Playing Fair? Fallout of the NCAA’s Decision To Allow Student-Athletes to Benefit From NIL

The NCAA finally is allowing student-athletes to benefit from their names, images and likenesses (NIL) — a move many say is long overdue.

While many worry the decision will actually deepen the division between the haves and have-nots in intercollegiate sports, experts argue it will likely do more to level the playing field and provide more opportunities to female athletes and those in lesser-known sports. 

“I think it’s fantastic, and I think it is long overdue for athletes to be able to receive money for their labor. I think especially female athletes, or athletes that are not in men’s basketball or football, these four years of college are possibly the last time they’re going to play on this type of stage,” says Dr. Amanda L. Paule-Koba, a professor and program coordinator in the Department of Sport Management at Bowling Green State University and co-editor of the Journal of Athlete Development and Experience. 

For the vast majority of student-athletes, says Paule-Koba, their earning potential is at its highest while they are in school. And while most won’t make the hundreds of thousands of dollars that dissenters claim will ruin the amateurism aspect, even a couple hundred dollars can go a long way. 

“Most of them are not going to make a lot of money — for a lot of college students, if it’s $500 that’s great,” she says. Even if it’s just being given extra apparel to serve as a brand ambassador or free meals here and there at a local eatery in their hometowns, there are still benefits for athletes who know how to market themselves, Paule-Koba says.

Still, she sees this as a tremendous opportunity, particularly for women athletes and those in lesser-known sports. 

More opportunities for female athletes