Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in College Sports

NIL in College Sports
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NIL in College Sports
For many years, the general perception of college athletes was that they were amateurs who should not receive monetary compensation for their achievements. However, that view has undergone a remarkable transformation. The question of whether students should receive payments still ranges. This is where Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) come into the picture. NIL is a term that dictates how students can use their name, image, and likeness for marketing and promotional ventures to get monetary compensation. In essence, it is a legal concept that allows or protects the use of a college athlete to promote a product or service (NCSA, 2023). NIL has several benefits accruing to it, including being a source of income, providing financial literacy, and encouraging students to remain in college.
NIL as a Source of Income
When NIL came into force, scores of critics forecasted that only 1% of top college athletes would make any money. In addition, they posited that NIL would create rivalry and in-fighting among teammates since some would be earning huge amounts of money at the expense of others. However, considering how matters have unfolded, the critics’ assertions had no foundation since swathes of college athletes are earning attractively (Bilas, 2022). Indeed, NIL is increasingly accommodating, and athletes from all levels, including the lesser-viewed sports, have found NIL initiatives profoundly lucrative. In short, a sizeable number of athletes have reaped handsomely from NIL even though no mechanisms are in place to ensure even distribution of opportunities. The question of whether it is within the confines of fairness to exclude some athletes from earning abounds. However, the overriding truth is that the governing body (NCAA) cares a great deal about fairness. In sum, NIL has facilitated student-athletes to earn more income through the use of their nam...