SUNRISE, Fla. -D'Eriq King can't stop smiling.
Wearing a sleek new Florida Panthers jersey with his name emblazoned on the back, the charismatic quarterback is brimming with excitement as he alternates between poses in front of a green screen within a compact studio on a busy morning at BB&T Center last week.
King 'super excited' to ink historic NIL deal with Panthers
"I'm an oversized t-shirt guy, so this hockey jersey fits me perfectly," he says.
Taking direction from the cameraman for one cool shot in particular, King holds out a Panthers-branded hockey puck with his right hand while casually spinning a football in the palm of his left.
On the surface, they're just making some content.
On a deeper level, they're actually making history.
The first collegiate athlete to sign an NIL (name, image, likeness) agreement with a team from one of the four major professional sports leagues, King officially put pen to paper on a deal with the Panthers to become the inaugural member of the team's "FLA Athlete" program on Monday.
"It's about doing things that align with your core values," King says. "That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to do things that made sense. It's not all about money, making money, it's about doing these things the right way, doing things that align with my core values and doing things for the community and giving back. I'm trying to be as positive as possible by using my voice with this."
As part of the groundbreaking endorsement deal, King, when he isn't tossing touchdowns in the red zone or scrambling for 20-yard scores, is expected to appear at Panthers games and events and also work closely with the organization's digital and social teams to help engage fans through content.
Taking the partnership a step further, he will also help develop a one-of-a-kind merchandise collection, co-branded art and have an exclusive concession item for the upcoming season.
"We are thrilled to welcome D'Eriq to Panthers Territory as our first 'FLA Athlete,'" Panthers Chief Strategy Officer Sam Doerr said in the release announcing the deal. "D'Eriq is a superstar both on and off the field and we are excited to reach and engage South Florida sports fans in new ways through this collaborative partnership."
Once the football season is over, King also hopes to get into a pair of skates.
"I want to try and score a goal," he says enthusiastically. "I want to do it."
While he's never picked up a hockey stick, King admits that he's always had an affinity for hockey from afar. Growing up in Texas, he'd tune in to games from time to time and would always be impressed with the speed, energy and intensity that players showed on the ice.
"I just like how aggressive it is," he says. "It's like football on ice. It kind of reminds me of that. Me and my older brother used to watch it any time that it'd be on TV. We loved watching it."
A trailblazer in the world of NIL endorsements, King was one of the first to take advantage of the legislation that finally allowed collegiate athletes to financially benefit from their name, image and likeness. And when the floodgates essentially opened on July 1, he quickly lined up deals with companies such as College Hunks Moving, The Wharf, Murphy Auto Group and Panini.
But when the Panthers called looking to set up a meeting, his mind started to race.
"It was huge," King says. "I remember early in the year when my coach was at the game. I was like, 'That looks pretty cool. I want to go to one of those games.' When an opportunity like this comes, it's something you can't pass up. It's great. The first college athlete to be sponsored by a professional team, it's a big deal for me. I'm honored to be the one they wanted to work with."
Looking ahead, King hopes to inspire other athletes to embrace unique NIL opportunities.
"That's the plan," he says. "I want to help as many people as possible. I'm still learning to this day. I don't have everything figured out. But if anybody has questions or they can try to find a positive on how to do NIL things or work with a good team and work with good people, I'd be open to talking and trying to help as many people as I can."
As for his work with the Panthers, King is eager to sail into uncharted waters. Even when he's not at games, there's a good chance fans will see him somewhere on Florida's social channels or on the in-game jumbotron, with his aforementioned green-screen work hyping up the crowd.
For although he won't be taking any faceoffs or scoring any goals, he does feel like he's part of the organization and plans to do whatever it takes in order to pump up the Panthers this season.
"I'm super excited," King says. "I can't wait to come back for a game. Hockey games, I've heard, go crazy. I can't wait to come back to support the players, support everybody, support the city."
To learn more about the 'FLA Athlete' program, visit
FloridaPanthers.com/AthletesWanted
.
