Houston Cougars quarterback Keisean Henderson, a highly recruited signal-caller, recently spoke about how he approaches NIL opportunities and mindset as he transitions into college football. Henderson says his focus isn’t just on earning NIL money, it’s on building long-term value and personal growth. He wants to ensure that NIL deals align with his identity, purpose, and future goals, rather than chasing quick paychecks or flashy deals. According to Henderson: - NIL should support skills development and personal branding - The quality and alignment of a deal matter more than the amount - His mindset is to think like a brand partner, not just a sponsored athlete This reflects a more strategic view of NIL, one that prioritizes long-term positioning over short-term rewards. Henderson’s perspective highlights a growing theme among elite recruits: - NIL success isn’t just about big checks - It’s about building a sustainable personal brand - Smart positioning now can lead to even bigger opportunities later This approach helps athletes avoid common pitfalls like: - chasing irrelevant sponsors - diluting personal brand identity - signing deals that don’t support future pathways How important do you think it is for athletes to focus on brand alignment and long-term strategy, rather than just chasing the largest NIL paydays? READ MORE: https://www.on3.com/nil/news/houston-qb-signee-keisean-henderson-details-mindset-navigating-nil/

UCLA women’s basketball head coach Cori Close recently spoke out about the rapid and sometimes chaotic, growth of the NIL landscape in college sports. Close described the current NIL environment as increasingly like the “Wild West,” where deals and recruiting pressures are escalating beyond traditional expectations. Despite the opportunities NIL provides, the unregulated pace and variety of deals are creating challenges for athletes, teams, and coaching staffs alike. - Unpredictable NIL market: Coaches are seeing fast-moving and varied deals that are difficult to track or manage. - Recruiting influence: NIL is now a major factor in recruiting, but not always in structured or consistent ways. - Balance concerns: Close emphasized the need for systems that support both the athlete’s athletic development and their long-term financial and personal growth, rather than letting NIL deals be the only driver. Her remarks reflect a broader theme in college sports:While NIL opened major opportunities for athletes, it has also created: - pressure on programs to compete financially - inconsistency in how deals are structured - ambiguity about long-term value versus short-term compensation This has some coaches and administrators calling for clearer frameworks, not just more deals, so athletes can benefit sustainably from their NIL value. Do you think NIL needs more standardized structure and protections, or is it better to let the marketplace operate freely and evolve on its own? READ MORE: https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/uclas-cori-close-warns-growing-164152275.html

This week, nearly a dozen University of Hawaiʻi student-athletes and coaches took to the state Capitol to support a bill that would create a framework for NIL compensation and protections for student-athletes in the state, including testimony about how NIL can help retain players, build competitive programs, and create more stability in college sports. Athletes spoke about culture, community support, and how these opportunities can help them grow on and off the field. This is a great example of athletes stepping up not just for themselves, but for their peers and future generations - pushing the conversation and crafting systems that move the entire landscape forward. 💬 Community Question: - How do you think athletes and families can actively create more NIL opportunities - not just for themselves, but for others in their sport or community? What would you personally do to help push NIL forward for all athletes? Drop your thoughts below 👇🔥 https://spectrumlocalnews.com/hi/hawaii/sports/2026/02/12/hawaii-athletics-nil-funding-bill-testimony-players-coaches-2026

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is pushing the Hawaiʻi state legislature to support its athletics program, including a $5 million annual fund dedicated to NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) opportunities for student-athletes. UH Athletics asked lawmakers for roughly $5 million per year to establish an institutional NIL fund that would help the school: - Recruit top talent - Retain current student-athletes - Offer competitive NIL compensation under the new NCAA settlement framework This proposal happened in a hearing before state higher education committees, with UH leaders and coaches presenting their case. UH officials argue that NIL is now a standard part of college athletics, used not just for recruiting but also for keeping players enrolled and competitive, especially as other schools increase their own NIL budgets. Coaches emphasized that competitive offers have already affected roster decisions, with one coach noting players’ NIL market value influencing choices on where they want to play. This funding push comes as UH also seeks broader legislative support for athletics, including operating and capital improvements beyond NIL. Whether lawmakers will approve the NIL-specific funding is still under discussion, but the proposal highlights how crucial NIL resources have become for college programs, especially those outside power conferences. Do you think state funding for athletic NIL programs is a necessary investment to keep schools competitive, or should NIL compensation be handled entirely through private fundraising and external sponsorships? 👇 Share your thoughts! READ MORE: https://www.kitv.com/sports/uh-athletics/uh-athletics-seeks-5m-for-nil-policies-from-state-legislature/article_939aab59-66ec-4675-9f36-15cca1189b47.html

A bill that would have allowed high school athletes in Mississippi to earn NIL income failed to advance this session, dying in the Mississippi House Judiciary A Committee before a vote. The proposed legislation, known as the Mississippi High School Student-Athlete NIL Protection Act, was written to create a framework where student-athletes could be compensated for their name, image, and likeness under specific rules. Here’s what the bill would have done: - Allowed high school athletes to earn money from endorsements, social media posts, appearances, etc., as long as pay was not tied to performance or used as an inducement to transfer. - Required parent or guardian consent for NIL agreements for minors. - Set up a system where earnings over a certain amount would be placed in a restricted trust account until age 18 or graduation. Mississippi is currently one of the few states without NIL protections for high school athletes, and the bill’s failure means that status remains unchanged for now. Stakeholders, including the Mississippi High School Activities Association and some coaches, expressed concerns about competitive balance, fairness, and the impact on amateurism. Should high school athletes be allowed to earn NIL income under structured protections or do concerns about competitive balance, recruiting, and amateurism outweigh the benefits? 👇 What’s your take? READ MORE: https://www.winonatimes.com/high-school-nil-legislation-quietly-dies-mississippi-698e27e8be23b