Shocking New NCAA Data Reveals Numbers for Average NIL Deals

The NCAA just released a new tool that better allows student-athletes to understand what NIL deals actually look

Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) celebrates after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

In trying to understand the impact of NIL on the world of college athletics, the NCAA recently released a public tool to be more open about the deals that student-athletes are signing.

A new tool by the name of NIL Assist was recently unveiled by the NCAA. It is meant to help student-athletes better understand the new world they are entering, which can be hard to navigate.

"Before I even started in my new role at the NCAA, one of the first things I heard from student-athletes and their families was that the NIL landscape was confusing and challenging to navigate," said NCAA President Charlie Baker in a press release. "It was a priority for me from day one to find ways to help student-athletes pursue and capitalize on NIL opportunities with confidence, and a little over a year later, the launch of this platform will help them do exactly that."

Within the new tool is a service by the name of 'Data Dashboard' that reveals some interesting information that was previously unavailable.

Users can find the average and value of disclosed NIL deals as well as what the average athlete earns.

One shocking discovery was that over half of NIL deals are valued at $100 or less. Most people hear about luxurious deals with high price tags, but most athletes aren't coming across those often.

The median disclosure value, meaning the middle price tag when all deals are sorted from least to greatest, is actually just $62. The average is much higher at $2,716.

Most deals are much smaller than the average, but some very valuable accommodations make things look different on the surface.

This is an important step in the right direction for the average athlete understanding what they'll game from the new NIL world.

The average Total Athlete Earnings came in at $21,331 while the median number was at $480.

While the door may be opened for many more opportunities now, it's not automatically life-changing money for every athelte.

Also shown on the dashboard is what percentage of deals are given out in each sport. Not surprisingly, the biggest money maker is football with 37.2% of all agreements.

Men's basketball came in at second with 15.4%. Women's basketball, baseball and softball closed out the top five with each sport accounting for 7.7%.

"The NCAA NIL Assist is a game changer for student-athletes," said Meredith Page, a current volleyball player and vice chair of the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. "Offering market value insights, exceptional education and a registry with standard contracts designed to protect their interests, this platform provides invaluable support for student-athletes."