In a significant move for college athletes, Venmo announced a partnership with the NCAA in a bid to help athletes who experience harassment on the payment app. This collaboration was officially unveiled on Tuesday and aims to address issues athletes have faced, particularly following challenging performances on the field.
The new initiatives will include a reporting hotline that allows athletes and the NCAA to report potential cases of abuse. This comes after incidents like that of former Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne, who reported receiving payment requests from upset sports bettors following his team’s loss last season. NCAA President Charlie Baker spoke out about the situation, emphasizing that “the harassment we are seeing across various online platforms is unacceptable, and we need fans to do better.” He also praised Venmo for taking action, expressing the need for more social media companies to step up.
Venmo plans to offer a best-practices guide to help athletes maintain their safety while using the platform. The company will also keep an eye on student-athletes’ accounts to curb excessive requests linked to their game performances. In their announcement, Venmo stated that they would work directly with athletes to enhance their security as necessary.
Notably, Venmo has a strong presence among college students, considering its roots on campuses. Recently, it launched Big 12-branded debit cards that come with special features aimed at connecting with the college spirit. Their chief marketing officer, Geoff Seeley, highlighted that “Venmo plays an integral role in the way millions of college students, athletes, alumni, and fans engage with each other and move money in their daily lives.”
The partnership aligns with ongoing efforts by PayPal, which has also collaborated with collegiate conferences to allow schools to handle payments to athletes efficiently.
