How an NIL deal with Bagel Works Hunt Valley helped deaf Towson soccer player Courtney Butlion

Soccer player Courtney Butlion started her fifth year in women’s soccer with the Towson Tigers in Maryland. In two seasons with her previous team, Butlion scored four goals and completed four assists. Now, she intends to give it her best with the Tigers, alongside support from her coach and a likeness deal with a Maryland bagel shop.

Butlion became deaf when she was in high school. Often, she faced difficulties because people around her thought she was ignoring them. In reality, Butlion has been able to form strong connections in her team to maintain Towson’s impressive soccer legacy. As part of her transfer, Butlion received a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Bagel Works Hunt Valley, a Towson bakery, as a form of continued support from catering coordinator Samantha Blumberg. Blumberg has assisted Butlion in the past with networking and personal assistance. Now, she urges Butlion to embrace her identity and helps spread the story of her success. “I want to be able to motivate other people,” Butlion says. “If I can do it, they can do it, too.”

Read the full article here.