When the Game Off the Field Overtakes the Game On: The New NIL Reality
By Beyond NIL | November 2025
In the evolving world of college athletics, the phrase “name, image, and likeness” (NIL) has shifted from buzzword to competitive edge. Athletes are no longer simply contributors on the field or court — they are brands. And institutions are realising that lately, the schedule, the opponent, and even the venue might be chosen not just with wins in mind, but with dollars — and exposure — in mind.
This comprehensive post dives into two intersecting NIL phenomena reshaping collegiate sports:
The meteoric rise in valuations for individual student‑athletes.
How universities are repositioning games, venues and marketing to become NIL platforms.
Why this matters: For athletes, coaches, collectives and brands alike, understanding the interplay between individual brand value and institutional strategy is key to staying ahead. We’ll walk through the data, the strategy, and the implications.
The New Currency: Athlete Valuations
When you scan lists of the highest‑valued athletes under NIL, one thing jumps out: these valuations are in the millions before the athlete ever enters the professional ranks.
For example: according to a recent list, the top‑valued college athletes hold valuations like $6.8 million, $4.3 million and $4.2 million.
What exactly is going on?
What drives a high NIL valuation?
Several factors combine to produce these headline figures:
On‑field (or on‑court) performance + potential: Athletic excellence or promise remains the starting point.
Existing brand/family legacy: The athlete with a famous name or media‑ready story often commands more.
Social‑media reach + engagement: Followers, content creation ability, viral potential all matter.
Marketability and diverse deal‑types: Endorsements, equity deals, local + national activations.
NIL marketplace modelling: Platforms like On3 estimate athletes’ “optimized” NIL opportunity relative to the overall market.
A snapshot of the leaderboard
From the list of “Top 20 College Athletes With the Highest NIL Valuations” (per 107.5 The Fan):
Arch Manning (Texas, Football) – ~$5.5 million valuation
Carson Beck (Miami, Football) – ~$4.9 million
Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State, Football) – ~$4.2 million
(…and others follow)
Other sources show even higher: Arch Manning’s valuation is listed at ~$6.8 million in some rankings.
What this means for athletes
Early‑stage brand building: Many of these student‑athletes are building global brands before their primary sport careers peak.
Expectation shift: Schools, collectives and agents now treat NIL as a long‑term asset, not a side hustle.
Financial literacy required: With valuations in the millions come taxes, legal complexities, contract negotiations. (For example: Forbes broke down tax implications of high NIL valuations.)
Competitive advantage: An athlete’s valuation becomes a recruiting piece, a collective’s talking point, a brand’s anchor.
The flip‑side: risks and realities
Not every athlete will realise the full valuation; risk remains.
Brand mis‑steps, poor performance, or regulatory misalignment can erode value.
The valuations often assume ideal activation scenarios — actual income may differ.
The marketplace is still evolving and opaque; athletes need guidance.
The Institutional Game: NIL as a Strategic Platform
It’s not just athletes who are adapting — institutions are too. A standout example is the way some programs are reshaping their scheduling and venue choices to maximise NIL benefits.
Case study: Auburn University (Auburn Tigers)
Auburn recently announced a decision to move what was previously scheduled as a home game (vs Baylor University) to a neutral‑site at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the 2026 season. This move is explicitly tied to NIL opportunities.
Reportedly:
The arrangement gives players access to significantly more NIL revenue potential (in one story, as high as $4 million or more depending on ticket sales/fan engagement).
The neutral‑site game creates a larger media and sponsorship platform than a typical home‑game in campus stadiums.
The strategic calculus: exposure + marketplace appeal = recruiting advantage.
This demonstrates that for many universities, NIL is no longer “just” about letting athletes monetise their brand — it is now a structural lever in athletics strategy: scheduling, venues, marketing all crafted with NIL in mind.
Why this matters for programs
Recruiting tool: Prospects see teams willing to structure opportunities around athlete monetisation.
Revenue diversification: Larger venues, neutral sites, enhanced branding open wider sponsorship/activation channels.
Brand elevation: The program becomes known for being “NIL‑friendly,” which amplifies its own brand.
Competitive arms‑race: More schools will replicate or try to one‑up this model, raising the baseline for NIL‑driven infrastructure.
Challenges & questions
Fan and local‑economy friction: Some home fans view moves as prioritising money over tradition.
Equity & fairness: How do smaller programs or lower‑profile athletes benefit?
Regulatory landscape: As NCAA and conferences continue to adjust rules, institutions must stay agile.
Sustainability: Will this become an expected norm (and cost) for all schools?
Connecting the Dots: Athlete Valuations + Institutional Strategy
Putting these two streams together reveals the new ecosystem of NIL: athletes are building brand value and institutions are building brand‑platforms that amplify that value.
Key takeaways:
Brand asset + platform asset: Athletes are asset classes; programs are platforms. Their symbiosis is what’s growing.
Marketplace sophistication: Valuations and structured opportunities (like venue‑moves) show how mature the NIL ecosystem is becoming.
Shifting power dynamics: Athletes have more leverage; programs need to adapt or risk falling behind.
Forecasting matters: Whether you’re a brand looking to activate, an athlete building your strategy, or an institution designing your playbook, NIL is no longer ad‑hoc—it’s strategic.
Transparency and education: With stakes higher, athletes and programs must invest in education around contracts, taxes, regulatory compliance.
What Athletes, Brands & Programs Should Do Now
For Athletes:
Build your authentic brand early—with content, story, media presence.
Treat your NIL activity like a business: contracts, agents/advisors, taxes.
Choose partners strategically: align with brands that enhance your long‑term value.
Understand the platform you’re in: your school, your exposure, your venue matter.
For Programs:
Audit your scheduling, venue, and activation opportunities with an NIL lens.
Communicate clearly: prospects and current athletes need to see how you’re supporting NIL monetisation.
Work with collectives, marketing partners, sponsors to build repeatable activation models—not one‑offs.
Anticipate regulatory change: be nimble.
For Brands & Agencies:
Recognise college athletes as full‑fledged influencers with valuations and activation potential.
Consider the platform around the athlete (venue, game, broadcast) as part of the value.
Build long‑term relationships (equity, licensing, co‑creation) rather than one‑time endorsements.
Looking Ahead: The Road to 2030 and Beyond
Expect more neutral‑site games and venue innovations designed for NIL exposure.
Athlete valuations may fragment: we might see entire lists by sport, gender, region.
Regulation will evolve: as valuations and activity grow, the governance of NIL will deepen.
Legacy‑brand athletes (family names, social media stars) will continue to pull ahead—but there will also be breakout rising stars.
Collectives, institutions and brands that treat NIL as strategy, not just compliance, will lead.
The world of college athletics has changed
The interplay of athlete‑valuations and institutional scheduling strategies shows that NIL is now embedded into the very architecture of sport—from the athlete’s brand to the venue they play in. Whether you’re an athlete plotting your next move, a program building its competitive edge, or a brand looking for activation opportunities, understanding this ecosystem is essential.
The game off the field—your brand, your schedule, your exposure—is now as important as what happens on it.