The HelloNation Athlete Program compensates student-athletes to tell their hometown stories and opens the door to a career in media
BEDFORD, Texas, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HelloNation and Opendorse today announced a partnership to launch the HelloNation Athlete Program, a national NIL initiative that pays college athletes to create short-form video content spotlighting the people, places, and stories that define their hometowns. The agreement, signed March 5, 2026, designates HelloNation as the Launch Partner of the offering; the first program of its kind on the Opendorse platform.
At the center of the program is actor Chris McDonald, widely recognized as Shooter McGavin from Happy Gilmore, who serves as HelloNation’s national spokesman. McDonald personally invites athletes into the program, framing the opportunity not as a side gig but as the beginning of a career in broadcast media. “HelloNation has over 30,000 opportunities nationwide,” McDonald tells athletes in his welcome message. “We’re actively building out a team of content creators, field correspondents, and brand ambassadors. This is your portfolio. This is your first byline.”
Through the Opendorse platform, including over 225 direct athletic department partnerships, participating athletes receive formal NIL deals and are paid to complete a series of themed video assignments, called Quests, focused on their hometown communities. Topics include memorable teachers and mentors, local small businesses, and the qualities that make their hometowns worth celebrating. Videos run 45 to 90 seconds and are evaluated on communication clarity, storytelling, authenticity, and professionalism, with scores contributing to a national leaderboard.
HelloNation built this program to be more than a one-time NIL deal. Athletes who demonstrate strong performance will be considered for internships and full-time roles within HelloNation’s growing national media network, which spans community-focused digital publications in markets nationwide and is supported by partnerships with the National Governors Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the United States First Responders Association. The program is designed to serve as a structured pipeline: athletes earn NIL compensation, build an on-camera portfolio, and open the door to careers in community journalism and media.
“We’re coming to these athletes at exactly the right time,” said Bob Bartosiewicz, CEO of HelloNation. “The job market is shifting fast, and human-essential skills: storytelling, community connection, showing up and doing the work, are exactly what HelloNation is built around. This program gives student-athletes a real NIL opportunity today and a genuine career path for tomorrow. We’re not looking for one video. We’re looking for the next wave of broadcasters, and we believe we’re going to find them.”
Opendorse will support the program through athlete outreach, deal creation, payment processing, tax documentation, disclosure compliance, and campaign administration. The platform will also promote HelloNation to its network of more than 175,000 college athletes through email campaigns, in-app notifications, and athlete-facing content.
“Student-athletes are heroes and role models, not only in their college towns, but their hometowns as well, and their presence is strong as they inspire the next generation,” said Steven Denton, CEO of Opendorse. “Their stories and perspectives are unique. The HelloNation Athlete Program is a great way to tap into athlete influence at scale and create significant value for all parties: athletes, advertisers, and communities. We’re proud to help bring this vision to life and look forward to thousands of unique athlete features.”
For communities, the model is built on authenticity. College athletes are uniquely positioned to speak about the places where they grew up; the businesses, teachers, and traditions that shaped them. HelloNation’s network publishes community-focused content in neighborhood-level digital magazines across every market in the country, giving athletes a platform that extends well beyond social media.
As the program expands, HelloNation and Opendorse plan to introduce monthly career-focused events, including live sessions with guest speakers from media, sports, and business, exclusively available to program participants. The long-term vision is a nationwide network of athlete storytellers who have earned their way into HelloNation’s media ecosystem and are building careers from the communities that made them.
About HelloNation
HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused digital publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers expert-driven, good-news content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. HelloNation maintains partnerships with the National Governors Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the United States First Responders Association.
About Opendorse
Opendorse is a leading NIL technology, data, and services company that helps athletes, schools, collectives, brands, and other organizations activate and manage name, image, and likeness opportunities through compliant, scalable solutions. Opendorse supports a network of more than 175,000 college athletes across all divisions and sports.
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SOURCE HelloNation
