In the over 100 years the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been in use, athletes have never been paid—until now. College athletes can now be paid through name, image, likeness (NIL) deals: agreements in which student athletes can be compensated through sponsorships with companies in exchange for their name being used by the company. This is the first year these deals have been allowed by the NCAA, and some of our very own former athletes have been fortunate enough to partake in these deals.

“We had some required forms to fill out for the NCAA, but then I really just worked on my craft and some companies reached out to me asking about opportunities,” Kevin Chadwick (’23), a former Madison athlete and current UVA football player said. 

The process for receiving an NIL deal is rigorous: students must not only have on the field skills but also boast a large social media presence to attract brands. Once a company is interested in a student, the brand often begins negotiations with the student on their terms and potential compensation; if both parties agree, the selected student can immediately begin receiving compensation in exchange for use of their name.

NIL deals often benefit students. The most prominent reason—and a key factor of their success—is that the compensation given to athletes helps college students pay for their education. The deals allow students to play the sport they love without having to stress too much about future expenses.

“It has helped me in which I am able to have more outreach to people and customers,” Chadwick said. “I am only at the start of it, I haven’t really built a strong portfolio yet, but I am able to give out merchandise and other items and receive compensation for it which is nice to have because as a college student, having any amount of spending money is useful.”