Spring is in the air and you know that means - get your bracket ready because it’s March Madness time. This year, after the game of his life, Jack Gohlke of Hillsdale College capitalized on his growing spotlight to thank not only his coach and his team, but also TurboTax? Gohlke had secured a name, image, and likeness deal (otherwise known as an NIL). You have probably heard the term NIL thrown around during the past few years, but what does it mean really? And is it truly a good thing for college sports? College sports is a multibillion dollar industry, bringing in big bucks for universities. The Ohio State University athletic program, for example, raked in more than $250 million in revenue in just the fiscal year 2022. But what about the players? In recent years they have refused to sit on the sidelines in silence. In 2021 the Supreme Court ruled on the side of the players in NCAA v. Alston stating that universities are not exempt from anti trust laws. College athletes are now free to lend their name, image, and likeness (what is otherwise known as NIL) in order to monetize their personal brand. “Now It’s Legal” is another way to understand NIL. It is now legal for college athletes to monetize their rising star power, and the spotlight is never bigger than during March Madness. These student athletes are now bringing in more money than ever before: USC freshman basketball player Bronny James (son of LeBron James) worth an estimated $5.9 million. Iowa University’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese earn $3.1 million and $1.8 million respectively. NIL has two separate markets. The first is largely brand deals: athletes are paid to promote content or products on their social media channels. The second market involved in this new NIL system are donor-funded groups called Collectives. Many of these collectives are 501(c)(3) non profits, meaning donations are tax-deductible. These Collectives allow athletes to take in defacto salaries. College athletes can now shop around for the best deal and are less likely to remained tightly bound to their original school. Although this allows players more agency, many fans feel like it is ruining what makes college sports and turning it into a mini NBA. Players are no longer fighting for their school & community but rather are focused on chasing higher salaries. Has NIL made the NCAA a victim of its own success? We will be on the look out for the domino effect NIL has throughout the landscape of college sports. Editor's note: This article was written by Noah Chadwick

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