When the announcement came in 2021 that the NCAA would no longer prohibit athletes from profiting on their name, image and likeness (NIL), few doubted the immediate impact that it would have on collegiate sports, especially at the Division I level. But now more than two and half years later, questions still circulate as to whether the NIL boom will trickle down to Division III.
While Division I has seen skyrocketing totals on NIL agreements for athletes, with many of the highest paid students bringing in enough money to rival and even surpass professional athletes, it seems Pandora’s box has been opened already. But the DIII NIL landscape is still in its infancy with most participants hardly bringing in enough profit to justify the time demands of advertising. It still remains to be seen whether or not NIL will become a viable option for long-term income for students at Wabash and other small schools.
Below, Assistant Athletic Director Allison Manwell, who serves as the primary link between athletes and the College for NIL activity, answers questions about the realities of NIL at Wabash.
What is NIL and how can our athletes engage in it?
“Very simply, NIL gives college athletes the rights to their own name, image, and likeness as leverage for compensation in non-athletic activities. At its best and in its purest form, I think NIL gives student-athletes the rightful opportunity to earn money via their personal brand or status and platform. There is still a lot of ambiguity though.”
What limits are still placed on NIL activity?
“The main guidance from the NCAA tells us not to let NIL influence recruiting and not to let boosters pay athletes. I’m not going to pretend that I believe that never happens anywhere, and I do think we’ll continue to see more violations and sanctions from the NCAA. But I think a misconception is that student-athletes are being paid simply for being athletes and all amateurism is going away from college sports, and that’s not the whole picture.”
Do athletes at DIII schools have less of an opportunity to engage in NIL opportunities than other DI and DII schools?
“NIL at the DIII space is small scale and unpopular in the initial years. I haven’t seen updated data on this, but Opendorse awhile back shared that the average DIII athlete makes $309 annually. At Wabash, it’s not even close to that high of a number. Right now, at least one athlete on almost all of Wabash’s teams has some degree of involvement in NIL activity. DIII is the largest NCAA division in terms of membership, but the profile and exposure of even our best teams and athletes just doesn’t compare to what we readily see at DI.”
What is the College’s role in assisting the student-athletes with NIL?
“Around 30 states have NIL laws. Indiana does not yet, but Wabash does have a policy that is always subject to change given the dynamic NIL landscape. We provide and explain the policy to student athletes each year in our preseason compliance meetings. The policy requires them to complete and turn into the athletic department a NIL disclosure form for each activity in which they engage. I simply assess the deal from a compliance perspective. I don’t facilitate deals or give legal or financial advice.”
What steps can a Wabash athlete take to begin profiting from their name, image and likeness?
“Social media is essential for someone wanting to get more involved in NIL activity. Our few student-athletes who have been involved in publicity with brands have made posts in exchange for items like corn hole boards or, less commonly, a commission. Local business partnerships have potential and are one of the more common DIII NIL activities. Wabash student-athletes have every right to seek out these opportunities. I do think that athletes across divisions are realizing some implications, like time demands or tax considerations, that make NIL more complex than it looks. Wabash men are super involved and busy as is, and athletics is seen as just a piece of their holistic college experience, so NIL might not always be deemed a pursuit worth their while.”