Question

What types of activities can athletes now earn money from under NIL?

Answer 1

Short answer: lots. Under current NIL rules, college athletes can earn money from commercial and promotional uses of their name, image, and likeness. Common activities include:

- Endorsements/sponsorships: paid deals with brands to promote products or services.
- Social media/influencer posts: sponsored Instagram/TikTok/YouTube/Twitter content.
- Personal appearances and speaking: paid appearances at events, panels, commencement speeches, or corporate gigs.
- Autograph signings and memorabilia sales: signing cards, jerseys, photos, etc.
- Camps, clinics, private lessons and coaching: running youth camps or offering paid training sessions.
- Selling merchandise and licensing: selling apparel, logos, or licensing likeness for products or video games.
- Content creation/streaming: monetized Twitch streams, podcasts, Patreon/subscription channels.
- Paid partnerships/ambassadorships: long-term relationships with companies or local businesses.
- Digital assets: NFTs, digital collectibles, or other blockchain-based items tied to the athlete’s likeness.
- Media work and modeling: paid commercials, modeling gigs, analyst or commentator roles.
- Business ventures: starting companies, investing, or getting paid for business activities that leverage their brand.

A few important caveats: state laws, school and conference policies, and NCAA guidance differ — some schools limit use of school marks or on-campus promotion, boosters may have special rules, and deals cannot violate recruiting/pay-for-play prohibitions. Athletes should coordinate with their school’s compliance office, consider legal/tax advice, and properly report agreements.