Unlocking the Power of NIL for Small College Athletics

As we approach the third year of NIL in collegiate sports, one thing is clear: the opportunity and excitement is not confined to the grand arenas of Division I. Administrators, coaches, and stakeholders across the spectrum of small college athletics have increasingly embraced this new era and enhanced their support to help every athlete succeed.

For our team at Opendorse, this momentum is clear. In addition to partnerships with over 70 Non-Division I institutions, we have developed strategic relationships with leading associations and conferences including the NAIA, NJCAA, MIAA (D2), KCAC (NAIA), and OAC (D3). We also recently announced the Opendorse Bowl Series, a historic event featuring top teams from four Division III conferences (HCAC, NCAC, OAC, and PAC).

Despite the media’s focus on NIL in Division I sports, make no mistake; these new rights have created opportunities and impact at every level.

Real Opportunity at Every Level

In addition to our role as a partner for institutions and athletic departments, Opendorse works hand-in-hand with brands and businesses to discover athletes and complete NIL deals.

Since NIL’s inception in 2021, more than 400 small college athletes have used Opendorse to complete commercial NIL opportunities with brands.

Average NIL earnings for athletes vary by sport and division, and currently stand at the following:

DII - $390

DIII - $400

NAIA - $235

So, how can institutions best-support their student-athletes to maximize this opportunity?

1. Maximize Access to Opportunities

Making athletes accessible to interested businesses, brands and supporters is the first step to institutional NIL success. For our partners, this means a marketplace where athletes can easily be found and securely contacted for potential opportunities. We believe this to be the ‘front door’ of NIL for an institution.

Here, athletes receive a personalized profile that they can promote on their own social media channels and set their own pricing and activities of interest (eg: social media promotions, camps, appearances, and more). Athletes also gain insight into their own market rate of these activities based on social media followers, school, sport and more.

2. Empower with Education

NIL is still new to college sports and questions naturally abound. And while many large-school athletes can find NIL success simply through school affiliation or mass exposure, athletes at smaller schools often find success through creative endeavor and personal skills. These opportunities include building a large social media audience, hosting local camps and lessons, niche interests including art and music, and proactively connecting with local businesses.

While these are largely personal endeavors, athletes need insight into how their passions and skills can effectively and safely be monetized alongside their college experience. Additionally, tax preparation, policy changes, compliance, contract negotiation and other best practices are of high importance to help athletes successfully navigate this space.

Opendorse has existed as a leader in athlete marketing for over a decade is proudly provides virtual and on-site sessions to athletes and partners as well as expert webinars and digital on-demand education. Our curriculum is geared to support athletes with actionable, real-world applications for how to approach NIL; not only to succeed in their four years on campus, but throughout their early professional lives.

3. Centralize NIL Operations

This is a constantly shifting, evolving ecosystem that impacts every part of an athletic department. Our most successful partners tend to be those that bring clarity to their athletes and institutions by centralizing their operations. By facilitating communications, compliance, and commercial opportunities under one industry-leading roof, our partners and their athletes can simply daily efforts and maximize their opportunities on and off campus. 

The NIL market has and will continue to grow and change throughout every level of college athletics. Please reach out at Opendorse.com/contact to discuss how you can continue to best-support and maximize opportunities for athletes at your institution.