On October 13, Penn State Athletic Director Scott Kraft made headlines by explicitly stating that the Nittany Lions' next head football coach must be able to "attract elite talent, retain players in the NIL era, and make Penn State a destination." Translation? NIL management is no longer a nice-to-have skill for coaches: it's a job requirement.

This represents a fundamental shift in how elite programs evaluate coaching candidates. We're moving toward a "GM-style" model where coaches must be as savvy about NIL negotiations, collective management, and revenue-sharing strategies as they are about X's and O's.

🧭 Navigator Insight: For athletes, this means your coaching staff's NIL competency directly impacts your earning potential. Programs with sophisticated NIL operations will attract better talent, secure bigger deals, and create more opportunities. When evaluating schools during recruitment, ask pointed questions about their NIL infrastructure, collective relationships, and track record of securing deals for athletes in your position.

Expect 15-20 major programs to follow Penn State's lead within the next recruiting cycle. Schools without NIL-savvy coaches will find themselves at a severe competitive disadvantage, potentially accelerating staff turnover at under-resourced programs.

The Situation: Reports confirm that the College Sports Commission's NIL Go platform - designed to approve and monitor NIL deals under the House settlement, has become a bottleneck nightmare. An estimated $11 million in athlete payments remains tied up due to technical glitches, privacy concerns, and rejection risks.

The Numbers Tell the Story:

Coach's Corner: When a compliance system designed to protect you becomes an obstacle to getting paid, something's fundamentally broken. The platform's low submission rates aren't about athlete non-compliance, they're about a system that hasn't earned the trust of the people it's supposed to serve.

What This Means for You: If you're waiting on NIL Go approval for a deal, you're not alone. More importantly, this situation highlights why having multiple revenue streams is critical. Never let a single deal or platform delay become your financial breaking point.

Navigator Protection Strategy: Document everything. Keep records of submitted deals, communication with collectives, and approval timelines. If the platform fails to process your agreement within reasonable timeframes, having documentation protects you if disputes arise. Additionally, diversify your NIL portfolio across multiple partners and payment channels to avoid single points of failure.

Looking Ahead: Expect legal challenges to the NIL Go system within the next 6-12 months, potentially forcing platform overhauls before 2026 revenue sharing fully ramps up. The athletes who navigate this transition smartly with diversified income and proper documentation, will emerge strongest.

Here's a reality that doesn't get enough attention: if you're an international student-athlete competing in the U.S., the NIL opportunity that's transforming your teammates' lives might be completely off-limits to you.

The Challenge: Most international athletes study in the U.S. on F-1 visas, which severely restrict off-campus work. NIL activities performed in the U.S.—signing autographs, hosting events, creating sponsored content—are generally considered unauthorized employment that can jeopardize visa status.

The Restrictions:

The Frustrating Reality: While the House v. NCAA settlement allows direct school compensation starting July 2025, no federal immigration reform has resolved the F-1 visa conflict. Universities commonly advise international athletes to avoid NIL entirely or limit activities to travel abroad, leaving them sidelined while domestic teammates cash in.

Proposed Solutions: Federal legislative proposals like the SCORE Act have suggested creating a special F-1 subcategory for NIL compensation, but as of today, no unified federal NIL law exists.

If you're a domestic athlete: Recognize the privilege you have in this space. Your international teammates contribute just as much to your program's success but face barriers you don't. Advocate for them. Share platforms when possible. The best teams support all their players.

The Bigger Picture: This issue exposes a fundamental equity problem in college athletics. International athletes generate value for programs, conferences, and the NCAA but remain locked out of compensation their domestic counterparts access freely. Until federal legislation addresses this, international athletes will need creative legal structuring and vigilant compliance to participate in even limited NIL opportunities.

Arkansas Terminates Blueprint Partnership: On October 8, the Razorbacks ended their relationship with the Blueprint NIL collective, citing "alignment issues in the evolving revenue-sharing era." This follows similar splits at other SEC schools.

What This Signals: The third-party collective model is becoming increasingly unstable as schools pivot toward in-house NIL operations and direct revenue sharing. While this transition may free up millions for direct athlete payments, it creates short-term disruption and uncertainty.

🧭 Navigator Protection Play: If your school's collective relationship changes, your deals may be affected. Understand the terms of your agreements—specifically whether contracts are with the collective, the school, or a brand directly. Diversification protects you when institutional relationships shift.

The Hard Truth: In the transition from collective-driven NIL to school-managed revenue sharing, some athletes will fall through the cracks. Don't let that be you. Build direct relationships with brands when possible, maintain multiple income streams, and never assume institutional arrangements will remain stable.

We have a special game-changing collaboration with Actualization.ai and their tool: SquarePact, the platform that makes contracts simple.

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This means that every NIL Navigator athlete and family now has access to fast, clear contract analysis, giving you the confidence to protect your future and maximize your opportunities.

Tap into this partnership and get your first contract analyzed by emailing [email protected]

We're in the messy middle of NIL's evolution. The wild west days are ending, but the new structures aren't fully built yet. Payment platforms are struggling. Coaching requirements are changing. International athletes remain locked out. Collectives are dissolving.

But here's what hasn't changed: Your value is real. Your brand matters. Your opportunities exist; if you know where to look and how to protect yourself.

The athletes who will thrive in this transitional moment are the ones who:

NIL Navigator exists to be your compass through this chaos. When platforms fail, when rules change, when opportunities shift, we're here to help you navigate, adapt, and ultimately dominate.

Your next move isn't guaranteed to be your best move unless you understand the landscape you're operating in.

Stay strategic. Stay authentic. Stay ready.

Game on, The NIL Navigator Team

💬 Pay it forward: Share this newsletter with an athlete, coach, or parent who wants to level up their NIL game

The Helm Newsletter is published weekly for athletes, parents, and coaches navigating the modern student-athlete sports landscape. Have a topic suggestion or question? Reach out to us at [email protected]

Disclaimer: NIL Navigator provides general information and education, not legal advice. For legal matters, please consult a qualified attorney.

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