2021 brought about one of the most significant changes in the history of collegiate athletics. On July 1, the NCAA determined that its athletes would be allowed to profit off of their name, image, and likeness (“NIL”). The decision, spurned by a landmark Supreme court decision, opens up a new market for athlete marketers that previously had not been available.
The NIL opportunity is a lucrative one. The industry could be worth billions of dollars, experts estimate. To date, brands are on pace to spend $579 million in the first twelve months of the NIL era. From trading cards, to restaurants, to finance, to beverages, brands across industries have participated in this new economy.
In our latest white paper, we examine the key data and case studies have defined the first six months of the NIL era, including:
- The distribution of NIL spend by sport and industry
- Economics of posts by athletes
- Case studies on various brand activations
- Regulatory considerations
