• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, October 7, 2025

NIL Hits Week 1: Auburn’s Atlanta Game Marks Next Step in Player Pay

Auburn is moving its Sept. 5, 2026, home game against Baylor to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and players will be able to engage in NIL activations tied directly to ticket sales.

John Reed-Imagn Images

Last year, college football bowl games paid players through NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals. Next year, that practice will expand to at least one season-opening kickoff game.

Auburn is moving its Sept. 5, 2026, home game against Baylor to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It will now be next season’s Aflac Kickoff Game, an annual event hosted by Peach Bowl, Inc. that, in recent years, has hosted Power 4 opponents Georgia, Clemson, South Carolina, and Tennessee, among others.

As part of the move, Auburn players will be able to engage in “NIL activations tied directly to ticket sales … and surrounding events,” according to the announcement, which calls the deal a “multi-million-dollar partnership.” Organizers will “work with third-party entities to secure marketing assets and promotional appearances by Auburn student-athletes, giving them meaningful visibility and new avenues to benefit from their NIL.”

Auburn and Baylor originally agreed to a home-and-home series for 2025 and 2026; the Tigers beat the Bears 38–24 in Waco, Texas, on Aug. 29 to open the season.

Season-opening neutral-site matchups this year included a two-game Aflac Kickoff series—Duke’s Mayo Classic in Charlotte, and the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin. Similar events have been hosted in recent years in Dallas, Las Vegas, and Orlando, among other cities. 

All Season Long

The expansion of NIL into a neutral-site college football kickoff game comes after two postseason bowl games last season set up similar pacts for players.

The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl signed South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers and Illinois signal-caller Luke Altmyer to NIL deals, via the game’s title sponsor, before the Gamecocks and Fighting Illini squared off in Orlando. Players from Miami (Ohio) and Colorado State also received NIL deals around their clash in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop. No financial details were released for any of those deals.

Peach Bowl, Inc. operates this Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, which this season will be a College Football Playoff semifinal.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Explains Why She Isn’t Playing Super Bowl Halftime

She said she’s ‘too locked in’ on Travis Kelce’s season to perform.
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans former quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (left) and Matt Leinart watch from the sidelines during the Pac-12 Championship game against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium.

Mark Sanchez, Fox Sports Sued Over Alley Fight That Turned Bloody

The high-profile incident took place Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Oct 4, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders hug following a game at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

More Health Problems for Deion Sanders As Colorado Slides

Sanders indicated his blood clots have returned.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Oct 4, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Rose Bowl.

The Improbability of UCLA’s Incredible Upset Win Against Penn State

Before UCLA beat Penn State, donors were deeply unhappy.
October 5, 2025

CFB’s New Parity Era: Penn State, Texas Top-25 Exits Signal Shift

Penn State and Texas fall entirely out of the top-25 rankings.
Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin reacts during the fourth quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Beaver Stadium.
October 6, 2025

Penn State Has a $50 Million James Franklin Problem

Franklin’s team lost to unranked UCLA on Saturday despite being heavy favorites.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Cody Campbell
October 4, 2025

Fox, ABC Reject Ad Accusing Power Conference Commissioners of Greed

Cody Campbell said the ads were pulled after he paid for them.
Florida State defensive back Renardo Green (8) tackles Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. (22) during a college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
October 2, 2025

Miami–Florida State Rivalry Heats Up With Priciest Ticket in CFB

The get-in price for Saturday’s matchup in Tallahassee is more than $300.
exclusive
October 2, 2025

Opendorse Is Taking Over Parts of Failed NIL Collective Operator SANIL

SANIL abruptly shut down its operations this week.
October 2, 2025

Big Ten’s $2B Private-Equity Deal Talks Face Michigan Resistance 

The conference is in discussions for a private-capital deal of around $2 billion.