On October 1, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved an amendment to NIL rules as “emergency legislation” due to the upcoming Scholarship Signing Date on November 12 (for all sports other than Football). 

This amendment stipulates that effective July 1, 2025:

“An institution shall NOT provide a written or oral guarantee to a student-athlete of a third-party NIL contract or payment.”

“A guarantee is any written or oral statement that the institution will be responsible for such contract or payment if not fulfilled by the third party.”

There is an Exception to the above new rule which states:  “If prior to July 1, 2025, an institution guaranteed a third-party NIL contract or payment…such guarantee is permissible…”

What This Amendment Means:

For Student-Athletes who sign with a school on or after July 1, 2025:

• Schools are NOT allowed to guarantee, either orally or in writing, that they will cover payment for a third-party NIL contract or payment should the third party not fulfill their obligation to the student-athlete. 

For Student-Athletes who signed an NIL Agreement with a school before July 1, 2025,

• If an institution guaranteed a third-party NIL contract prior to July 1, 2025, the guarantee is permissible. 

Do You Have Questions?

If you or your athlete has questions regarding Signing Day – what it means and what to know specifically about your situation, schedule a confidential scholarship strategies consult online, call us at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com