Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Marketing in Context, Part I: Who Really Wins? Enterprising Student-Athletes and the Issues They Face

Abstract: The introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation in college athletics has significantly transformed the landscape of collegiate sports, offering student-athletes new opportunities for financial independence through endorsement deals, sponsorships, and social media influence. While these changes promise increased financial autonomy, they also introduce new complexities into an already entrenched system of collegiate athletics rules and regulations, particularly as NIL privileges and opportunities are unevenly distributed among athletes and institutions. Sponsored by the AEF and hosted by Clark Atlanta University in 2024, this two-part discussion brings together experts to examine critically the dual nature of NIL rights. Analyzing how NILs both challenge and reinforce existing power dynamics within college sports, these experts pay special attention to the context of racial capitalism and the exploitation of Black athletes, as well as the disparities experienced by women in sports. Additionally, this discussion explores the compliance challenges associated with NIL policies, collegiate institutional resistance, and the broader implications of the commodification of NILs in shaping the economic and racialized realities of college athletics. The discussion also addresses the tension between NILs’ financial benefits and potential to exacerbate existing inequalities and systemic exploitation. The panelists—Sunnita Blount, Tommy E. Jackson, Shani Idlette, Markesha McWilliams Henderson—join hosts Christina L. Myers and Ed Timke.