FairPlayNIL

Guide for college athletes

How to find NIL deals

You don't need a huge following to get NIL deals. Most come from a few places: your school, NIL marketplace apps, local businesses, and the content you already post. Here's where to look, and what to check before you sign anything.

1Start with your school

Your athletics department is usually the fastest way in, and it already knows the rules you have to follow.

Your school's NIL marketplace

Many schools run an official NIL marketplace, often powered by Opendorse, where fans and local brands post deals for that school's athletes. Ask your compliance office whether your school has one and how to set up your profile.

The compliance or NIL office

They can tell you which apps your school uses, which deals have to be reported, and which brands are off limits (some schools restrict categories like alcohol, gambling or a competitor of a school sponsor).

Your school's sponsors and media partner

Brands that already sponsor your athletic department sometimes run group campaigns with athletes. Watch for team emails and NIL office announcements.

Teammates and upperclassmen

Ask who they've worked with. Local businesses that paid one athlete are often open to working with more.

2Join NIL marketplace apps

These platforms let brands search for athletes by sport, school, location and audience, and many handle the contract and payment. Set up a full profile with good photos, your sport, school, hometown and the kinds of brands you'd like to work with.

OpendorseThe biggest one. Hosts many school-specific marketplaces and handles payment, disclosure and tax forms.
Icon SourceAthletes build a profile that brands can search and contact.
NIL ClubA marketplace where athletes browse and claim brand campaigns.
OpenSponsorshipBrands search college and pro athletes, then message, contract and pay in one place.
MarketPryceA marketplace that connects athletes with brands and fans.
MOGLMatches athletes with brand deals based on fit.

FairPlayNIL has no relationship with these companies and isn't recommending one over another. Before you sign up, read each app's terms for fees, how long it can use your content, and whether it asks for any exclusivity.

3Go to local businesses yourself

A lot of deals come from businesses near campus or in your hometown that would never find you on an app. Think of places you already go: restaurants, coffee shops, gyms, barbers, car dealerships, physical therapy clinics, sporting goods stores.

How to pitch

  • Keep it short: who you are, your sport and school, and one specific idea (for example, two Instagram posts and an in-store appearance).
  • Say why it fits. "I'm here every week before practice" is a better pitch than a follower count.
  • Send a link to your profile on a marketplace app or your social accounts.
  • Ask for a written contract, even for small deals.

"Hi, I'm Jordan, a sophomore on the track team at State. I eat here before almost every meet, and I'd love to do two posts and a story featuring your place this month. Could we talk about a partnership?"

4Make your social accounts work for you

Brands look at what you post, not just how many people follow you.

Post regularly

Training, game days, school life, what you eat, what you wear. Consistent content shows a brand what a partnership would look like.

Make it easy to reach you

Put your sport, school and a contact email or marketplace link in your bio.

Know your numbers

Engagement (likes, comments, shares compared to followers) and where your audience lives matter to local brands. Keep screenshots ready.

Price yourself realistically

Most NIL deals are small, often under a few hundred dollars. Some marketplace apps show typical rates for posts and appearances, which helps when you name a price.

5Collectives and booster-backed groups

After the House settlement, schools can pay athletes directly, and the College Sports Commission (CSC) reviews outside deals. Collectives can still pay athletes, but only for real NIL work, like selling your merch, autograph signings or promoting a business, and the CSC reviews those deals case by case. A deal that pays you just to attend or stay at a school isn't allowed. If a collective offers you money, ask what you're actually being paid to do and get it in writing.

6Before you sign

Report it

If you're a Division I athlete, outside NIL deals worth $600 or more in total, including free products and services, must be reported to NIL Go within five days of signing. Deals with groups connected to your school get extra review. Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior college athletes should check their school's and state's rules.

Plan for taxes

NIL income is usually taxable, and brands generally don't withhold taxes for you. Keep records of every payment and set some money aside.

Watch for scams

  • Anyone who asks you to pay up front to "get you deals."
  • Agents who want a big cut, or who work for the brand they're steering you toward.
  • Pressure to sign the same day, or a deal with no written contract.

Read the fine print

  • How long the brand can use your name and photos, and whether that ever ends.
  • Whether you have to pay money back if you transfer or the deal ends early.
  • Exclusivity that blocks other sponsors, during or after the deal.

Got an offer?

Run it through FairPlayNIL before you sign. It's free and your contract stays on your device.

Review a contract

This guide is general information for college athletes, last checked November 2026. NIL rules differ by state, school and division and change often, so confirm anything here with your compliance office. FairPlayNIL is not affiliated with the NCAA, the College Sports Commission, NIL Go or any company named on this page, and nothing here is legal or tax advice. Terms & Privacy