Foreign college athletes chase endorsement money outside US

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Marta Suarez stepped in front of the white backdrop, rotated the basketball to put the logo forward and propped it against her hip. Founder and chief executive Tyler Jaynes said the sessions are something Influxer wants “to repeat over and over.” There’s no guarantee they will lead to deals for international athletes, but it’s an avenue for them to find what might be out there. “The music.” “Yes,” Jaynes said, “we’ve thought of everything.” That’s the hope for international athletes hoping to cash in on their fame like their American teammates. “It’s still nice to be able to do something.” International athletes account for roughly 14,000 of the more than 113,000 athletes across Division I, according to NCAA data. Still, she didn’t commit to Influxer’s shoot until having enough conversations to feel it was OK. “We do Tennessee photo shoots all the time,” Rennie said, “but it was nice to do something that was more about me and who I am and it’s going to be for my benefit, if that makes sense.” Influxer returned three days later before the men’s Atlantis tournament, with Southern California’s Australian big man, Harrison Hornery, visiting as the day’s final appointment.