The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BASEBALL player Lahiem Bell made a major move on the business side of collegiate athletics when he signed with Premier Talent Sports and Entertainment to boost his “Name Image and Likeness” (NIL) opportunities.

PTSE announced the signing of Bell this week to add to its growing number of clients which includes collegiate and pro athletes looking to expand their marketing and branding.

Bell is an incoming freshman with the Eastern Florida State College Titans baseball programme.

The Titans are a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and are also part of the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) which is the governing body for state college athletics in Florida.

Eastern Florida State College has 13 varsity teams competing in the FCSAA and NJCAA Region 8.

Bell concluded his prep career at Vero Beach High School and was named a Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star in June.

Vero Beach finished the season 18-6 and lost to Palm Beach Gardens in the Region 3-7A Florida High School Athletic Association state tournament.

In 25 games of his season, Bell is hit .373 with 31 hits, five home runs, four doubles, three triples, 28 RBI, 23 runs scored and six stolen bases while slugging .700 with a 1.167 OPS.

In 23 games for Vero Beach as a junior in the previous season, he hit .419 with a 1.100 OPS, 26 hits, 18 RBI, a team leading two home runs and scored 16 runs.

The Indians were eliminated in the Regional Quarterfinal with a 3-0 loss to Palm Beach Central. The 6’1”, 225-pound catcher and utility player was previously an early signee for the Jackson State baseball programme in November 2021 for the class of 2022.

He would eventually reopen his recruiting and announced in June that he would be joining the Titans programme.

NIL refers to the way college athletes can receive compensation. “Using” an athlete’s NIL would involve a brand leveraging their name, image, and/or likeness through marketing and/or promotional endeavors.

The NCAA officially made it legal for athletes to profit from their NILs on July 1, 2021.

According to PTSE, the organisation aims to help student athletes leverage their notoriety to monetise social media platforms, appearance opportunites, product endorsement deals and more.