Values-Driven NIL

The Perspective We Need Right Now

In the last three months, I’ve had more conversations than ever with DI mid-major, DII, and DIII athletic administrators. And a word that keeps coming up (thankfully!) is “values.”

Unlike P4 athletic departments, which rushed into NIL to win PR battles, bolster recruiting, and fortify their Collectives, mid-majors, DII, and DIII schools are not scrambling to “keep up” or throwing money into the NIL arms race.

They are building NIL programs that align with the mission of their athletic departments.

Honestly, this perspective is exactly what NIL (and all of college sports) needs right now.

Here’s How Forward-Thinking Schools are Tackling NIL

These schools are working to integrate NIL in a way that doesn’t just benefit a handful of athletes but instead enhances their entire athletic culture and campus community.

They’re prioritizing balance—ensuring that NIL doesn’t cannibalize traditional fundraising, disrupt team chemistry, or further divide student-athletes from the broader student body.

They’re also taking proactive steps to maintain fairness across teams, ensuring that NIL isn’t just about which sport has the wealthiest or most engaged alumni base.

Here’s how and why:

1. Manage NIL Without Cannibalizing Athletic Fundraising

One of the biggest concerns I hear from ADs at these schools is balancing NIL opportunities with traditional fundraising efforts.

Alumni and donors are the lifeblood of many athletic departments, and the fear is that NIL fundraising will cannibalize the athletic fundraising needed to support teams and facilities.

My suggestion is to address this head-on with donors and alumni about how NIL and traditional fundraising can coexist.

Let’s be honest: alumni mostly live in a vacuum with a hyper-focus on the team that they played for or otherwise support. They need to be educated about how supporting a Collective, contributing to the general athletic fund, or directly sponsoring an NIL opportunity will impact the overall health of the athletic department.

2. Engaging Coaches to Protect Team Culture

One major criticism of NIL in the P4 world is how it has disrupted team dynamics. While I have some suspicions that this is not exactly as cut and dry as some coaches describe, they believe that their locker room chemistry has suffered.

Mid-majors, DII, and DIII athletic departments should proactively bring coaches into the NIL conversation, allowing them to help shape clear guidelines that maintain team culture and fairness. This collaborative approach prevents NIL from becoming a distraction and ensures that all student-athletes feel supported, regardless of their NIL earning potential.

3. NIL Programs that Support the Campus Community

One of the unintended consequences of NIL is that it’s created yet another divide between student-athletes and the general student body. NIL is seen as a benefit provided to a privileged group that other students don’t have access to.

But mid-majors, DII, and DIII schools, don’t need to treat it that way. NIL can be integrated into the university experience in a way that fosters unity rather than division. Rather than limiting NIL workshops and resources to athletes, institutions can offer NIL education to all students.

Many aspects of NIL—such as personal branding, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and content creation—are skills that any student can use to build their career.

Here are a few ideas:

  • Open NIL workshops to all students, allowing business, marketing, and communications majors to learn alongside athletes.

  • Develop a campus-wide “Brand Building & Monetization” course that benefits both athletes and non-athletes.

  • Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration where student-athletes work with non-athlete students on NIL-related projects, such as marketing plans, business pitches, or social media strategies.

By integrating NIL education into the broader campus community, schools can eliminate the stigma that NIL is only for athletes and instead position it as a learning opportunity for everyone.

4. Ensure Fairness Across Teams

One of the biggest challenges mid-majors, DII, and DIII schools will face in developing an NIL program will be ensuring fairness across individual teams.

I’m not talking about the P4 version of this problem where 90% of the NIL support flows to football and men's & women’s basketball.

Here’s a hypothetical example:

The women’s lacrosse team at a DIII school has won 3 National Championships in the last 15 years. The program’s alumni total in the hundreds and remain engaged and provide significant financial support every year.

Conversely, the men’s soccer program at the same school has lived at the bottom of the conference for a decade, gone through multiple coaching changes, and its alumni are disengaged to say the least.

Those women’s lacrosse alumni are going to be quick to jump into NIL. They will want to set up their own women’s lacrosse-only Collective. Men’s soccer - not so much.

With these disparities, ADs will need to develop an NIL plan that aligns with the values of the department. For some, that will mean leveling the playing field between teams, for others it won’t.

5. Taking Action

At the end of the day, mid-major, DII, and DIII schools can’t afford to sit on the sidelines when it comes to NIL. Those who want to develop a sustainable NIL plan need a structured approach—one that aligns with their institution’s values, serves student-athletes equitably, and integrates seamlessly into the athletic and academic mission of the school.

While every school’s approach may differ based on resources and priorities, I believe that every institution, regardless of division, needs to build its NIL strategy on three foundational pillars:

NIL “Marketplace” – A Platform for Connecting Athletes and Opportunities

Every school needs a system that makes it easy for student-athletes to find and manage NIL opportunities while ensuring compliance with NCAA and institutional policies. This can take different forms, such as:

  • Third-Party Tech Platforms: Utilizing established NIL platforms like Opendorse, Icon Source, or MOGL to connect student-athletes with brands, streamline NIL transactions, and track compliance.

  • School-Built Solutions: Some institutions may choose to develop their own NIL marketplace to give athletes a centralized hub tailored to their university’s unique needs.

Regardless of the platform used, the goal is to create an organized system where athletes can safely and efficiently engage with NIL opportunities.

NIL Education – Teaching Athletes How to Navigate NIL Successfully

NIL is more than just making deals—it’s about helping student-athletes build personal brands, market themselves, and make informed financial decisions. Schools must provide structured NIL education that equips athletes with the skills they need to maximize their opportunities.

Key NIL Education Topics

  • Personal Branding – How student-athletes can build their unique brand identity and stand out.

  • Social Media Strategies – Best practices for growing an audience, engaging followers, and leveraging platforms for NIL success.

  • Marketing Your NIL – Teaching athletes how to pitch themselves to brands, negotiate deals, and create long-term value.

Formats for NIL Education

  • Live Workshops – Interactive sessions with industry professionals, alumni, and business leaders.

  • Digital Courses – On-demand educational content that allows student-athletes to learn at their own pace.

By incorporating both in-person and digital learning formats, schools can ensure that all student-athletes—regardless of sport or schedule—have access to NIL education.

Human Resource Support – Providing Direct NIL Assistance

Even with a strong marketplace and educational resources, student-athletes will have questions. Schools need to provide a dedicated point of contact to ensure that NIL support is available when needed. Two Approaches to NIL Support:

  • In-House Support – Assigning 5% of an existing staff member’s time to answer NIL-related questions and help athletes navigate the process.

  • External Consultant Support – Partnering with an NIL expert (like me!) to provide “NIL Office Hours” for 1 hour per month, where student-athletes can get personalized guidance.

A small investment in human resource support can make a huge difference in helping athletes make informed decisions and avoid pitfalls.

Final Thoughts Values-Driven NIL

The future of NIL at mid-major, DII, and DIII schools isn’t about chasing the P4 model—it’s about creating something better: values-based NIL. These schools have the opportunity to build NIL programs that align with their institutional mission, ensuring that opportunities support student-athletes without undermining traditional fundraising, disrupting team culture, or dividing campus communities. By prioritizing education, structured marketplaces, and human support, they can establish a sustainable, mission-driven NIL model that enhances both athletics and academics. The schools that take action now—rooted in their values—will define the future of NIL in a way that truly serves their student-athletes, their departments, and their broader university communities.

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