Athletes around the country have been given the ability to make money outside of their school’s domain. NIL, or name, image and likeness, is an opportunity that gives athletes the chance to make money off of themselves outside of their institution. NIL can be a slippery slope for athletes if they are unaware of the rules and regulations in place by the NCAA (ESPN). NIL rules vary from state to state and college to college. Covenant is a NCAA Division 3 school, making it very rare to find an athlete who has an NIL deal. Athletes are debriefed at the beginning of the year by Coach John Hirte, the athletic director, on NIL protocol where he also provides a space for athletes to be in open communication with him if a deal falls into their lap. NIL has forged a path allowing athletes to have more options when it comes to how they are making their money, which can even impact their future plans. NIL swings on both sides of the pendulum when it comes to how it impacts the athlete and the institution as a whole.
NIL allows for positive outcomes for athletes such as its monetary opportunities. Companies are able to market their products with these athletes acting almost as an endorsement. Shedeur Sanders, a senior from the University of Colorado currently leads the NIL field valuing around $6.2 million (On3 NIL stats). Sanders scored a huge deal with Nike that comes with monetary benefits and opportunities for him to expand and develop his own personal brand. Sanders has around 2.8 million followers across Instagram, Tik Tok and X. Through this deal, he is able to reach new groups of people who may not even know his connection to the University of Colorado, increasing his overall visibility.
Though NIL has many positive opportunities, it also can lead athletes down a difficult path, steering them head on towards new adversities. Being a part of an NIL deal can become a distraction from what is truly important. A lack of focus and diminishing work ethic is not an ideal outcome for collegiate student-athletes. Furthermore, NIL can create inequality between athletes and NCAA divisions. Division 1 athletes are much more likely to receive deals and monetary opportunities over smaller Division 3 schools like Covenant. This distinction can also be better understood when looking at exposure levels of athletes from the differing divisions and the accessibility that comes from that. Compliance issues also frequently arise when athletes do not share their deals with their athletic directors.
Is it possible for a Division 3 athlete to sign an NIL deal? The simple answer is yes. Covenant College athletes are encouraged to do what is best for them while also maintaining good communication with Coach Hirte to ensure that they are compliant with NCAA and Covenant regulations.