• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, May 6, 2025

One Year of NIL: Becoming a Billion-Dollar Industry

  • A year ago today, college sports changed forever — thousands of athletes have been able to benefit from NIL.
  • The industry could jump from $917 million to $1.14 billion in its second year, according to Opendorse data.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

A year ago today, college sports changed forever — from women’s basketball players being paid to appear on a Times Square billboard to football players signing as co-founders of an endorsement marketplace. 

Since then, thousands of athletes have been able to benefit from the new name, image, and likeness era. And while there’s more work to do — from the complex legal landscape to gaps in education — the first year of NIL was, for a range of athletes, a major success. 

The first year of the NIL era reached a total of $917 million, according to data from Opendorse. Next year will get even bigger — the market could reach $1.14 billion.

Everything’s Better in the Power 5

In Year 2, total Division I compensation could average $3,195 per athlete. But top earners will generally continue to come from the FBS conferences.

  • Power 5 compensation could reach $607.4 million, data suggests — $16,074 per athlete.
  • Group of Five compensation could reach $148.6 million, or $5,572 per athlete.
  • Of the schools with the most robust NIL ecosystems, Opendorse found 35% of all compensation comes from donors — an unsurprising development given the rise of NIL collectives.

For top athletes who plan to go pro, NIL isn’t just a way to make money in college. “It’s an interesting way for brands to get involved early and build relationships the same way that agencies do,” WME’s head of NIL, Garrett Yaralian, told Front Office Sports.

Early Success in Women’s Sports 

By now, it shouldn’t be a surprise that women’s sports athletes have thrived in the NIL landscape. 

From UConn’s Paige Bueckers and South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston to UNT’s Sarah Fuller, UCLA’s Reilyn Turner, and Duke’s Emily Cole, top sports brands have lined up to sign with women’s sports athletes of all types.

  • Women’s sports — basketball, volleyball, and softball — took three of the top five spots on Opendorse’s platforms and trailed only football and men’s basketball.
  • If you take football out of the picture, women’s sports athletes completed 52.8% of total NIL activities — more than their male counterparts.

Women’s sports athletes, according to experts, are uniquely positioned to be top earners because they’re used to marketing themselves. 

But in the second year of NIL, they’ll need help achieving their full potential. Structural inequities across NCAA sports have kept them from receiving the exposure and investment that they deserve. Rectifying those inequities will directly impact their pocketbooks.

Lower-Division Opportunities

NIL is not confined to the NCAA’s Division I. In the first year, athletes in D-II averaged $204 each, and those in D-III averaged $309 each (data through May 31).

Next year, the numbers are projected to increase.

  • Division II will see $35.5 million in NIL compensation, an average of $338 per athlete.
  • Division III will see $58.5 million, or $362 per athlete.

Athletes in these divisions have to be even more proactive and creative about pitching themselves to brands — but it’s not impossible.

Over the past year, Front Office Sports has spoken with three lower-division athletes — East Texas Baptist’s Caleb Eagans, Wesleyan’s Andrea Chiappetti, and Amherst’s Jack Betts — who have all found their place in the NIL landscape.

“I remember when legislation passed, I was super-excited,” Betts told Front Office Sports at the first inaugural NIL Summit. “But then the reality set in — I’m Division III.” Betts started “cold-emailing” brands pitching himself — and got more than 30 deals. 

July 1 marks the one-year anniversary of the NIL era. For more, check out the rest of Front Office Sports’ “One Year of NIL” series: 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Feb 8, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson talks with New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11), forward Mikal Bridges (25), and guard Josh Hart (3) during a timeout in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden.

Before the Villanova Knicks, There Were the Kentucky Celtics

Three decades ago, Boston tried its own version of the college-teammate experiment.
Mar 22, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Joao Fonseca (BRZ) reacts after winning a point against Ugo Humbert (FRA)(not pictured) on day five of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.

João Fonseca Is a Teen Tennis Phenom. His Parents Are Overseeing His..

The Brazilian is forgoing a management team in favor of his parents.
Dec 27, 2024; San Diego, CA, USA; Syracuse Orange head coach Fran Brown raises the Holiday Bowl trophy after defeating the Washington State Cougars after the game at Snapdragon Stadium.
exclusive

Why Syracuse Football Coach Fran Brown Is Signing With an NIL Agency

“There’s no better time to do it than right now,” Brown says.
UC Davis Baseball

NCAA Baseball Coaches Get Preliminary Approval in ‘Wage Fix’ Case

The baseball coaches are expected to be paid an average of roughly $33,000.

Featured Today

Athlos

Nike Wants to Pull Off the First Women’s Sub-4:00 Mile

Experts speak on whether Nike’s “moonshot” is realistic or a gimmick.
Apr 12, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; MLB umpire Ron Kulpa (46) calls a third strike during a game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field
May 4, 2025

Pro Refs Get Offered Free Lasik for Better Calls. Some Took It

Some pro officials have sprung for the offer for free corrective surgery.
Mint juelps
May 3, 2025

Inside the 120,000-Cup Mint Julep Frenzy of Kentucky Derby Weekend

The official cocktail at Churchill Downs costs $22—or $5,000.
May 1, 2025

How Larry Collmus Became the Longest-Running Kentucky Derby Caller

Collmus will call his 15th straight Derby on NBC.

Big 12 Re-Ups With Brett Yormark As Chaos Reshapes College Sports

Yormark is unafraid to lean in to the professionalization of college sports.
Shaquille O'Neal
April 28, 2025

Shaq Taking GM Role at Sacramento State

The news comes amid the school’s push for FBS status.
NCAA Football: Oregon State at California
April 29, 2025

Pac-12 Gets One-Year Test-Run Media Deal Before Expansion

It’s the next step in the league’s rebuild.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Portfolio Players is our bi-weekly spotlight on the athletes and investors reshaping the business of sports. This week, venture capitalist Kai Cunningham unpacks why athletes land top deals and how the usual investing rules don’t always apply.
April 28, 2025

Quinn Ewers Bet on NFL Over NIL—and Left Millions on the Table

The Dolphins picked Ewers in the seventh round of the NFL Draft.
Mar 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Lamont Butler (1) dribbles the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first half during a Midwest Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
April 25, 2025

College Sports Has Become a Billion-Dollar Business. Kentucky Is Embracing It

Kentucky said its LLC would operate similarly to two hospitals run by the university.
Ole Miss
April 24, 2025

Coach Yo: Women’s College Hoops Are ‘Pay for Play’

Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin built a top transfer class this offseason.
Jan 21, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark speaks during the CFP National Championship Host Committee handoff press conference at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Savannah Ballroom.
April 24, 2025

CFP Meetings End With No Major Changes to 12-Team Playoff—for Now

For now, the complicated seeding process will remain in place.