State & Federal Governments Will Flex in 2026
If you think NIL rules feel complicated now, just wait. 2026 is shaping up to be the year when lawmakers finally step into the ring and decide they’re tired of watching college sports run on patchwork rules and crossing their fingers. Both Congress and state legislatures are getting ready to flex, and when they do, the changes will land right on the shoulders of student-athletes. This means you need to pay attention now, and don’t wait for someone to tell you the rules have changed after it’s too late.
At the federal level, the government is pushing two different NIL frameworks. The SCORE Act and the College SPORTS Act both say they want to protect athletes, but each approach your rights in very different ways. The SCORE Act leans toward national control, stronger enforcement, and wiping out state laws. The College SPORTS Act focuses on benefits like long-term medical support, education guarantees, and more structure. Neither bill is perfect, and both would completely change how your NIL rights work overnight. The only thing you can count on is 2026 is the year big government gets involved.
The states are not sitting still either. Colorado and Arizona want schools to pay athletes directly without defining them as employees. Pennsylvania is pushing for tougher contract protections. Texas wants to come down hard on shady agents. Others are rewriting their high school and college NIL rules. Every state seems to be running its own NIL experiment, trying to find the combination that works best. This makes the patchwork worse, and if Congress does nothing, the complex web of state laws can create unfair rules for athletes. Depending on where you play, simple local deals or even a summer deal in another state could come with different rules, depending on which state had jurisdiction.
The sad truth is that college athletes will not have the luxury of ignoring these changes. When governments flex, they change what counts as legal, what must be reported, who oversees your contracts, and how much power a school has over your NIL rights. If you don’t pay attention, you cross a line that carries real legal consequences. So stay alert and ask questions! Document everything. Because governments are rewriting the rulebook in 2026.
Wall Street’s Morning Edge.
Investing isn’t about chasing headlines — it’s about clarity. In a world of hype and hot takes, The Daily Upside delivers real value: sharp, trustworthy insights on markets, business, and the economy, written by former bankers and seasoned financial journalists.
That’s why over 1 million investors — from Wall Street pros to Main Street portfolio managers — start their day with The Daily Upside.
Invest better. Read The Daily Upside.
NIL Trends for 2026
NIL is Quietly Going Global
It’s true that most of the money funding NIL deals is still coming from US companies, but international brands are showing up more and more. SponsorUnited over 1700 brands and 3000 deals with tech and global consumer brands. With traditional apparel opportunities shrinking its opening doors to brands that are not usually associated with sports.
Firms tracking NIL trends are highlighting growing opportunities for international endorsements, particularly through digital media channels, as social platforms erase geographic boundaries. You are beginning to see US college athletes promoting global brands to worldwide audiences, as companies based outside of the US try to get a foothold with college sports fans.
Brands like Celsius are targeting pro and college athletes in lifestyle-friendly sports to broaden their appeal. They want athletes who fit naturally into everyday routines like training tips, daily habits, and life on campus. It feels real, it feels repeatable, and it sells.
Virtual NIL is Booming
SponsorUnited tracking shows most deals center on athlete-controlled content on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube. In-person events are trending down. Digital platforms like Opendorse and other NIL marketplaces let brands post campaigns, athletes apply, and everything from outreach to payment happens online.
The fastest growing trend is Esports and gaming. Esports is the new frontier where student gamers and streamers sign NIL-style agreements with teams, sponsors, and platforms. NIL rights in esports are raising familiar questions about how to manage and control the content, but the work is almost entirely online.
Legislation Watch List
Here are just a few of the major bills being considered in 2026:
The SCORE Act: Student Compensation & Opportunity through Rights & Endorsements.
Status: Cleared committee, headed for a vote in the House
What it does: Sets one national NIL standard & overrides state NIL laws
College SPORTS Act: College Student-athlete Protections & Opportunities through Rights, Transparency & Safety.
Introduced on June 10, 2025. No major votes to date.
What it does: Gives real education & health benefits, but also freezes the “not an employee” model and wipes out strong state laws
Colorado BH25-1041
Introduced in 2025, still live going into 2026 as of today.
What it does: Lets schools & conferences pay directly, extends NIL to anyone eligible for college sports, not just rostered players, and shields NIL contracts from public records
Pennsylvania HB1520
Status: Active bill in 2025-26, designed to update the existing NIL law
What it does: Creates stronger protections from bad contracts & tightens contract transparency & enforcement
Arizona SB1615
Status: Signed and in effect as of May 2025, with major impact ramping up for the 2026 recruiting class.
What it does: It lets Arizona D1 schools pay athletes directly without treating them as employees. Let’s schools work with third parties to create deals and even use 50/50 raffles as a funding source.
Texas SB655
Status: Introduced
What it does: Bans contracts that lock up exclusivity or give third parties an excessive cut of earnings. Allows for illegal contracts to face penalties up to $100,000 per violation.
As you can see, these laws are focusing on the rights of athletes to control and earn income from their NIL rights. But that doesn’t mean you can forget about them. Make sure and check to see if your state is changing or passing new NIL laws.
BRANDING:
Your Brand is Global Now: Cashing in on Virtual NIL in 2026
The wildest thing about 2026 is that your brand isn’t limited to your campus or even your country anymore. You can be a backup goalkeeper at a mid-major school and still land a deal with a global fitness brand because they like the way you train and tell your story online. That’s the new world of NIL. Your audience doesn’t stop at the state line, and brands know it.
Everything is shifting to virtual. It makes perfect economic sense for both the sponsor and the athlete. You don’t have to show up at a storefront or a meet and greet to get paid. Most new deals are built on short videos, honest posts, training clips, and the kind of behind-the-scenes content you’re already sharing. This is great for global companies because it’s fast, travels well, and it lets them run your content in ten different countries without flying you all over the world. For the athlete, you can expand your brand without adding extra stress to your schedule.
But it’s not perfect. Don’t forget global outreach comes with global expectations. Brands in Europe or Asia aren’t looking at your highlight reel. They are reading your comments. They are watching how often you post. Are you posting consistently? What is your content like when no one’s tagging you? They are looking for athletes who fit their message and won’t create headaches. For you, make sure you understand every contract, know how your content will be used and make sure you know who owns what when your content goes out to audiences you will never meet.
Globalized, virtual NIL deals could be the great equalizer for athletes at every level. You don’t have to be a star or play for a massive school. You just need a clean brand, a clear voice, and the discipline to show up online the same way you show up at practice.
NOTES & QUOTES
The revenue sharing clarity is still nonexistent. Most schools are dodging questions about formulas, position-based payouts, and how they’re handling opt-in decisions. Athletes are being told to “wait for guidance”, which is rarely a good sign. If you’re part of a program that won’t explain the math, that’s a red flag.
After another round of arrests tied to pitch manipulation rings, sportsbooks are pushing limits on micro bets. College athletes should expect new education requirements and more school-level monitoring because betting is now a compliance issue.
More collectives are signaling budget cuts in 2026. Several donor-driven collectives have quietly warned their athletes that revenue sharing will squeeze their fundraising power next year. Sounds like the days of “easy” NIL deals may be over.
The NCAA pause on sports betting is causing confusion. Athletes across the country are getting mixed messages from compliance offices about what counts as “pro” and what is “gambling activity”, and what they can still do with friends.
“Reputation is built when no one’s watching - and tested when everyone is.”
The best marketing ideas come from marketers who live it. That’s what The Marketing Millennials delivers: real insights, fresh takes, and no fluff. Written by Daniel Murray, a marketer who knows what works, this newsletter cuts through the noise so you can stop guessing and start winning. Subscribe and level up your marketing game.