NIL glossary.
Every NIL term a college athlete or brand needs, in plain English.
NIL
Name, Image, and Likeness — an athlete's right to earn from their personal brand.
NIL deal
A paid agreement where an athlete provides promotion, content, an appearance, or use of their likeness.
Collective
A booster- or fan-funded organization that pools money to create NIL opportunities for a school's athletes.
Booster
A supporter of a school's athletics; boosters can fund NIL but face recruiting-inducement limits.
Disclosure
Reporting an NIL deal to the athlete's school or conference for compliance review.
Compliance
Ensuring deals follow NCAA, conference, state, and school NIL rules.
Eligibility
An athlete's standing to compete; properly disclosed NIL deals do not jeopardize it.
Marketplace
A platform that connects athletes with brands for NIL opportunities.
Revenue sharing
Schools paying athletes directly, enabled by the 2025 House settlement, separate from third-party NIL.
House settlement
The 2025 House v. NCAA settlement that established school revenue sharing with athletes.
SB 206
California's Fair Pay to Play Act (2019), an early state law that catalyzed NIL.
Licensing
Granting a brand the right to use an athlete's NIL on products or media.
Endorsement
An athlete publicly backing a product or service for pay.
Representation
An agent or agency acting for an athlete — sourcing, negotiating, and managing deals.
General information, not legal, tax, or compliance advice. NIL rules vary by state, school, and conference and change frequently — confirm specifics with the relevant institution.
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