Fundamentals
Start Here New
3 questions → your personalized NIL path
📚
NIL 101
Start here — understand the landscape first
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NIL Brand Deals
Deal types, contracts, exclusivity
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Revenue Share
House v. NCAA — $20.5M per school
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NIL by Sport
P4 vs G5 earnings breakdown
Strategy
Leverage
Create alternatives, not dependency
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Brand Building
Build your brand deliberately
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Roadmap
Year-by-year NIL plan
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Top 10 Mistakes
What consistently costs athletes money
Money & Legal
🧾
Taxes
Self-employment income reality
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Your Team
Attorney, CPA, advisor — who you need
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For Parents
Family guide to NIL and revenue share
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High School NIL
What changed in 2025
Tools & Reference
⚙️
Decision Engines Hot
Revenue, Transfer, Deal Evaluator
Readiness Checklist Hot
20-point NIL readiness score
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Glossary
Every term decoded
FAQ
Most common questions answered
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Resources
Official sources and external links
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School Tracker
Opted in vs. opted out — all 300+ schools
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Brand Deal Estimator
Your social following → your market rate
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School Comparison
Compare two schools side-by-side
Start Here — Find Your Path Hub
Fundamentals
NIL 101 NIL Brand Deals Revenue Share NIL by Sport
Strategy
Leverage Brand Building Roadmap Top 10 Mistakes
Money & Legal
Taxes Your Team For Parents High School NIL
Tools & Reference
Decision Engines Hot Readiness Checklist Hot Glossary FAQ Resources School Tracker Brand Deal Estimator School Comparison NIL by State Compliance Calendar NIL Updates
Revenue Share is NOT NIL$20.5M cap per school per year54 schools opted out of revenue shareHouse v. NCAA settlement: $2.8BSelf-employment tax: 15.3% on NIL incomeRead every contract before signingYour sport and conference determine your ceilingNIL Collectives are not Revenue ShareRevenue Share is NOT NIL$20.5M cap per school per year54 schools opted out of revenue shareHouse v. NCAA settlement: $2.8BSelf-employment tax: 15.3% on NIL incomeRead every contract before signingYour sport and conference determine your ceilingNIL Collectives are not Revenue ShareRevenue Share is NOT NIL$20.5M cap per school per year54 schools opted out of revenue shareHouse v. NCAA settlement: $2.8BSelf-employment tax: 15.3% on NIL incomeRead every contract before signingYour sport and conference determine your ceilingNIL Collectives are not Revenue ShareRevenue Share is NOT NIL$20.5M cap per school per year54 schools opted out of revenue shareHouse v. NCAA settlement: $2.8BSelf-employment tax: 15.3% on NIL incomeRead every contract before signingYour sport and conference determine your ceilingNIL Collectives are not Revenue Share
Strategy

NIL Roadmap

Year-by-year plan from high school through your senior season. The athletes who earn most are rarely the most talented — they are the most prepared.

HSHigh School — Foundation Phase

Most athletes arrive at college with no business infrastructure, no defined brand, and no understanding of how any of the three systems work. High school is when you install that foundation — before the clock is running.

✓ Build
Business email. Instagram/TikTok content identity. Basic media kit. Understand what NIL is and is not.
✓ Learn
Read every page on this platform. Understand revenue share before you commit to any school.
⚠ Avoid
Signing NIL deals that lock you in before your college program is confirmed. High school NIL rules vary by state.
→ Ready for
Arrival at school with LLC formed, business email active, and first outreach list prepared.
Year 1Establish — Infrastructure Phase

Year 1 is infrastructure year. Earn limited at first — but build the systems that allow you to earn at scale in Years 2–4. Most athletes who maximize NIL did nothing financially visible in Year 1 but built everything.

✓ Establish
LLC or sole proprietorship. Business bank account. Quarterly tax payment calendar. CPA identification.
✓ Confirm
Revenue share opt-in status at your school. Your sport's allocation. Your role's likely share.
✓ Begin
Local brand outreach. 3 brands minimum. First deal at any rate — creates reference and confidence.
⚠ Avoid
Long-term exclusivity deals in Year 1. Category exclusivity before you understand the market. Signing without review.
Year 2Activate — Market Entry Phase

Year 2 is when athletes with Year 1 infrastructure begin to earn meaningfully. You have a track record, a media kit with engagement data, and at least one completed deal as a reference point. The market now knows you exist.

✓ Negotiate
Revenue share allocation — you now have leverage from Year 1 performance. Get your allocation in writing.
✓ Scale
Expand brand outreach from local to regional. Use completed deals as references. Update media kit with engagement data.
✓ Evaluate
Run the Transfer Decision Engine with current data. Know your market value even if you are not considering a move.
⚠ Avoid
Accepting flat revenue share without asking about the allocation methodology. Assuming your Year 1 number is fixed.
Years 3–4Maximize — Peak Earnings Phase

Years 3 and 4 are your peak NIL earnings window. You have performance history, social proof, a completed deal record, and real leverage. This is when the athletes who did the work in Years 1–2 earn 3–4× what they earned earlier.

✓ Maximize
Revenue share negotiation with full leverage. Push for maximum allocation. Get representation if the number is large enough.
✓ Build
Post-eligibility brand — name recognition, alumni NIL opportunities, professional preparation. Your brand does not end at graduation.
✓ Protect
Review every deal for post-eligibility rights clauses. Brands may still own your likeness after you graduate. Audit all active agreements.
⚠ Avoid
Short-term thinking on long-term deals. A 24-month exclusivity deal signed in Year 4 can block post-graduation earnings.
Next step
Check Where You Stand Right Now
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