How NIL Helped Virginia Tech’s Ayden Greene Build More Than a Brand

By Kyle Marchak

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) monetization has turned college sports into something like the wild, wild West. NIL marketing agencies and the NCAA are the new sheriffs in town. Until July 2021, NCAA athletes couldn’t profit off their own name, image, or likeness.

In revenue-driving sports like college football, stars such as Johnny Manziel, Reggie Bush, and Nico Lamaleava either faced public backlash or legal issues simply for trying to earn money from their own identity—a right virtually every adult outside college athletics has always enjoyed.

That changed in 2021, when the NCAA lifted its ban on NIL compensation, ushering in a new era where athletes could now consider endorsement potential when choosing a school.

For many programs, including Virginia Tech, it marked a dramatic shift. In a football-obsessed culture like Blacksburg’s, the Hokies had to adapt quickly to keep pace with deep-pocketed ACC rivals like Clemson and Miami.

It wasn’t always a smooth transition. Just last year, longtime Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett stepped down, citing NIL among the reasons he no longer wanted to coach in today’s college climate.

But Virginia Tech found its footing through Triumph NIL—the school’s official sports marketing partner since 2021.

Triumph’s mission is clear: empower Hokie athletes across all sports with financial opportunities. Even Virginia Tech swimmers receive a $1,000 semesterly stipend. Among the football team’s most dynamic personalities benefiting from NIL? Sophomore wide receiver Ayden Greene.

“I wouldn’t be here without NIL,” Greene said.

One of eight children from an athletic family in Tennessee, Greene brings more than just football talent to the table.

In high school, he started a TikTok account that blended his passions for football, fashion, and music. By graduation, he had 25,000 followers—and a small stream of monetized income.

Before NIL, athletes like Greene couldn’t earn a cent from this kind of personal brand. Now, with groups like Triumph NIL, they not only earn money—but learn how to handle it.

“Triumph helps me reach out to companies. They teach me how to manage my money. Triumph’s been a big success for what they do for me off the field,” Greene said.

Beyond financial support, Triumph encourages athletes to lean into their identities.

“Expressing who I am is important to me,” Greene added.

More than 1,300 days have passed since NIL was legalized, and its impact continues to evolve. For top-tier athletes, NIL income can now rival pro contracts. Just ask Virginia Tech women’s basketball star Liz Kitley, who cited her NIL earnings as one reason she delayed entering the WNBA.

For younger players like Greene, the benefits aren’t just about short-term gains—they’re foundational.

“[Triumph NIL] is going to help me with real estate and help me develop a portfolio of property.”

Real estate isn’t just a financial aspiration—it’s a family business. Greene hopes to follow in the footsteps of his relatives, who have long treated property as a side hustle. With NIL support, he’s now able to begin building a long-term future beyond the field.

And the cost of helping a young man invest in his family’s future?

Triumph NIL would say—it’s priceless.