Top 10 NCAA Sports that Generate the MOST NIL Money

Hey everyone,

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This week I’ll be looking NIL and for those that may not know, NIL stands for “Name, Image, and Likeness” and was introduced by the NCAA on June 31st, 2021, allowing for the first time ever, college athletes to monetize themselves and profit off of their name, image, and likeness. This has long been a hot debate topic among fans, journalists, athletes, and institutions and frequently divided opinion. Allowing athletes to profit off themselves in the same way that their schools do in their respective sports, is a massive step in the direction of positive athlete empowerment. Without getting into too much debate on the pros/cons of NIL, we are going to take a look at the top 10 highest earning sports in the NCAA in terms of NIL earnings generated. Now, let’s get stuck in!

According to cnbc.com, the top 10 college sports for NIL compensation in 2022 are as follows:

1. Football - 49.6%

2. Men’s Basketball - 18.9%

3. Women’s Basketball - 12.6%

4. Women’s Volleyball - 2.5%

5. Softball - 1.9%

6. Baseball - 1.5%

7. Women’s Track & Field - 1.4%

8. Women’s Gymnastics - 1.4%

9. Men’s Track & Field - 1.4%

10. Women’s Swimming & Diving - 1.1%

While the first two might seem fairly obvious to active NCAA followers and casual fans, it is extremely encouraging to see that three women’s sports round out the top 5, with women’s sports in general beating out the men’s sports 6 to 4 in this ranking. Obviously football is going to blow the other sports away here, boasting almost 50% of the total market share in 2022. But to see women’s basketball just 6 points off men’s basketball, with women’s volleyball and softball beating out baseball, is truly positive and a massive win for NIL as a system in general.

The great thing about NIL is that it truly gives any athlete regardless of sport or gender, the opportunity to receive what they are worth. This is based on a variety of different factors, mainly down to skill, school/roster strength, and social media following/presence. While some sports might always be more popular than others, it still gives those who participate in less popular sports the same opportunity as those in the more popular programs. We still have a ways to go in truly leveling the playing field between men’s and women’s sport (across all levels), but NIL at least gives female athletes the opportunity to earn something based on their ability.

There also seems to be an active push from brands to get more involved in women’s sports, and make legitimate efforts to sign these athletes. According to Kayla Bock from Rutgers University, “there are those companies out there that are actively looking for women and looking for specific sports”, even though many of the larger deals going towards football and basketball players. It’s great to know that there are companies out there actively looking to prioritize female athletes, and contribute to the growth of women’s sports. Not only will this have a positive impact on women’s collegiate sports, but also the wider collegiate sports ecosystem in general.

Arguably the most important aspect of NIL, is an athletes presence on social media. According to cnbc.com, “12% more women use social media than men, and companies are recognizing this as more NIL deals are signed.” Companies and brands want to see their investments pay off, and the best way to do this is by partnering with athletes who can market their brands effectively, which in this case seems to favor female athletes more than their male counterparts. Hopefully we continue to see the NIL landscape continue to grow and benefit athletes from all backgrounds, and finally give collegiate student-athletes what they are worth.

Thanks for reading everyone, and until next week, enjoy your weekend!

Cheers,

Jason