NIL is going younger and younger

Is this a growing trend?

Author

Tariq Ahmad
January 29, 2025

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NIL is going younger and younger

Is this a growing trend?

Young person looking at phone (Photo Credit: Stocksy)

Some time ago, I received a message from an athlete:

“Hey man. Any chance you can get me a car NIL deal?”

My question to the athlete:

“Hey man. Do you even have a driver’s license?”

Him: “No but I have a permit.”

This athlete was 16 years old.

Athletes are wanting NIL deals - and the asks are coming from athletes who are younger and younger every year. (High school age athletes.)

What should be the focus?

  • Building your brand

    • I know I’ve run this point into the ground, but it bears repeating: All athletes should be building their brand - and this benefits high school athletes as much as college and pro athletes. Defining who you are and what you stand for will be beneficial for you now and for your post-playing days.

    • Younger athletes can look at what college athletes are doing and mimic their strategy (to an extent)

    • If not doing the above, then working with a professional (such as myself) can provide useful guidance and training.

  • Create content regularly

    • By creating content on a regular basis, this will allows your audience (and brands) to see a glimpse of who you are.

    • Don’t worry about how good or bad the content is. Just get your reps in. The more content you create and post, the better you will become.

  • If you focus on these first two points, your NIL deals will follow

    • Just like with an athlete’s sport: The more reps and practice they partake in, the better chance they will have to earn playing time.

    • NIL is no different: Lay the foundation of a personal brand and content creation (and proactiveness on your part), and brands will follow.

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