The New Way
By: Ellie Talich
June 2021 was a significant month in college sports, leading to a wealth war. Name, Image, and Likeness entered college athletics, drastically changing the playing field. Implementing NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals has changed how athletes choose schools, with the hope of promoting themselves. People can quickly look at this rule and think that college sports aren't the same, and that's the truth. Paying student-athletes was illegal less than five years ago, and now it is utilized by over 450,000 athletes across the United States (Rudder). It's not like athletes taking up all the money in the world; schools are still making a lot of money. While both sides of this situation have pros and cons, athletes and schools ultimately benefit from businesses and brands by earning money, promotions, and swag. The world of college sports is evolving every year, and promoting NIL is a step in that direction; getting people's Names, Images, and Likenesses out there is excellent because athletes have worked hard to get where they are.
Making deals to earn money isn't just benefiting student-athletes in college; NIL deals are also setting up many college athletes for successful careers. While talking about the benefits of NIL, Icon Source states, “Athletes can establish themselves as valued members of their university community, develop important business skills, and create valuable connections that can benefit them in their future careers” (Garrett). Sports can only last so long, but there will be much more to life without sports. Making money from NIL deals can jumpstart athletes' careers right after college. Speaking with someone who has experienced the world of NIL, he says, “What is most important is that you go somewhere that will get you a meaningful degree and set you up for the rest of your life” (Talich). A priority needs to be getting a good education, but after getting money from NIL, the next and most essential step is to help students with their future career endeavors.
Not too long ago, picking colleges was much simpler; it was based on a student's opinion of the school and whether they were receiving a scholarship. Now, it is much more complicated than that. Many student-athletes now consider how much money they will earn from potential NIL deals. While speaking on whether college athletes should be earning money or not, Talich states, “I think there are many positives to college athletes being compensated now because before it was illegal to pay college athletes, but it wasn't fair because the athletes were the ones producing so much money for the school, so it was only right for the school to cut back to the athletes.” Think about it: Caitlin Clark, the women's basketball player, produced so much for Iowa, the college she attended, that it wouldn’t be right for her to earn nothing in return (Rudder). Even this year, in the Sweet 16 men's basketball tournament, players were paid in various ways, including signed basketballs, naming quesadillas after game-winning shots, and many other creative ways to distribute money to athletes under the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rule (Fahrenthold and Witz). As The New York Times states, “The new system was overrun by groups called 'collectives' — made up of wealthy boosters who donated money, and in some cases raised even more, to pay athletes based on their value to the team” (Fahrenthold and Witz). Many collectives work with school athletic departments to decide how the money will be divided among the athletes. Athletes visit hospital patients, work in food kitchens, and read to elementary schools (Talich). These are done by representing the college and funded by its collective within NIL.
Back in 2021, one of the main concerns for NIL was that it was biased toward men's athletics. One of the cool things about this new industry is that it has leveled out. NIL began with college football, but now women's sports, such as basketball and gymnastics, are getting just as much recognition. When discussing NIL, a primary concern was that it would further separate men's and women's sports, but “Women’s college athletes are benefiting, not being left behind” (Bilas). Olivia Dunn, an LSU women's gymnast, has earned over a million dollars representing a clothing company (Bilas). These female athletes have had enormous social media followings. As they make deals regarding NIL, their business acumen increases, and their platform for advancing gender equity in college sports continues to evolve (Bilas). As the world attempts to balance the gender gap, NIL in college athletics is proving that women can play and succeed in this space just as much as men can.
The benefits can be endless if NIL is appropriately used. Recently, Olivia Miles, a Notre Dame women's basketball player, entered the transfer portal for her final year in college. In this circumstance, the transfer portal makes complete sense. Miles was projected to be a second-round draft pick for the WNBA, but she decided that more experience at the college level would benefit her. (Goldstein). Mark Campbell, the coach of TCU, where Miles chose to transfer to, states, “The portal kids have been there, done that. They understand what they must do and what they're signing up for.” Although she is leaving a Notre Dame program that was tremendously successful last season, entering the transfer portal will provide her with ample opportunities and financial benefits in the years to come. Many sports are technically team sports, but sometimes the individual athlete has to put themselves first and do what is best for them. People in the sports world often find something to criticize, so athletes should do what is best for themselves.
Ultimately, NIL is changing the framework of college athletics. Less than five years ago, college athletes were not allowed to earn any money, and now some athletes are earning $4.7 million from NIL (Cottongim). Athletes are now being compensated for the revenue they have produced from their hard work. The NIL drastically changes the dynamics of recruiting and the entire college experience, but it ultimately benefits student-athletes.
Work Cited
Bilas, Jay. “Why Nil Has Been Good for College Sports ... and the Hurdles That Remain.”
ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 29 June 2022,
www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/34161311/why-nil-good-college-sports-hurdles-remain.
Cottongim, Nick. “Top 20 College Athletes with the Highest Nil Valuations.” 93.5 / 107.5 The
Fan, 17 Apr. 2024, 1075thefan.com/playlist/top-20-college-athletes-with-the-highest- nil-valuations/item/1.
Fahrenthold, David A., and Billy Witz. “The Many Ways Men’s Sweet 16 Players Are
Being Paid.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/03/28/sports/ncaabasketball/march-madness-nil.html?searchResultPosition=4.
Garrett, Chase. “What Are Nil Benefits? 4 Things Critics Missed.” Icon Source, 13 June 2023,
iconsource.com/blog/what-are-nil-benefits-4-things-critics-missed/.
Goldstein, Jeremy. “TCU follows up Olivia Miles signing as Mark Campbell lands huge second transfer.” The Mirror, 13 April 2025, https://www.themirror.com/sport/basketball/college-basketball-tcu-olivia-miles-1089653
Rudder, Paul. “Who Is the Highest Paid College Athlete? There is Nil Endorsement Deal Money in
NCAA Sports.” Diario AS, 25 Mar. 2024, en.as.com/ncaa/who-is-the-highest-paid-college-athlete-nil-endorsement-deal-money-in-ncaa-sports-n/.
Talich, Luke. Personal Interview. 8 April 2025.