• Loading stock data...
Friday, January 9, 2026

Aquinas College Volleyball Player First to Capitalize on NIL Deal

  • Chloe Mitchell, a volleyball player at Aquinas College, is one of the first college athletes to monetize their brand on social media.
  • This article was first published in the FOS AM Newsletter. Subscribe here.
Aquinas College Volleyball

Chloe Mitchell, a volleyball player at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich., has become one of the first college athletes to monetize their brand on social media. 

Mitchell’s success comes after the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics began allowing athletes to profit off of their name, image and likeness in October. 

Mitchell’s Business Moves: Mitchell has more than 2.6 million TikTok followers and a growing audience on Instagram and YouTube.

She also co-founded Playbooked, an app to connect college athletes with paid opportunities, leading to her first piece of sponsored content with advertisers Bloodline Golf and Delta Putt. 

Mitchell is projected to make between $15,000 and $20,000 in NIL earnings for her work.

NIL Outlook: Beginning on Aug. 1, 2021, college athletes could have more opportunities to make money. 

Recently proposed rule changes will be voted on by the NCAA Division I Council in January. Updated rules would let athletes:

  • Earn money from signing autographs and providing lessons
  • Use their NIL to promote products and personal appearances

A typical athlete could be able to earn anywhere from $75,000 to $100,000 annually from their NIL, while ESPN estimates that All-Americans in high-profile sports could generate between $500,000 and $2 million per year. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning and Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti shake hands with Gary Stokan on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, during a coaches' press conference ahead of the College Football Playoff Peach Bowl game at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Peach Bowl CEO: ‘We’ve Lost the Mission’ of College Sports

The Peach Bowl CEO is wary of private equity’s entry into college sports.
Dec 13, 2025; Inglewood, CA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) is forced out of bounds by Boise State Broncos defensive back Jeremiah Earby (6) after a catching a pass in the second half of the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium.

Washington Considers Suing Former QB Demond Williams

Washington wants to hold Williams accountable for certain buyout provisions.

Football Transfer Portal Chaos Continues Despite New Rules

The NCAA eliminated the spring portal window, leaving just one in January.

Miami’s CFP Run Nets $14M So Far—and Canes Keep It All

The CFP awards these funds to conferences, which distribute them to schools.

Featured Today

Hockey in Florida Was Once a Risk. Now It’s Thriving

The state of Florida has become a traditional—and highly lucrative—market.
Dec 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts after scoring a basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Crypto.com Arena
January 4, 2026

Why Pro Sports Team Valuations Will Keep Climbing in 2026

Asset scarcity and increasing media-rights deals underpin soaring valuations.
Imagn Images/Front Office Sports
January 2, 2026

FOS Crystal Ball: Predictions for the Business of Sports in 2026

Here’s what FOS journalists think could be on the horizon.
Heated Rivalry (L to R) - Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in Episode 104 of Heated Rivalry. Cr. Sabrina Lantos © 2025
December 24, 2025

Hockey Needed Some Virality. Then Came ‘Heated Rivalry’

No one was prepared for the Canadian show’s smash success.

Miami Earns $20M With CFP National Championship Trip

No other power conference allows schools to keep all CFP prize money.
January 8, 2026

Ole Miss Survived Kiffin Coaching Chaos to Make CFP Semifinal

Multiple coaches have gone back and forth between Ole Miss and LSU.
January 8, 2026

Demond Williams Walks Back Transfer Talk, to Stay at Washington

Washington threatened legal action to force him to honor his rev-share contract.
Sponsored

ESPN Edge Innovation Conference 2025: Inside the Technology Shaping the Future of..

At ESPN Edge Innovation Conference 2025, ESPN showcased how AI, immersive tech, and a rebuilt direct-to-consumer platform are redefining the future of sports media.
January 7, 2026

CFP Coaches Thriving—and Cashing In—As Nick Saban Disciples

Head coaches of the four remaining CFP teams had stints under Nick Saban.
Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Jaden Wilkerson (71) walks off the field after the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium.
January 7, 2026

ACC Only Power Conference Giving CFP Teams 100% of Payout

Big Ten, Big 12 share distributions equally; SEC has a hybrid model.
exclusive
January 7, 2026

Mark Cuban Increases His Indiana Football Spending for Transfer Portal

Cuban graduated from Indiana in 1981. 
Sep 13, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) passes in the first half against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Michigan Stadium.
January 6, 2026

Bryce Underwood to Stay at Michigan for Sophomore Season

Underwood led the Wolverines to 9–4 as a true freshman.