College athlete influencers confront security concerns

By ERIC OLSON
AP Sports Writer

The number of college athletes who are monetizing their social media followings has grown over the past 18 months. The NCAA cleared the way for athletes to cash in on their celebrity in July 2021. Many of those influencers are female athletes. Some say they are aware their growing popularity can draw attention from fans who may overstep their bounds. Sometimes it’s in the comments on their social media posts. And sometimes they show up at sporting events just to meet the athletes.