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- This one conference should level up their NIL game
This one conference should level up their NIL game
Tariq Ahmad
September 17, 2025
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Ivy League logo (Photo Credit: sportslogos.net)
We hear a lot about Power 4 Conferences and the NIL efforts at those schools.
Revenue Share, Collectives, brand partnerships, etc.
(We also hear about G5 schools and NIL to a lesser extent.)
However, one conference has always stood out to me that could really crush NIL if they put forth the effort:
Ivy League.
Although Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships, that does not prevent athletes from building their brand and capitalizing on NIL partnerships.
There are instances of Ivy League athletes and teams doing deals, such as Columbia women’s basketball. However, these opportunities are few and far between.
Why Ivy?
Wealthy alum
As there are numerous Ivy League alum who work in various industries (many of them in executive roles), it would make sense for these individuals to provide NIL opportunities to student-athletes.
Additionally, giving back to these athletes and programs can provide pipelines into the companies where these alum work. In turn, this can motivate those student-athletes to give back to their college teams and continue the cycle.
Olympic Sports
While Ivy League schools are not known for football, many of them excel at Olympic sports, such as fencing, rowing, lacrosse, and field hockey.
As these sports typically do not generate revenue, giving money to these teams can boost NIL efforts and commercial opportunities afforded to the athletes.
Larger local audiences to tap into
Three of eight Ivy League schools are in or close to large metropolitan areas. (Columbia → New York City, Penn → Philadelphia, Harvard → Boston.)
Therefore, incorporating local athletes into partnerships with organizations in those cities can prove meaningful for both athlete and brand on a broader scale. (ie., beyond a college town.)
Speaking of audience, the largest audience that Ivy League sports will encounter annually is March Madness. Therefore, these teams should be ready for those big moments when they arrive - and capitalize accordingly.
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