In a stunning twist, the College Sports Commission (CSC) has admitted to overstating the value of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals by over $40 million. This blunder was chalked up to a clerical mistake in data from Deloitte, the folks behind the NIL Go platform.
The corrected numbers are way off from what was first reported. It really shows just how messy and complicated it can get to keep tabs on all these deals.
The Clerical Error and Its Impact
On September 5, 2025, the CSC put out a correction about their NIL deal data. At first, they said the total value of approved deals was $79.8 million.
After catching the mistake, they revised that figure to $35.42 million. The issue? The original number lumped in deals that hadn’t even been approved yet—just pending ones—so the actual difference was more than $40 million.
It’s a huge reminder of the challenge the CSC faces in tracking thousands of NIL deals. Since kicking off operations on July 1, they’ve only had a handful of full-time employees—less than six, in fact.
Still, the commission says they’re sticking with transparency and trying to keep things running as smoothly as possible, even with a tiny team.
Breakdown of the Corrected Data
Here’s what the updated data looks like now:
- Total value of approved deals: $35.42 million
- Previously reported total value: $79.8 million (included pending deals)
- Number of approved deals: 6,090
- Previously reported number of approved deals: 8,359 (again, included pending deals)
- Deals pending: 2,003
- Deals not cleared: 332
- Deals resubmitted: 75
Most deals are getting cleared in about a week. But, yeah, there have been some delays that have left folks a bit frustrated.
The commission says they’re hustling to speed things up and cut down on those wait times.
The Role of Deloitte and NIL Go
Deloitte, the company that built the NIL Go platform, has owned up to the reporting error. They put out a statement saying they’ve added new checks to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
NIL Go was created as part of a House settlement, letting schools pay athletes directly for their NIL and also allowing athletes to earn from outside groups. It’s a big deal for compliance.
The platform reviews deals worth $600 or more, making sure everything lines up with CSC guidelines. Even with the early hiccups, the commission has been releasing updated figures pretty regularly.
Challenges and Future Improvements
There’s no sugar-coating it—the CSC’s job is massive. Sorting through mountains of NIL deals isn’t easy, and they’ve had to admit to some growing pains.
But they’re working to make things smoother. Faster processing, fewer headaches, and a better NIL Go platform are all on their to-do list.
With such a small staff, it’s honestly impressive they’ve managed as well as they have. They seem pretty optimistic about getting things right, though.
The commission says they’re not backing down from their commitment to transparency and accuracy. They want a system that actually keeps up with the wild pace of NIL in college sports.
Implications for College Athletes and Institutions
This correction matters a lot for college athletes and the schools themselves. For athletes, being able to cash in on their NIL is huge—new money, new opportunities, and a shot at building their own brand.
But, let’s be real, making sure these deals follow the rules is just as important. Nobody wants to risk eligibility over a paperwork slip.
Schools have to juggle all these new responsibilities too. The CSC’s push for a clear, efficient system is supposed to help schools keep things under control without losing their minds.
Honestly, seeing the numbers get corrected so dramatically is a wake-up call. Accuracy matters, especially when so much is at stake.
Conclusion
The College Sports Commission recently admitted it had overstated the value of some NIL deals. This revelation highlights just how tricky and unpredictable managing these agreements can be.
The clerical error was a big deal. Now, the CSC and Deloitte say they’re putting new safeguards in place to stop this sort of thing from happening again.
Transparency and accuracy are still top priorities for the commission. They’re trying to build a system that can actually keep up with the fast-changing NIL world—no easy task.
For athletes and schools, this whole situation is a wake-up call. Everyone needs to stay sharp and follow the rules if they want to navigate the NIL landscape without headaches.
The CSC is still working on improving the NIL Go platform. There’s some hope that things will get smoother for everyone involved, though it’s definitely a work in progress.
If you want to dig deeper into the CSC’s correction and what it means for college sports, check out the full article on ESPN.
- Schools Covered
- College Football Articles
- Men's College Basketball Articles
- Men's College Soccer Articles
- Women's College Basketball Articles
- Olympic Athlete Articles
- Men's College Baseball Articles
- College Sports Media Professionals Articles
- Hall of Fame Member Articles
- Former College Player Articles
- Game Previews
