Robins Kaplan served as lead counsel in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal signed between Olympian Gable Steveson and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. d/b/a WWE, the first of its kind for WWE. The deal will allow the 21-year old athlete to wrestle for the University of Minnesota for his senior year of college while also taking advantage of WWE training resources and facilities and appearing on WWE programming. Upon graduating in May 2022, Steveson will begin his multiyear contract as a full-time performer with WWE.
This deal between Gable Steveson and WWE is the first of its kind for the global wrestling entertainment company. In an ESPN article covering the deal, WWE EVP of Global Talent Strategy and Development Paul Levesque said:
The introduction of NIL allows us to create a more direct path from college to WWE, a benefit to athletes as well as the WWE universe, as Gable will have an immediate presence with our company while working towards earning his degree and defending his national championship. The future is bright for him in WWE.
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