Austin-based Bumble signs 50 athletes to NIL deals

Details: The partnerships involve social media support, events and appearances, and media opportunities over a year, a Bumble spokesperson told Axios.

Why it matters: NIL deals have allowed student-athletes to profit off of their influence.

• Last fall, we wrote about how UT athletes were capitalizing on their names, images and likenesses after the NCAA announced an interim policy that allowed students to snag the deals.

What they're saying: Christina Hardy, Bumble's director of talent and influencer, said the sponsorships could help female athletes move closer to an equal playing field in college sports.

• "These sponsorships are an exciting step in empowering and spotlighting a diverse range of some of the most remarkable collegiate women athletes from across the country — athletes who work just as hard as their male counterparts, and should be seen and heard," Hardy said.

Context: Bumble, which was designed to protect women from unwanted attention, gives them the power to make the first move on its app.