Activate NIL

NIL is becoming bigger than just brand deals.

As more money flows into college sports, the ecosystem around athletes is growing, too — creating more opportunities for athletes to work with brands, create content, build businesses, and monetize their personal brands.

Mizzou is a great example of this shift: sponsorship revenue is up more than 130% in less than three years.

The takeaway? Athletes who understand how to position themselves in this evolving NIL ecosystem will have more opportunities to benefit from it.

NIL isn’t slowing down. It’s expanding.

Follow Activate NIL | NIL Education for NIL news, education, and strategies that help athletes turn opportunity into action.

Travis Kelce is officially making moves in the NIL space.

The NFL star is partnering with Publicis Sports to launch TEKTA, a new NIL venture aimed at connecting brands with college athletes and creating bigger opportunities in the space.

From NFL stars to major agencies, NIL is becoming a bigger part of the sports marketing ecosystem—and this could be just the beginning.

What do you think this means for the future of NIL?

Montana is putting purpose behind its jersey patch.

The Grizzlies are partnering with the UM Foundation on a “For Montana” patch that will help support scholarships for Montana students.

Instead of using the jersey space for a traditional corporate sponsor, Montana is turning it into a way to give back to the state and invest directly in students.

It’s a reminder that NIL and college athletics can create opportunities that extend far beyond the field.

A major eligibility twist in college football.

A Louisiana judge has temporarily cleared 16 former players to return to college for a fifth season — after they had already pursued NFL opportunities because they weren’t sure they had another year of eligibility.

Now, they could have a path back to college football.

This could have major implications for the NCAA’s evolving eligibility rules.

This partnership is mutually beneficial. It offers Cullen Honohan more than visibility on a jersey—it creates a new platform for growing their personal brand.

Through content opportunities, access to the team’s audience and an ongoing relationship with the program, Cullen can build both reach and credibility while creating value for the basketball program.

Could creator partnerships become a bigger part of the NIL landscape?

What just changed in the Ohio eligibility case (Borovicanin v. NCAA)?

For context, 15 athletes sued the NCAA in the state of Ohio for an additional year of eligibility following the NCAA’s five-year eligibility model.

Here’s a simple version of what’s changed:
A lower Ohio court previously issued an injunction allowing certain athletes who had exhausted their eligibility to compete for another season while the case was in progress.

The NCAA appealed that decision — and now, an appeals court has paused the injunction while the appeal moves forward.

So what does that mean?
The Ohio ruling is temporarily on hold and those athletes are not allowed to play this upcoming season while the case is ongoing. It does not mean the NCAA has won the entire case or that the athletes permanently lost their extra year.

The underlying case is still being decided.

And importantly, this Ohio case is separate from the Wisne case, which involves a different court order affecting fifth-year eligibility.

In short: Ohio’s ruling is paused — the case is not over.

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake’s didn’t hold back when asked about NIL.

His mindset may be more important than the size of his NIL budget.

Because NIL isn’t just about who can spend the most. It’s about strategy, development, relationships, culture and maximizing the resources you have.

Some programs will always have bigger budgets.

The question is: What are you doing with yours?

Do you agree or disagree with Coach Sitake?

Debunking 5 NIL Myths

NIL has changed A LOT—and some of the most common things people still believe simply aren’t accurate.

From pay-for-play to follower counts to who can actually make money from NIL, swipe through the myths and get the facts.

The NIL landscape is complicated enough. Let’s make understanding it a little easier.

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NIL is bigger than the paycheck.

Jayden Daniels vs. LSU is raising a bigger question: Who owns an athlete’s brand after they leave campus?

LSU’s No. 5 jersey was never officially retired, but Daniels is challenging the school’s use of his name, image and likeness after the number was given to another player.

As NIL continues to evolve, athletes need to understand exactly what rights they have—and how to protect their brand.

The NCAA lost its latest fight over fifth-year eligibility.

In Wisne v. NCAA, athletes who exhausted their four years of eligibility in 2025-26 are challenging the NCAA’s decision to exclude them from the new five-year eligibility rules.

A federal judge previously issued an injunction allowing qualifying athletes to compete in 2026-27. The NCAA asked to pause that order while it appeals—but Judge Charlotte Sweeney denied the request.

That means qualifying athletes can pursue a fifth season while the NCAA’s appeal continues.

***This does NOT automatically give every 2026 senior another year. Eligibility still depends on the specific athlete and NCAA rules.***