Athletes Convention To Help Build Social Media Presence in Charlotte This June

A fresh approach to social media training starts June 5-6 at AC Hotel Charlotte City Center. The two-day AthleteCon will teach 100 college athletes the ins and outs of personal branding and income from their name, image, and likeness.

"The whole premise is actual hands-on content creation workshops to teach athletes how to build their brand and how to monetize it," said Sam Green to the Charlotte Observer. "Not just a brand talking about themselves, but actually giving these athletes the tools to walk away and be able to monetize their brand."

Top minds from TikTok, Snapchat, and Meta will share their knowledge. Students will compete in real-time content tasks for NIL contracts. An awards event caps off the program with brand partnership announcements.

Green drew from her past as a dancer with the Charlotte teams. Her pitch caught fire fast. Within two months, she secured backing after speaking at 22 schools, including powerhouses Duke, Texas, and Michigan State.

Success stories are already piling up. One chat with Green helped Wagner athlete Geanice Morales secure $1,000 from Quest Nutrition. Memphis runner Riley Simmons used Green's advice to boost her Instagram from 1,000 to 33,000 followers in just twelve months.

"She just gave me the confidence to know that I have to start doing it small to even become anything big," Simmons said. "So, she was the first person that told me I could do it and believed in me."

Green's own missteps shaped her teaching style. When she quit dancing, she erased her Instagram and lost her entire following. Now she uses that lesson to guide others.

"I started looking around and realizing that every single event that I had been to was really about whatever sponsor paid the most money to get up in front of an athlete and kind of shove their agenda down the athletes' throats," Green said.

Unlike typical conferences, this event stresses practical skills over sales pitches. Workshops zero in on content production, brand development, and deal-making tactics. Each participant will leave with clear steps for growing their online presence.

Platform experts will share insider tips for maximum impact. Through live challenges, students put their new skills to work while opening doors to real business deals.