valuable marketing opportunities for brands seeking partnerships with college athletes in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era. This uniquely positions college athletes to serve as compelling social media influencers (SMIs), particularly among college-age consumers. Thus, understanding the college athlete-follower connection is particularly important, as product/brand endorsements on Instagram have become one of the most prolific forms of player monetization in the NIL era (Sponsor United, 2025). This study utilizes Horton and Wohl’s (1956) theory of Parasocial Interaction (PSI) to understand how the strength of these influencer-follower relationships influence consumer behavior in the NIL marketplace. Specifically, it employs a 2x2 quasi-experimental design with college students to examine the extent to which parasocial relationships (PSRs) drive purchase intention and brand attitudes regarding products endorsed by college athlete influencers on Instagram. The study also considers how the gender of the athlete, the level of product involvement (high/low involvement), and the gender of the consumer impact these purchase-related intentions and attitudes. Ultimately, the findings of this study provide practical implications for sports marketers and brands seeking entry into the evolving NIL marketplace, while also advancing scholarly understandings of the extent to which PSRs explain the psychological mechanisms shaping consumer decision-making in this emerging context.