Building NextPlay - A Marketplace for the NCAA’s New Era

When the NCAA changed the game in 2021 by allowing student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL), a billion-dollar opportunity was born overnight. But no one had built the digital infrastructure to support it.

That’s where NextPlay comes in. And we were there from Day Zero.

From NIL Policy to Marketplace Reality: How We Co-Built NextPlay

The NCAA’s decision to let student-athletes monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL) changed everything overnight. It opened a billion-dollar opportunity. But it also created a gap—no clear infrastructure existed for athletes to legally, safely, and easily connect with brands.

Nick Marino Jr., an entrepreneur and advocate for athlete equity, had a bold idea: a digital marketplace that empowers athletes while simplifying legal complexity for brands. He came to Product Tavern with the vision. We helped turn it into a product.

The Insight That Sparked the Product Athletes weren’t just looking for money. They were looking for identity. And brands weren’t just looking for talent. They needed confidence in compliance, ROI, and professionalism. We needed to build more than a listing site - we needed a trust platform.

We focused on one core principle:

"Make it easy for athletes to connect with opportunity and for brands to connect with peace of mind."

Building the Marketplace  Fast To move quickly, we ran back-to-back product sprints.

Key Features We Shipped

• Custom athlete profiles with verification

• Role-based dashboards for brands and athletes

• NIL compliance features: pre-approved templates, alerts, and disclosures

• Matchmaking algorithm to recommend deals based on profile + category

• Metrics dashboard showing reach, engagement, and conversion per campaign

Technology Stack

• Frontend: React + Chakra UI

• Backend: Supabase + Node.js

• Auth: Magic.link (passwordless)

• Payments: Stripe Connect

Launch Results

• 500+ athletes from 12 universities signed up within weeks

• 7 brands ran their first NIL campaigns on NextPlay within 30 days

• Media coverage in local sports and startup press

NextPlay is currently in scaling mode with expanded features, athlete education modules, and a mobile app roadmap.

What We Learned

• Founders building in new regulatory spaces need strong product allies

• MVP doesn’t mean basic—it means focused, fast, and functional

• Community-first platforms must design for trust before traction

“Product Tavern didn’t just ship the product. They helped us shape a category.”
– Nick Marino Jr., Founder, NextPlay