NIL Resource Center

Dear Administrators, Coaches, and Student-Athletes,

Welcome to the USCAA NIL Resource Center.  Here, you will find pertinent information on NIL including the history of NIL legislation, links to federal and state laws on NIL, and resources to assist you with compliance to the law and to support your athletic programs.  As always, if you have any questions related to NIL, please contact the USCAA national office by email at info@theuscaa.com or phone at 757.798.9536.

USCAA NIL Policy

During the 2022 USCAA Annual Convention, the membership voted to approve the following NIL Policy and ammendments to the Amateurism policy.  

24.5.7 Name, Image, and Likeness and Amateur Status

Name, Image, and Likeness

1. Student-athletes can engage in NIL activities that are consistent with Federal, State, and Local laws and USCAA policies where the school is located.
2. Institutions must develop reporting procedures (required in most states) for student-athletes to report any NIL appearances and/or contracts.
3. Student-athletes must report all NIL activities in accordance with all date and time requirements consistent with state law and all conference and/or institutional guidelines.  (i.e. 7 days prior to execution in the state of Pennsylvania). 
4. Student-athletes who attend a school in a state without an NIL law must abide by all Federal and USCAA NIL policies. 
5. Student-Athletes are encouraged to enlist the guidance of a licensed professional service provider, in accordance with state law, if applicable, for NIL activities.
6. Student-athletes may not earn compensation as a result of the use of their name, image or likeness in connection with a person, company or organization related to or associated with the development, production, distribution, wholesaling or retailing of any of the following:
   1. Adult entertainment products and services.
   2. Alcohol products.
   3. Casinos and gambling, including sports betting, the lottery and betting in connection with online games and mobile devices.
   4. Tobacco and electronic smoking products and devices.
   5. A controlled dangerous substance.
   6. State and federally restricted categories (i.e. firearms, pharmaceuticals, etc.) (Adopted 6/8/2022).

Amateurism Status

Only amateur students shall be eligible to participate in a given sport. A student athlete would not be considered an amateur and thus be ineligible if they engage in any of the following:

1. Accept payment, promise of payment, or reimbursement (direct or indirect) outside of NIL policy (Federal, State, Local, USCAA) that exceed expenses of travel, meals, and lodging.
2. Receive payment for any public appearance or promotion of product/business without following all federal, state and institutional NIL guidelines.
3. Participate in any event where a cash prize is awarded AND accept any prize monies that exceed the cost of event registration. 
4. Sign a contract of commitment of any kind to play professional athletics, even if no pay or compensation for expenses are received, without prior approval from the USCAA, including competition on National Teams. 
5. Enter into an agreement of any kind with an individual or group of individuals (“sports agent”) authorized to represent the athlete with a professional sports organization for marketing and/or to seek a professional contract. 
6. Enter into a professional draft (Adopted 6/8/2022).
   

About NIL

• History of NIL

NIL Laws & Upcoming Legislation

• Business of College Sports | Tracker: Name, Image, and Likeness Legislation by State
  

• Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr NIL Legislation Tracker

Member Resources 

• Sample NIL Reporting Policy for Institutions

• Sample Reporting Form

• Exemption Form

• Best Practices for Member Institutions

• Quick Guide for Student-Athletes

USCAA Town Hall on NIL 

• USCAA NIL Town Hall Recording | October 1, 2021

• USCAA Town Hall Slide Deck