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Hey All-Stars and Brand-Builders,
Welcome to this critical late-November edition of The Helm. While most people are focused on playoff brackets and rivalry games, we're tracking seismic shifts happening beneath the surface, shifts that will fundamentally reshape how you navigate NIL opportunities in 2026 and beyond.
This isn't just news coverage, its intel that separates those who react from those who dominate.
The Big Picture: What Late November Revealed
The final weeks of November 2025 exposed the growing pains of a system transitioning from chaos to structure. Federal legislators are drawing battle lines, state regulations continue their patchwork expansion, enforcement mechanisms are tightening, and the money flowing through NIL channels has reached unprecedented scale.
Most importantly: the rules you learned six months ago are already outdated. Athletes and families who stay current have a massive advantage over those operating on old information.
Follow the Money: $87.5M and Rising
The College Sports Commission's latest data drop reveals the explosive growth of the NIL marketplace, but the numbers tell a more nuanced story than the headlines suggest.
Navigator Insight: The average deal value dropped from earlier reports due to a surge in lower-tier video game licensing and mass-market partnerships. This isn't a market contraction, it's democratization. More athletes are getting deals, even if individual values are modest.
What This Means for Different Athletes
For Power Four Athletes:
The competition for top-tier deals is intensifying. Your edge comes from stacking multiple four-figure partnerships rather than chasing the elusive seven-figure unicorn. Think portfolio strategy, not lottery ticket.
For Mid-Major Athletes:
You're entering the golden age. The proliferation of smaller deals means brands are finally recognizing value beyond blue-blood programs. Your authentic local following can compete with manufactured national followings.
For FCS/D2 Athletes:
The door is opening wider than ever. Video game licensing, local businesses, and niche brands are creating opportunities that didn't exist 18 months ago. The key is professional execution, even on modest deals.
Action Items: Making the Numbers Work for You
Research comparative deal values at your competition level and position using Opendorse valuations and NIL Go transparency data
Build a diversified deal portfolio - aim for 3-5 smaller partnerships rather than dependence on one major deal
Track your market positioning - how does your social engagement compare to teammates getting deals?
Set realistic income targets - most athletes should think $5K-$15K annually, not $500K
Post-House Reality: Direct Payments and Power Consolidation
The House settlement isn't just changing the game, it's creating an entirely new playing field with winners and losers already emerging.
The New Financial Framework
Component | Details | Your Strategy |
Direct School Payments | Up to ~$20.5M per athletic department annually starting 2025-26 | Ask coaches HOW this money will be allocated across sports and positions |
CSC Enforcement | University Participation Agreements require arbitration for disputes | Understand that schools have limited ability to challenge CSC decisions |
Third-Party NIL | Continues alongside direct payments but with tighter scrutiny | Expect more formal compliance reviews of all deals |
Warning Box: The CSC's "University Participation Agreement" is forcing schools to accept binding arbitration and waive court challenges. This means when the CSC flags your deal as problematic, your school has limited recourse to defend you. Document everything and keep deals defensibly aligned with fair market value.
Questions to Ask During Recruitment
π§ Coach's Corner: When evaluating programs, don't just ask about their NIL collective, ask about their House settlement strategy. Specifically:
"Which sports are prioritized in direct payments?"
"How many athletes in my position typically receive direct payments?"
"What's your compliance process for third-party NIL deals?"
"How do you work with the CSC when deals are flagged?"
Programs with sophisticated answers demonstrate they've done the strategic planning. Vague responses or defensive reactions are red flags that they're still figuring it out, which puts you at risk.
Federal Battleground: SCORE vs. SAFE and Executive Action
Washington D.C. is about to fundamentally reshape your NIL reality, whether you're paying attention or not. Here's what you need to understand about the competing visions for your future.
The SCORE Act: Republican Framework
What it promises:
National NIL standards replacing the current state-by-state patchwork
Clear federal rules on what constitutes legitimate NIL vs. pay-for-play
Protections for schools and the NCAA from continued litigation
What critics warn:
Could cap direct school payments below current House settlement levels
May restrict transfer flexibility through tighter portal rules
Prioritizes institutional protection over athlete empowerment
Could create compliance burdens that disadvantage smaller schools and non-revenue sports
The SAFE Act: Democratic Counter-Proposal
What it emphasizes:
Athlete protections including robust transfer flexibility
Post-eligibility benefits and healthcare provisions
Specific protections for non-revenue and Olympic sports
Women's sports equity enforcement mechanisms
Trump Executive Order: "Saving College Sports"
Key directives:
Push for revenue-sharing models that preserve women's and non-revenue sports
Prohibit certain third-party pay-for-play structures that undermine amateurism framework
Direct federal agencies to clarify athlete employment status for tax and labor law
Navigator Insight: This isn't political theater, it's a power struggle over who controls college athletics' future. The SCORE Act favors institutional stability and NCAA authority. The SAFE Act prioritizes athlete mobility and protection. The Executive Order attempts to preserve Title IX balance while acknowledging market realities.
Your move? Build NIL strategies flexible enough to survive any regulatory outcome. Diversify income sources, maintain transfer eligibility, document everything, and avoid deals structured primarily to evade compliance.
Regulatory Risk Mitigation Checklist
Diversify your NIL portfolio - Don't depend on any single deal structure that might be targeted by federal legislation
Maintain clean transfer eligibility - Federal caps on transfers may be coming; preserve your flexibility
Choose schools with 3-4 year stability plans - Ask how programs are preparing for potential federal roster limits and revenue caps
Avoid "creative" NIL structures - If a deal feels designed to dodge rules, it probably won't survive regulatory scrutiny
Understand employment implications - The executive order on athlete employment status will have tax consequences; consult professionals
High School NIL: Ohio Becomes the 45th State
The November 24th Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) emergency vote represents one of the most dramatic NIL expansion stories of 2025, and it carries lessons for everyone navigating this space.
How It Happened: Jamier Brown's Legal Stand
When Huber Heights Wayne five-star wide receiver and Ohio State commit Jamier Brown lost local endorsement opportunities due to OHSAA's NIL ban, his family didn't just complain, they filed a federal lawsuit. The temporary restraining order they secured forced OHSAA's hand, triggering the emergency referendum.
The vote: 447-121 in favor, with 247 abstentions, reflecting both the inevitability of change and lingering concerns about implementation.
π§ Coach's Corner: "The courts have spoken... we cannot prevent student-athletes from making money on their NIL," OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute acknowledged. This wasn't a philosophical embrace of NIL, it was legal reality forcing institutional adaptation.
The Ohio Rules: What's Allowed and What's Not
Permitted | Prohibited | Required |
β’ Endorsements β’ Social media content β’ Personal appearances β’ Brand partnerships | β’ Pay-for-play arrangements β’ NIL activities during school/practice β’ Transfer-linked NIL deals | β’ Report ALL deals within 14 days β’ Valid business purpose β’ Fair market value |
β οΈ Warning Box: Penalties for non-compliance include season suspensions. Ohio's 14-day reporting requirement and transfer scrutiny mean that every deal needs documentation and every recruitment conversation needs to stay clean.
High School NIL Landscape: Updated Status
Status | States | Key Details |
Permitted (Full) | 30+ states including OH, CA, TN, MS | Comprehensive NIL rights with varying restrictions |
Permitted (Partial/Restricted) | ~15 states with limitations | Often prohibit school logos, team imagery, or certain deal types |
Prohibited | 5 states including TX (partial for 17+), AL, MS (pre-2025) | Active litigation brewing in several holdout states |
The trend is clear: ~90% of states now permit some form of high school NIL. Federal standardization through the SCORE Act could establish nationwide rules by 2026.
What High School Athletes and Parents Should Know
High School NIL Strategy Guide
Start with local businesses - Early deals will typically range from $500-$2,000 for local promotions, appearances, social media posts
Document everything rigorously - State associations are watching closely; compliance violations can cost you your season
Avoid recruitment-linked deals - Any NIL arrangement that appears contingent on college choice will trigger violations
Treat every agreement as a contract - Get clarity on deliverables, duration, payment terms, and termination clauses
Use free compliance resources - NIL Go, SquarePact, and state association guidance can help you avoid costly mistakes
Ask recruiting questions directly - "What percentage of your NIL money goes to my sport/position, and how many athletes share that allocation?"
π§ Navigator Insight: Ohio's expansion means 100,000+ new NIL-eligible athletes just entered the marketplace, primarily in football and volleyball. This will create initial opportunities for early movers who build brands quickly, followed by increased competition as the market matures.
The prediction: Expect a recruiting arms race in Ohio as collectives and local businesses target top prospects. Athletes with professional execution and clean compliance will dominate.
CSC Enforcement Showdown: Schools Push Back on Authority
The November 25th reports of friction between the College Sports Commission and major programs reveal a power struggle that will shape NIL's future enforcement landscape.
The CSC's Power Play
The CSC is requiring schools to sign "University Participation Agreements" that include:
Binding arbitration for all NIL disputes and enforcement actions
Waiver of court challenges to CSC decisions on deal validity and punishments
Expanded audit authority to flag overvalued or pay-for-play arrangements
π§ Coach's Corner: CSC CEO Bryan Seeley defended the aggressive approach as essential for "fair market value" checks and preventing the booster-driven chaos that characterized NIL's early days. The fact that zero arbitrations have occurred so far, he argues, shows the system is working as a deterrent.
The Institutional Resistance
Texas Tech publicly criticized the participation agreements, arguing they:
Cede too much control to an unaccountable enforcement body
Provide inadequate due process protections for schools and athletes
Create uncertainty that could chill legitimate NIL activity
Texas Tech, a top-10 NIL spender, isn't alone. Multiple Power Four programs are privately expressing similar concerns about surrendering judicial review rights.
π§ Navigator Insight: This tension reveals the fundamental challenge of NIL enforcement: who watches the watchmen? The CSC needs authority to prevent egregious violations, but unchecked power creates risk of arbitrary or inconsistent enforcement.
What this means for you: Expect increased scrutiny of deal valuations, particularly for booster-linked collectives. The CSC will target arrangements that appear designed primarily to circumvent pay-for-play restrictions.
The Title IX Dimension
One underreported aspect of CSC enforcement: ensuring equitable distribution under Title IX. With revenue sharing capped at $20.5M per school starting 2025-26, the CSC's audits will examine whether non-revenue sports, especially women's sports, receive fair allocations.
The enforcement mechanism: Deals that appear to funnel disproportionate resources to football and men's basketball while leaving women's sports underfunded could be flagged as Title IX violations, not just NIL problems.
Protecting Yourself in the Enforcement Era
Understand fair market value for your position and platform - Use Opendorse, comparable deals, and industry standards
Provide legitimate services for compensation - Social posts, appearances, and content must be real and documented
Disclose deals promptly - For college athletes, report agreements over $600 within 5 days to avoid eligibility issues
Avoid booster-heavy collectives with unclear funding - If you can't identify legitimate business purposes, the CSC will question it too
Female athletes: Track resource disparities - If your program's NIL support dramatically lags men's sports, document it for potential Title IX advocacy
Translation: Do it right, and compliance is smooth. Try to game the system, and you'll face scrutiny.
Emerging Threats and Opportunities
Legal Entropy: The Antitrust and Roster Cap Nexus
November 28 discussions tied NIL to potential roster caps for 2025-26, with sport-specific limits possibly triggering cuts at Power Five schools. The Jett Elad antitrust case (May ruling) established that Division I NIL advantages systematically disadvantage JUCO transfer paths.
What's at stake: If roster caps are implemented alongside revenue sharing, programs will face brutal decisions about which athletes to retain, potentially creating a massive secondary transfer market.
Foreign Funding Scrutiny
UNC's Saudi Arabia trip triggered congressional inquiries about foreign entities funding NIL arrangements. Expect increased oversight of international brand partnerships and collective funding sources with foreign connections.
Transfer Loopholes: The Colorado High School Case
A November 30 Denver Post exposΓ© revealed Colorado high school athletes exploiting transfer rules to jump between programs mid-season using NIL as justification. State associations are scrambling to close loopholes before they spread nationally.
Warning Box: The "program-jumping" phenomenon demonstrates NIL's potential to destabilize competitive integrity. Expect aggressive new restrictions on mid-season transfers and NIL-linked movement at both high school and college levels.
NAIA's NIL Expansion
A viral November 27 story featured an NAIA squad (mix of freshmen, D1 transfers, and walk-ons) nearly upsetting a ranked D1 program. The subtext: NIL is trickling down to smaller schools that can compete through smart, targeted deals rather than massive budgets.
The opportunity: NAIA and D2 programs with professional NIL infrastructure can now compete for talent that would have defaulted to low-major D1 schools. For athletes, this expands your options significantly.
Your December Action Plan
As we head into the holidays and preparation for 2026, here's your strategic roadmap based on late November developments:
For Current College Athletes
Audit your current deals for CSC compliance red flags (overvaluation, vague deliverables, booster ties)
Diversify your NIL portfolio before new federal regulations potentially restrict certain deal structures
Document all services provided in exchange for NIL compensation, creating a compliance paper trail
Research your program's House settlement allocation strategy to understand 2026 direct payment potential
If you're a female athlete, track resource disparities and consider collective advocacy if gaps are significant
For High School Prospects
If you're in Ohio or a newly-permitting state, start building local brand partnerships immediately (first-mover advantage is real)
Ask detailed NIL questions during recruitment:
What percentage of your collective/revenue-sharing goes to my position?
How many athletes in my sport share that allocation?
What's your track record for securing third-party deals for athletes in my sport?
How do you handle CSC compliance and deal documentation?
Never link NIL discussions to commitment decisions in ways that could trigger recruiting violations
Treat every NIL offer as a formal contract requiring legal review and clear terms
Build your personal brand now - authentic social media presence, community engagement, and content creation skills
For Parents and Coaches
Educate yourself on federal legislative developments (SCORE Act vs. SAFE Act) that will reshape NIL in 2026
Help athletes understand fair market value for their position, sport, and platform using Opendorse and comparative data
Connect athletes with compliance resources: NIL Go for reporting, SquarePact for contract review, state association guidance
Host compliance workshops if you're a coach in a newly-permitting state like Ohio
Build relationships with reputable collectives and local businesses rather than chasing the biggest numbers from questionable sources
We have a special game-changing collaboration with Actualization.ai and their tool: SquarePact, the platform that makes contracts simple.
NIL contracts can be packed with confusing fine print, but with SquarePact, you can upload your deal and get NIL specific AI-powered insights in minutes. See key terms, obligations, and red flags in plain English so you can make smarter decisions before you sign.
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]
The Final Whistle: Your Competitive Advantage Starts Now
Late November 2025 exposed the tension at the heart of NIL's evolution: the system is maturing, but it's not mature yet. We're in the messy middle between chaos and structure, where opportunities exist alongside significant risks.
The optimistic view: More athletes are earning more money than ever before. High school expansion, non-revenue sport growth, and mid-major opportunities are democratizing access. The CSC's transparency initiative is creating accountability that protects athletes from exploitation.
The realistic caution: Federal intervention could restrict opportunities. Enforcement mechanisms create compliance burdens. Programs are learning that spending money doesn't guarantee success. And the athletes most vulnerable to exploitation are often those with the least sophisticated support systems.
π§ Navigator Truth: The athletes who will thrive in 2026 and beyond aren't necessarily the most talented or highest-paid. They're the ones who:
Stay educated about regulatory changes
Build diversified, defensible deal portfolios
Maintain pristine compliance documentation
Think strategically about long-term brand value
Surround themselves with competent advisors
This isn't just about maximizing your college NIL earnings, it's about developing the business literacy, brand management skills, and professional habits that will serve you for decades after your playing career ends.
The professional skills you're learning right now:
Contract evaluation and negotiation
Brand positioning and audience development
Financial planning and tax management
Compliance and regulatory navigation
Relationship building with business partners
Content creation and digital marketing
Whether you make $5,000 or $500,000 from NIL during your college career, these skills translate directly into post-graduation success in any field you choose.
π§ Coach's Corner: The best athletes I work with approach NIL the same way they approach their sport: with discipline, preparation, and a commitment to continuous improvement. They don't chase quick money; they build sustainable value. They don't cut corners on compliance; they create systems that protect themselves.
That's the difference between maximizing a moment and building a legacy.
As we close out 2025 and prepare for 2026: The NIL landscape will continue evolving rapidly. Federal legislation could fundamentally reshape the rules. Enforcement will tighten. Competition for deals will intensify. Programs will professionalize their approaches.
But through all the change, one truth remains constant: the athletes who understand the map control where the game goes next.
That's why The Helm exists. That's why NIL Navigator is your competitive advantage. That's why staying educated, staying strategic, and staying ahead matters more than ever.
Got a specific state question or deal scenario? We're here to help you navigate:
π¬ 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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