The recent saga surrounding Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava has sparked intense debate across the college football community. His story will likely become a cautionary tale in the evolution of Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”)...
The NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) agreement allows college athletes to profit from their personal brand, emerged after 2021 due to court rulings like O’Bannon vs NCAA. Historically, college athletes could not be paid, but massive revenue from sports raised concerns about their rights. NIL enables athletes to enter contracts for endorsements, public appearances, and uses professional agents, while prohibiting pay-for-play schemes. Funding often comes from NIL collectives tied to colleges. The landscape is shifting toward potential professionalization of college sports, with significant implications for athlete decision-making and the future of college football.
Whilst watching college football games, I sometimes have to remind myself that I am actually watching university students. High-performing university students, but students nonetheless. It is easy to forget when you see them performing...
