What Athletes Think of Your NIL Offer 💲

Why it matters

We surveyed 1,050 college athletes in the NIL Resesarch Poll in late October. The focus was on the seven most common compensation methods used in NIL brand deals. The percentages below show positive views on the compensation type, followed by a quote from an actual athlete response. Here's what brands need to know.

By the numbers

  • Cash: 98% — "This is what I actually need right now - pays my rent, covers my meals, and I can spend it however I want without any strings attached."

  • Free product: 82% — "If it's something I'd actually use and was going to buy anyway, this is basically cash savings. I won't do the deal if it's not something I use."

  • Experiences (ex. free tickets): 68% — "These make for good content and my followers love it, but they don't help me pay bills so I say 'no' alot."

  • Affiliate programs: 52% — "I do it if I know I can drive sales. Sometimes I do it to prove my value to a brand for the future."

  • Royalties: 48% — "Sounds cool in theory but it's complicated, takes forever to actually pay out, and I have no idea if it'll be worth anything."

  • Discounts: 35% — "So you want me to promote your brand but I still have to pay you? Hard pass unless the discount is massive and it's something I need."

  • Equity: 28% — "I'll probably never see a dime from this - most startups fail, I can't pay rent with equity."

The big picture

Athletes understand immediate value and question everything else. Free product's 82% approval has conditions. Athletes only value "something I'd actually use and was going to buy anyway." When athletes say experiences "don't help me pay bills," they're revealing their short-term needs that brands often miss.

The bottom line

Start with cash. Add products solving real problems. Do affiliate deals only if you must. Save equity and royalties for athletes who request them — then educate extensively.

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