Get NIL Deals In Writing

Why having written NIL agreements is important

Author

Tariq Ahmad
January 08, 2025

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Get NIL Deals In Writing

Why having written NIL agreements is important

Contract and pen. (Photo Credit: patch.com)

We’ve probably all done some type of agreement that was approved verbally or by handshake.

Some of these deals may have been formal.

Other deals, moreso unofficial or deals between friends.

Most of these deals have probably gone off without a hitch.

However, that is not always the case.

Take two recent college sports situations:

Why written agreements are important

  • Accountability for the organization

    • By having an agreement in writing, this holds the brand responsible for ensuring they uphold their end of the bargain

    • Brands may tell an athlete one thing and deliver (or not) another thing, so it’s important brands are aligned on partnership details.

  • Ensuring the athlete fulfills their contractual obligations

    • In turn, a written contract also ensures the student-athlete is meeting their requirements. (Number of posts, tagging the brand, no school logos in posts, etc.)

    • By doing this, a brand can also come back to the athlete if they feel said athlete is not fulfilling their side of the deal.

  • Grounds for a lawsuit

    • Worst-case scenario (as highlighted above with Leonard Hamilton and FSU) and something that all parties can (hopefully) avoid.

    • Transparent and regular communication between brands and athletes (and of course, written contracts) can alleviate a lot of problems, with a lawsuit being a last resort.

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