In the ever-shifting world of sports, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals have changed the game for athletes hoping to cash in on their personal brands. The NCAA rolled out this policy on June 30, 2021, letting athletes earn money from sponsorships, endorsements, merch, and—of course—social media.
California was the first state to let high school athletes get paid for their NIL. That move opened up a whole new set of possibilities for young athletes. We’re in a different era now, honestly.
The Rise of NIL Deals
With NIL deals, athletes suddenly have more ways than ever to make money from their name and story. Take The Chronicle story about Hollen Vann ’27—three years ago, he started WSE Management to help athletes navigate the whole NIL thing.
He kicked things off with two Princeton basketball players. Now, his agency works with athletes at every level, mostly in the supplement, nutrition, and athletic scenes.
The Importance of Building a Personal Brand
Vann is pretty clear: NIL success isn’t just about what happens on the court or field. “The main importance of NIL is learning how to build your personal brand,” he says.
He asks, “When the ball stops bouncing, who are you?” It’s a tough question. Not everyone goes pro, so being able to make money even if you’re not playing or you get hurt? That’s huge. People want a peek into your life as an athlete, even in high school.
NIL’s Impact on College Recruitment
James Tronstein ’26, a varsity baseball outfielder and Vanderbilt commit, has definitely noticed the shift. NIL deals are now a big part of college recruiting.
“It’s a huge change in sports,” Tronstein says. “When I was getting recruited before, it had nothing to do with NIL. Now, the main point is how much money they are going to pay you.”
Even with all the talk about money, Tronstein still thinks finding the right fit matters just as much.
Maximizing NIL Potential
Vann’s agency is all about helping athletes get the most out of NIL, mainly through social media. The New York Times points out that athletes who actually use social media get the biggest deals.
But Vann sees a lot of high schoolers not posting enough. “We work with many brands like Body Armor and Synchron, who sponsor the Dodgers,” he says. “They even look at many of our high school profiles and say, ‘I would love to work with them, but they just don’t post enough.’”
Social Media as a Tool for NIL Success
Social media is probably the most powerful tool for snagging NIL deals. Still, Vann notices that a lot of high school athletes are nervous about posting.
“I want to change that,” he says, “because when you start early and then move on to college, you are already building your brand, and you already have a pretty good following.”
It’s a simple equation: post more, get more deals. But it’s not always that easy to put yourself out there.
Perceptions and Performance
Tronstein points out something interesting—athletes with NIL deals just seem like bigger deals. “You view people differently,” he admits.
“If a guy has a Nike deal, you think ‘He’s pretty good because he has a Nike deal,’ whereas before when there were no deals, it was more of an organic, old-school way to play.”
NIL has changed the game, for better or worse. There’s just no going back.
Challenges and Mental Health Implications
With NIL becoming more common, there are some real concerns about how it impacts athletes’ mental health. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that getting paid can make athletes feel like they have to perform even better.
Tronstein gets it—NIL deals can add pressure and sometimes make performance drop. Some athletes thrive with the extra motivation, but not everyone does.
The Role of Personality in NIL Success
Vann keeps coming back to personality. “A lot of people think, in order to maximize their NIL, they have to be extremely good at their sport and then that puts more pressure on their performance.”
But that’s not really it. What brands want is personality, creativity, and what you bring to the table outside of just your stats.
The Financial Impact of NIL in Collegiate Sports
Football and basketball are still the big earners when it comes to NIL, according to The New York Times. Dylan Fischer ’26, a varsity softball player, has noticed that the bigger sports just offer more—housing, perks, all of it.
“[NIL in softball] has already grown a lot,” Fischer says. “I have seen a lot of college athletes, a lot more NIL with mainstream brands. People are posting more of it on their social media pages.”
A Changing Landscape
Tronstein remarks that college recruitment has changed a lot because of NIL deals.
Even with all the money being offered, he still cares more about finding a college that feels right for him.
It’s definitely a changing landscape, Tronstein says.
It changes every single year. You get paid more in this year than you do the other year. I try not to focus too much on it because I want to be at a place because I want, not just because they are paying me.
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