Monday September 25, 2023
The Best Employers in Sports Survey is Now Open!

Small-School Problems

  • Division II and III athletic departments want to help their athletes profit off NIL.
  • But the lack of resources makes it more difficult for them to do so.
Photo: Concordia University Chicago Athletics/Design: Alex Brooks
Front Office Sports Today

How Jamie Erdahl Made Good Morning Football Her Own

Jamie Erdahl joins to discuss her career and the growth of “Good Morning Football.”
Listen Now
September 25, 2023 | Podcast
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

In the world outside college athletics, people can profit off their name, image, and likeness without nearly as many restrictions as the NCAA wanted to implement on athletes.

And many people — including regular college students — do just that, without any help from their institutions.

But it’s no secret that providing educational resources on brand building, financial literacy, and even legal tips can help college athletes make bank on NIL. 

Division II and III athletic departments want to help. But the lack of resources makes it more difficult to do so.

David vs. Goliath?

Small schools are already at a disadvantage. One person in an athletic department may do the job of an entire team at a Power 5 school. So they have fewer personnel to begin with, like social media creators or compliance officers.

Wealthy D-I schools from Nebraska to Tennessee have spent the past year building sprawling NIL programs, hiring consultants for NIL education, content creation, compliance, and more. 

But many D-II and D-III schools can’t afford to enlist a network of NIL companies on their payroll, D-III Concordia University Chicago Director of Athletic Communications, Kristen Keller, told FOS.

Less Money, More Problems

The combination of these factors creates two main problems. 

First, they don’t have access to outside experts who can help them navigate NIL laws — since the NCAA isn’t supplying them. So it’s more difficult for them to teach athletes not just how to monetize their NIL, but also to make sure they’re not violating state or NCAA regulations.

Lipinski said that his department’s compliance office has been able to get some background info in the past few months from his conference. But at the D-III level, “the information that the public has is, as of right now, what the schools have,” Keller said.

And even when they do get educated, they don’t have the money to provide the programs they think athletes need. Even the cheapest NIL education “isn’t something that we budgeted for,” Keller said. 

And schools likely don’t have in-house resources to re-purpose, either.

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Learfield Recapitalization Extends Private Equity Presence In College Sports

Deal advances private equity's presence in college sports
Pac-12

Washington State, Oregon State Take Small Step Toward Saving the Pac-12

A small victory for the two remaining schools in the conference.
Stanford soccer field.

The Biggest Problem With The Conference Realignment Craze

For many, the tradeoff between revenue and travel isn't worth it.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

How Jamie Erdahl Made Good Morning Football Her Own

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

Chatri Sityodtong

ONE Championship's Quest To Challenge Rival UFC Through U.S. Expansion

Leveraging its Amazon deal, ONE Championship seeks to expand in U.S.
Savannah-Bananas
September 24, 2023

Savannah Bananas Break All The Rules To Hit The Mainstream

Team concludes 2023 tour with even-bigger plans for next year
Deion Sanders with The Rock on ESPN's "College GameDay."
September 23, 2023

Deion Sanders Generated $45M In Earned Media For Colorado

From Sept.1-22, Sanders generated $45.7M for the public university.
September 23, 2023

Up Next For College Football Playoffs: More Change, Money, And ... Streaming?

Many changes are coming to the CFP when it expands to 12 teams.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Chicago Cubs
Chicago
Fanatics
New York
Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group, Inc.
USA - Multiple Locations
Big-12

Texas, Oklahoma's Big 12 Exit Could Have Cost $60M More

The school's move to the SEC is costing about $100 million.
Tickets for Colorado’s upcoming road game against Oregon are more expensive than 14 of 16 Week 3 NFL matchups.
September 20, 2023

Deion Sanders' Impact Makes Tickets Pricier Than NFL Games

Colorado-Oregon tickets are pricier than most Week 3 NFL matchups.
Renderings of the University of Virginia's new proposed athletic facilities.
September 20, 2023

Virginia Joins The College Facilities Arms Race

UVA plans to upgrade football and Olympic sports facilities.
Sponsored

How Daktronics Helps Elite Athletic Programs Secure Top Talent

How colleges are utilizing Daktronics' displays to elevate recruiting.
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker speaks at post game press conference after 31-7 win over Central Michigan at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
September 19, 2023

Mel Tucker Firing Would Prevent $80M Buyout on Historic Contract

Tucker was suspended after a report of alleged sexual harassment.
SMU has raised $100 million from donors before it forgoes media rights payments for the first nine years of its ACC tenure.
September 18, 2023

SMU Raises $100M for ACC Move as Basketball, Football Sales Surge

SMU has raised $100 million ahead of its 2024 move to the ACC.
September 17, 2023

Coach Prime, Unbeaten Colorado Keep Larger-Than-Life Hype Going

Boulder was the epicenter of college football over the weekend.
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker looks on after a touchdown against Central Michigan during the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
September 12, 2023

Michigan State Coach Denies Allegations Amid Unpaid Suspension

In his rebuttal, Mel Tucker called an upcoming hearing a “sham.”