Understanding NIL: What Every Athlete and Parent Needs to Know

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has transformed youth, high school, and college sports. The rules continue to evolve, giving athletes new opportunities to earn income from their personal brand – while also introducing responsibilities they must understand to protect their eligibility. That’s why we’ve partnered with Influential Athlete, the premier NIL education company, to provide clear, trusted guidance and support for all our members.

NIL can open the door to everything from small earning opportunities that help make school more affordable to life-changing income that supports an athlete or their family. But with these opportunities come important rules, requirements, and boundaries. Whether an athlete chooses to pursue NIL or not, NIL is now part of the athlete experience and knowing how it works is essential.

What Is NIL?

NIL stands for Name, Image, and Likeness – essentially an athletes personal brand. NIL allows student-athletes to earn money with their brand from things like:
– Social media posts
– Brand partnerships
– Coaching at camps, clinics, and making appearances
– Selling merchandise or autographs
– Business ventures tied to their identity as an athlete

And they can do all of this without losing their eligibility, as long as they follow the rules.

Recent NIL Changes You Should Know

The NIL landscape continues to shift quickly. Here are the most important updates:

1. High school athletes in Iowa and Illinois are able to make money with their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)

2. Increased Reporting & Compliance Requirements
With greater earning opportunities comes stricter oversight.

Athletes must now:

– Report any NIL deal worth more than $600 (only if an athlete is in college or plans to attend an NCAA Division I school)
– If this applies to you, the reporting of details can be done at nilgo.com
– Expect potential third-party review of contracts

– The IHSAA and the IHSA do not require students to disclose their deals to their respective associations or schools. However, both associations strongly encourage students to loop in their school administration on any NIL partnerships.

– Ask your high school athletic director if there is anything you need to know about disclosing your deal to your school. Remember, all schools can have their own policy within the state or athletic association’s policy

– Report all deals to any institution of higher learning you’ve committed to, or at least ask about their disclosure policy and what you need to do to remain compliant.

Why NIL Education Matters – Even If an Athlete Never Plans to Pursue NIL

Every athlete is now part of the NIL world, whether they pursue deals or not. Understanding NIL is essential because:

– Rules are changing fast, and violations can impact eligibility

– Bad actors exist, and athletes who aren’t informed are more vulnerable

– Parents need clarity so they can help guide their athlete safely

– Proper understanding protects athletes, their reputations, and their future opportunities

Our NIL Education Partner

To ensure our members have access to accurate, trustworthy, expert-led information, we’ve partnered exclusively with Influential Athlete, the leader in NIL education for schools, associations, and athletic organizations nationwide

All NIL education provided to our members comes directly from Influential Athlete to ensure consistent, high-quality guidance.

You can learn more about the founders and their expertise below or visit their website, influentialathlete.com