Eastern Illinois University Athletics, in partnership with Teamworks Influencer, has launched the EIU Panther Exchange to expand Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and strengthens connections between Panther student-athletes and businesses, brands and fans.
  
Free to both student-athletes and external entities, the EIU Panther Exchange  provides a portal for communicating and fulfilling NIL transactions. After registering, prospective partners can access a database of available Panther student-athletes and search, filter by sport, and initiate conversations to discuss prospective NIL deals.
  
"Eastern Illinois University Athletics has built a forward-thinking NIL program that prioritizes education, compliance, and brand-building," said Teamworks Senior Account Executive Sean Kelly. " We're proud to power the EIU Panther Exchange and help student-athletes unlock new NIL opportunities with the support of their local community and beyond."

The EIU Panther Exchange includes integrated payment tools and tax reporting features, such as the automatic generation of 1099 forms within each student-athlete's Influencer account.  Student-athletes have access to education resources covering financial literacy, branding and social media growth.  

The platform allows student-athletes to self-disclose transactions, track earnings per opportunity, and view flagged payments that need attention. It will also serve as a content hub for athletes to receive, download and post photos and videos to build their brand on social media.  

By supporting the EIU Panther Exchange, fans, alumni and businesses can directly contribute to EIU's long tradition and help shape the next generation of Panther leaders. For more information, please contact Amber May, Assistant Athletic Director for Development at ammay@eiu.edu.   

About Teamworks Influencer 
Teamworks Influencer, available on Teamworks' Operating System for Sports™ is the leading athlete brand-building and NIL business management platform used by more than 270 collegiate and professional sports organizations. The Influencer app educates student-athletes, coaches, and staff for the NIL era in a safe and compliant environment. It provides schools with secure, compliant tools to help student-athletes manage content, connect with businesses and partners, and report NIL transactions.  
 
"Our student-athletes continue to excel academically, compete at a high level, and lead within our campus and community," said Tom Michael, EIU Director of Athletics. "While the Panther Club remains our primary avenue for Athletic giving, as it provides essential operation support through scholarships and program enhancements.  The EIU Panther Exchange provides a new, exciting platform for our student-athletes to pursue NIL opportunities safely and ethically. NIL not only empowers our student-athletes, but also strengthens our recruiting and retention efforts and creates meaningful opportunities for fans and businesses to engage and invest in their success."