Boosters and Donors in the NIL Era

Boosters and donors—typically alumni or wealthy supporters of college athletics—have taken on a new role in the NIL landscape¹. Before NIL, these individuals were prohibited from directly compensating athletes, and their contributions went mainly toward facilities, scholarships, and team resources. After NIL, while boosters still can’t pay for play, many have formed collectives or partnerships to help athletes secure NIL deals, often in the form of endorsements, appearances, or social media promotions^2,3.

Who can and can’t donate?

• Can: Individuals, alumni, and businesses can contribute to NIL collectives or sponsor athletes—as long as they follow school, state, and NCAA rules.
• Cannot: Schools themselves cannot directly pay athletes for NIL activities, and donors can’t use NIL as a recruiting incentive (though enforcement is difficult and varies by state).

Corporate Brand Deals

Team Opportunities:

Major brands like Nike, Gatorade, and Adidas now sponsor entire teams for NIL-friendly promotions, sometimes through school-wide partnerships that also include individual athlete perks.

Individual Opportunities:

Athletes can now sign personal deals with companies—local or national—leading to personalized income streams that didn’t exist before⁴.

Changes in Sponsorship Levels

Revenue Sharing

Though not officially allowed under current NCAA rules, NIL has opened the door to forms of indirect revenue sharing, wherein athletes receive benefits tied to the commercial success they help generate—essentially reshaping the economics of college sports⁵.