Kids of all ages filled the blacktop courts outside Laguna Middle School, where Annika Shah stood at the center, demonstrating drills and cheering on the young talent eager to learn from the Cal Poly women’s basketball star.
Their admiration mirrored how a young Shah looked up to her idols at Stanford University camps years ago.
Shah’s influence goes beyond her standout basketball court performances. Through strategic NIL deals and sponsorships, Shah is building her personal brand and using her platform to give back to the community.
Growing up in Palo Alto and attending basketball camps hosted by Stanford University, the senior guard idolized these players for their dedication to paying it forward to the community.
Shah is now using her own platform to grow her name and host similar events for local kids in San Luis Obispo. On Sunday, Nov. 17, she organized a basketball clinic at Laguna Middle School for all ages.
The event garnered attention through social media, where local parents discovered the opportunity and shared it with their children, expanding Shah’s reach within the community.
“When I was younger, I grew up going to different camps and playing for some of the players that I idolized,” Shah said. “It made me want to do the same thing and give back to younger kids.”
It being Shah’s final season at Cal Poly, her name and platform have grown significantly throughout the years. She is leading the Mustangs in points per game and is atop the Big West standings in points from behind the arc this far in the season.
“We have been to Cal Poly and have watched Annika play,” said Kelli Kaperonis, a mother of two children who attended the clinic. “We love her—she’s a fun player to watch, so we came out here for that reason.”
Playing college basketball at a mid-major school, Shah is maximizing her platform by leveraging NIL opportunities to forge partnerships, promote local businesses and build her brand— while continuing to expand her reach beyond the court.
Shah supports local businesses through NIL partnership
Before July 2021, college athletes were prohibited from being compensated for their name, image and likeness.
Now, NIL deals have transformed athletics, steering players to capitalize on their athletic achievements and personal profiles by monetizing their brands and gaining financial independence to build professional opportunities.
University athletics departments do not directly fund NIL deals. Instead, they are supported by collectives, often independent organizations that back players in pursuing NIL opportunities.
Shah currently has an NIL deal with Jewel of India, a family-owned Indian restaurant in San Luis Obispo.
Shah is leveraging these opportunities by partnering with local businesses and hosting events to support the community and further promote her name.
“Being able to support local businesses like Jewel of India and just trying to find ways to support things around here and incorporate it into what I do in basketball is a cool opportunity,” said Shah.
In return for her NIL sponsorship, Shah promotes Jewel of India through her social media platform, offering an exclusive discount. Customers can enjoy 20% off their orders every Wednesday using the code ‘Swish with Shah’ at checkout.
“I have a great relationship with the owner, and it’s just a way for them to get a little bit more business,” Shah said. “It’s great to let more local people know about a great restaurant. They are a great family-owned business that I want to support.”
The Jewel of India owner was also present at Shah’s basketball clinic, showing his support for Shah off the court. He even brought his daughter to participate in the event, further highlighting the humanization connection nurtured through their partnership.
Leveraging NIL Deals and Entrepreneurship
Alongside her sponsorship with Jewel of India, Shah has launched her own product line and is creating a new revenue stream beyond traditional endorsements or sponsorships.
“It’s something I really wanted to tap into,” Shah said. “Not only because I have a big family that wanted to get merch, but there are other people in this community that want it too.”
As a business marketing major, Shah is enrolled in the Athlete Lab, a sports marketing class at Cal Poly, where she learns the intricacies of NIL deals and personal branding under the guidance of professor Randy Rovegno.
With an acclaimed sports and entertainment marketing background, Rovegno has worked with industry giants such as ESPN and Fox, managed Super Bowl campaigns and represented over a dozen Hall of Fame athletes in marketing endeavors.
“For me, the number one thing is seeing a successful campaign,” Rovegno said. “It’s when athletes feel like they truly participated, moved the needle and gained valuable experience.”
Contributing to Cal Poly’s “Learn by Doing” philosophy, the Athlete Lab is a hands-on platform for student-athletes to explore and represent NIL opportunities.
The class operates like a professional agency, with students taking on roles such as account executives, creative directors, project managers and athlete relations specialists.
Together, they collaborate to solicit NIL deals for players that align with the athletes’ personal brands.
“With Annika, she knew what she wanted,” Rovegno said. ” To have an athlete like Annika say, ‘Hey, I’ll give my time and effort to actually give back and make it something bigger than just me,’ how could you not support that?”
By marketing herself in a new light with her personalized product and her commitment to community involvement, Shah is gaining experience with business dealings, honing her business acumen, and strengthening the connection between her and her fans.
After graduating from Cal Poly, Shah aspires to play overseas for a couple of years before turning her attention to sports marketing, which she has gained experience in through the Athlete Lab, her product line, and sponsorship deals.
“Being a business marketing major has helped me understand more about how to produce something like this and the marketing aspect, which has been great for me, so it’s a learn-by-doing moment,” Shah said.
Looking ahead, Shah hopes to expand her community involvement with more events.
Now that her team has accomplished a give-back clinic, they want to host another one in the spring, aiming to increase the number of kids participating and make an even greater impact on the community.
“A lot of these kids came with great attitudes, and there was a lot of competition,” Shah said. “I always wanted to give back, so we did prizes and made it a memorable experience. It’s all about creating lasting memories and making an impact.”