UK track star Masai Russell signs NIL deal with WWE, growing her brand
LEXINGTON, Ky. (BVM) 鈥� University of Kentucky track and field member Masai Russell is known for her blistering speed on race day. While the 5-foot-5 runner may be a star on the track for the Wildcats, her future may be in a different arena.
On Dec. 8, the WWE announced its first class of collegiate Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals which included 15 NCAA athletes from across the country. Among them was Russell, who is one of six women and just one of four track and field athletes to sign with the company.聽
鈥淲hen I was little, my brothers and I used to literally reenact the WWE moves so when they contacted me I was very surprised,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚 was super excited once I joined the team because it鈥檚 a global brand. Who doesn鈥檛 know the WWE? So I was super excited about that.鈥�
Called the 鈥淣ext In Line鈥� class, Russell shared her news and excitement about the deal to her social media.
滨鈥檓 . Excited to join as part of the program!
— Masai Russell鉁� (@masai_russell)
While the deal doesn鈥檛 guarantee a contract with the organization, it does set up the athletes well in their bid to get one. the deals include access to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida as well as brand building, media training, communications, live event promotion, creative writing and community relations using the organization鈥檚 wide array of resources. Though the company doesn鈥檛 give a full-time contract to all participants it does say upon completion of the program that select athletes could earn an exclusive opportunity to be offered a deal.
鈥淚t was great to understand exactly what they wanted from me because I was a bit nervous,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淥nce they told me what the deliverables were I was excited to know that I was one of the first group of athletes they chose to be a part of this college athletes NIL program.鈥�
The question of course becomes how will Russell fit into the equation. Russell鈥檚 athleticism has been on display throughout her time in Lexington, most recently when she finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles with a personal best time of 56.18, ranked fifth for UK all-time, earning first team All-America honors and sixth in the 100m hurdles at NCAA Championships with a time of 12.97, earning another first team All-American honor. Both her speed and jumping abilities will surely stand out when she makes her way to the Performance Center.
鈥湵踱�檓 super blessed,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just great to see all the hard work you put into something payoff. 滨鈥檓 looking to do bigger and better things this season鈥he season didn鈥檛 start off the way I wanted to, but it definitely finished the way I was proud of. 滨鈥檓 just super happy.鈥�
However, being an elite athlete is not the only thing Russell has going for her. Ranked as having the most social media followers of any University of Kentucky athlete, it is clear that Russell knows how to keep an audience鈥檚 attention. With over 428,900 followers on , 162,000 followers on , 21,400 subscribers on and 5,967 followers on , Russell comes with a built in fan base that not only increases the WWE鈥檚 image through its NIL deal, but could pay dividends if she is selected for the next step of the journey by bringing more fans to the sport.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a blessing to know I have this platform that I could influence, encourage, inspire thousands and millions of individuals on a day-to-day basis and being able to use my platform through Kentucky to showcase it to the world it鈥檚 a blessing,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚 never really asked for this but it is definitely meant for me because I鈥檝e always been a social media person. I record everything, I have YouTube, I have a blog even before I was able to get paid from it and I really think it鈥檚 my calling outside of track.鈥�
For Russell, the news of the WWE鈥檚 interest was as a surprise to her as it has been for her fans.
鈥淓veryone was like, 鈥極h my gosh! 滨鈥檓 going to give you a WWE name!鈥� and 滨鈥檓 like 鈥榃oah calm down 滨鈥檓 not wrestling anybody at least not yet,鈥欌�� Russell said.
Though Russell admits that she won鈥檛 be going into a ring anytime soon, it does give her an opportunity to look at what a future role in the organization could look like which is something she didn鈥檛 think about prior to being contacted by the WWE.
鈥淛ust to know I will be a foot in the door, kind of a headstart in front of anyone else who wants to join the WWE鈥 was super excited, 100%,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 definitely something I would try out just to see鈥 know a lot of people have a lot of success just being a WWE athlete and pursuing so many other careers after that. So if that鈥檚 something I have to utilize to get my name, image and likeness out there and become the next 鈥楾he Rock,鈥� the female version, I鈥檇 do that.鈥�
No matter what her future brings, Russell is among the few college athletes to have even received the offer to join the program making her a part of an exclusive club. While the WWE and its fans wait for Russell鈥檚 decision, she will continue to make an impact on the tracks as she aims to once again make the Olympic Trials this summer.
鈥淚 of course want to be a professional athlete,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚 have another year on the track, but if I don鈥檛 have to take another year I don鈥檛 want to. I want to pursue my professional and social media career without school. That鈥檚 the perfect plan. But if that鈥檚 not what God has for me I will come back to school. My goals are to be a national champion, SEC champion, win anything possible, break records, break the school record at Kentucky and just dominate and be at the best of my abilities.鈥�