College Athletes Can Finally Get Paid for Jersey Sales

Before NIL rules were passed, schools could only sell generic jerseys that didn’t represent actual players. Customizable jerseys have been one of the most highly anticipated products of the new NIL era.

On Thursday, Fanatics launched what is likely the largest customizable jersey program in the country. 

• The company now has an online college football store selling jerseys for more than 4,300 players across the country from 40-plus schools.
• The shop was facilitated by the OneTeam Partners group licensing program — athletes can opt in to have their NILs featured on official school merchandise. 
• Players will receive a cut of sales, though the specific percentage wasn’t disclosed.

Some college sports officials previously questioned whether group licensing deals would be possible. In professional leagues, group licensing is negotiated by players’ unions — and there’s no official union at the intercollegiate level to bargain on behalf of athletes. 

But the Fanatics program proves group licensing can be done at scale without a union, as companies like OneTeam Partners can simply set terms and allow athletes to opt in if interested. 

Easy Money

There’s a benefit for athletes, too, as opting into group licensing deals allows for “passive” NIL income. 

While some deals require major time and effort on the part of athletes — attending events or creating social media content — group licensing deals often require none at all.