Michael Salvo is the Founder and CEO of Nilson Sports. He studied Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management at Northeastern University, where he fell in love with college hockey and was instrumental in the marketing and expansion of the legendary student section, The DogHouse. In 2014, Michael became Founder and CEO of the digital marketing agency Whitecap Digital, helping ecommerce companies generate over $100 million in revenue. Combining his passion for college hockey and success in the marketing industry, Michael is building Nilson Sports into the go-to NIL marketing agency for college hockey athletes seeking to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness.
Makayla Pahl Lead NIL Agent
Makaya Pahl serves at the head recruiting sports agent for Nilson Sports. Her instinct and talent in hockey led to a successful four-year tenure playing at the University of Minnesota. Makayla’s dedication to the sport culminated in her winning a gold medal as part of Team USA’s U18 team in 2018. Soon after NIL was established, Makayla recognized the groundbreaking opportunities and was one of the first college hockey players to secure an NIL deal. Her experience in college hockey and keen understanding of the NIL space led her to pursue a master’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Kansas.
Daniel Greene Outside Counsel
Daniel Greene is a licensed attorney with the law firm Newman & Lickstein as well as a Sports Law adjunct professor at SUNY Cortland. He has played an active role in the emerging field of name, image, and likeness (NIL) in college athletics, recognized by On3 as a leading voice in College Sports. Daniel has also been an NIL panelist and speaker at various conferences, featured on sports radio, television, and podcasts nationwide discussing various legal issues in the NIL business, and frequently provides guest lectures at Syracuse University. Daniel served as the Coordinator of Hockey Operations for Union College’s Men’s Ice Hockey program. Daniel is a graduate of Union College and the Syracuse University College of Law, where he was the President of the Entertainment & Sports Law Society.
Alec Easton NIL Brand Partnerships Manager
Alec Easton serves as the NIL Brand Partnerships Manager at Nilson Sports, bringing a unique blend of sports passion and marketing acumen to the athlete representation team. In his role, Alec leverages his expertise in sales and marketing to oversee our team of NIL Sports Marketing Coordinators and help establish meaningful connections between our athletes and brands. Alec holds degrees in Economics, Sports Communications, and History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, providing him with a multifaceted perspective on the sports industry and its intersection with business and media.
Dylan Steele Athlete NIL Manager
Dylan Steele began his work in the NIL industry during his time as a student athlete at the University of Michigan where he served as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Executive Board Chair for NIL & NCAA Legislation playing a key role in setting up the University’s ICON program. Dylan is continuing his education at Western Kentucky University where he is pursuing his MBA. At Nilson Sports, Dylan serves as the Athlete NIL Manager as he continues to pioneer the collegiate name, image, and likeness space.
Nilson Sports - The College Hockey NIL Agency
Nilson Sports is the first-ever NIL (name, image, and likeness) sports marketing agency devoted exclusively to college hockey. We represent elite college hockey athletes and NHL draft picks in securing social media and in-person marketing deals with brand partners. We are a nimble and growing team with big ambitions to maximize our athletes’ NIL potential in an ethical way that aligns with our core values of honesty and trust.
