The right to earn money from the commercial use of your identity — now permitted at the college and (in most states) high school level.
NIL stands for "name, image, and likeness." It refers to an athlete\'s right to profit from the commercial use of their identity — name on a product, image in an advertisement, appearance in a sponsored social-media post, likeness in a video game.
Until 2021, these rights were considered forfeited the moment an athlete became an NCAA "amateur." The 2021 NCAA rule change permitted college athletes to engage in NIL activities. State high school athletic associations have followed, with most states now permitting some form of high school NIL — though the specific rules vary substantially by state.
NIL is not pay-for-play. An athlete can be paid for use of their name, image, and likeness — but generally cannot be paid for playing, for winning, or for choosing a particular school.
Mishandling NIL — particularly at the high-school level — can cost athletic eligibility. Always verify with your state HSAA and athletic director before signing any NIL agreement. The cost of getting it wrong is almost always larger than the deal\'s value.