NIL & Coaches

What the New NIL Ed Rule Could Mean

Starting August 1, 2025, every NCAA DI member institution will be required to provide annual education to all coaches on a range of topics, including NIL. This is thanks to Bylaw 16.3.1.2 endorsed by the Division I Transformation Committee. Institutions will also be required to formally attest that their staff completed the education by November 6, 2026.

This is a big step.

Until now, most coach education efforts have been optional - often buried in compliance meetings. Some coaches have leaned in—asking great questions, inviting guest speakers, even mentoring their student-athletes. Others have stayed on the sidelines, unsure of what they’re allowed to do or how they can actually help.

Requiring NIL Education

Requiring NIL education for coaches is good news.

But before I go any further, let me be clear about something you probably already know if you read this newsletter: I’m not a blind advocate or cheerleader for NIL.

I deal in facts and data—not hype or hot takes. My perspective is shaped by more than two decades in pro sports, where I saw firsthand that athletes who succeeded off the field did so independently, as entrepreneurs. They built their own opportunities.

That framing has helped me earn the trust of the athletic departments and sports organizations I work with. And I think it’s especially important right now—because this new NCAA coach education mandate presents an opportunity.

Many universities will use it as a chance to walk through the rules and regulations. And to be clear—I see huge value in understanding NIL from a Complianceperspective. Coaches absolutely need to know what’s permitted and what could put a student-athlete or program at risk.

But we’d be missing something big if we stopped at Compliance.

This is also a moment to help coaches support their student-athletes. I don’t mean they need to like or support every aspect of NIL. But they do need to understand it—because whether we acknowledge it or not, student-athletes are already turning to their coaches for advice, permission, and guidance.

[That’s why I built NIL for Coaches, a 30-minute course (offered live or on-demand) that fulfills the NCAA requirement. It’s not a compliance workshop. It’s built to help coaches feel more confident and capable in a space that’s evolving fast.]

Here’s what I believe are the three most important things every coach should know about NIL heading into the 2025–26 school year:

What Separates High-Performing NIL Student-Athletes from Others

#1 Building a Personal Brand

Student-athletes who have NIL success aren’t always the most talented on the field. They’re often the ones who have taken time to think about who they are beyond athletics.

They’ve taken a deep dive into their strengths, values, and interests - a personal inventory.

They’ve determined their target audience so that they can tailor their message, build relationships, and attract opportunities.

And they’ve created their core message - the one key takeaway they want their audience to remember about them.

#2 Establishing NIL-Centric Social Media

More than 85% of all NIL transactions involve social media.

High performing NIL Student-Athletes have learned to align their personal brand with their social media.

They’ve developed a content plan and keep their audience engaged and interested.

And they’ve created a social media account that potential NIL brand partners see as a marketing asset that they can tap into.

#3 Marketing Their NIL

9/10 student-athletes who secure a brand deal do so by their own outreach.

They learn how to identify their ideal NIL business partners.

They create a NIL “pitch” materials.

And they create an outreach plan that uses multiple channels and effective follow-up strategies.

NIL Red Flags

While the promise of NIL is exciting, not every opportunity is a good one. Coaches can be often the first to notice when something’s off—but only if they know what to look for.

Here are some of the most common NIL red flags reported in our data:

  • NIL deals that require excessive hours—especially during the season—that can compromise performance.

  • Student-Athletes are regularly approached by businesses that raise ethical or reputational concerns.

  • Agents, marketers, or companies who promise “guaranteed deals” or inflated earnings with little or no track record.

According our NIL Research Poll, 29% of athletes said they’ve been offered an NIL deal that they did not understand or that they had concerns about. Most of them never brought it up to a coach or Compliance staff.

Coaches should be equipped to address with their student-athletes when something feels “off.” That kind of support can make all the difference.

Turning NIL Into Career Development

The best NIL partnerships aren’t just transactions. They’re micro-internships—real-world experiences that build skills, confidence, and connections. When an athlete:

  • Writes a contract proposal

  • Shoots and edits a promotional video

  • Reports deliverables to a brand partner

They’re building a résumé—sometimes without even realizing it.

In fact, 61% of student-athletes who earned at least one NIL deal said it helped clarify their post-college career interests. That includes careers in media, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

Coaches can amplify this by:

  • Talking with athletes about what they’re learning from their deals

  • Helping connect NIL efforts to internships or coursework

  • Encouraging athletes to reflect on how they’re growing

When coaches understand NIL as career development it helps student-athletes see the bigger picture.

Final Thoughts

What we do with the Coaches NIL requirement matters.

If it becomes just another Compliance box to check, we’ll miss the chance to unlock something powerful: the opportunity for Coaches to be meaningful allies in the NIL journey. Done right, Coach education can support student-athletes in making smarter NIL choices, building real-world skills, and expanding their sense of what’s possible.

About Bill Carter

Bill has advised brands on Name, Image, Likeness for 25 years—first in pro sports, now at the college level. He was the Co-Founder of the Gen Z sports agency Fuse, which he sold in 2019. In 2020, he founded Student-Athlete Insights and consults on NIL strategy with Fortune 500 companies and 30+ DI universities. Read more about Student-Athlete Insights.

Bill Carter