Scott is the founder of Influencer Capital and CELEB. He is a thought leader on the creator economy and celebrity business space. Influencer Capital is an organization that structures equity deals between startups and creators/celebrities.
Guest Author: Scott Van den Berg
YouTuber Deestroying who was controversially banned from playing college football for profiting off his name and YouTube videos is now trying to make the NFL again.
Donald De La Haye Jr always had the dream to become a kicker in the NFL. He had the talent and was a kicking star at the University of Central Florida.
But in 2017, the NCAA told him to delete or demonetize his YouTube Channel in order to stay on the football team, as the NCAA at that time did not allow student-athletes to profit off their name and likeness.
Faced with this dilemma, De La Haye ultimately chose to continue his channel normally, at the cost of his scholarship and NCAA eligibility. It meant he had to give up on his NFL dream.
He continued to build his YouTube channel, which he launched in 2015, and as of today, he has over 5.6 million subscribers.
Evolving from skits on football stereotypes and kicker trick shot videos, the channel has also featured gaming videos, skits impersonating National Football League players such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Tom Brady, actual collaborations with players such as JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquette King, Cam Newton, Antonio Brown, and Tyreek Hill and partnerships with the NFL and other sports organizations to create content.
His decision to choose his YouTube channel over an NFL career has been financially rewarding as well. Last year, he stated that he makes more money than 95% of NFL kickers.
“If you look at the numbers, I probably make more money than 95% of NFL kickers doing what I do, so if I was to play in the league one my first year, I’m not gonna make that much money,” Deestroying said.
But two weeks ago, he uploaded a 30-minute long video titled ‘My First Day Training For The NFL’, claiming that he is eyeing a return to football in 2024 and has thus begun training to resume his career as a kicker.
In the video, Deestroying made 10 straight kicks from 50 yards and beyond before his first miss, showcasing that he still has the strength and accuracy that made him a key contributor for the Central Florida Knights.
Do you think NFL teams would pick him up if he is good enough?
It could definitely boost the social following of that specific club and sell jerseys. But it also brings a lot of distractions.
What do you think?
