🏅NIL compliance is confusing. Enter the growing world of consultants.

Hi everyone,

Today’s post dives into the world of compliance and the consultants who’ve carved out quite a niche helping schools navigate the world of NIL. There are some great quotes from officials across college sports. Let’s get to it!

— Joan

NIL compliance is confusing. Enter the growing world of consultants.

by Debra Bangert

When the NCAA finally suspended its longstanding ban on name, image and likeness (NIL) payments in 2021, athletic departments braced for disruption. But few anticipated just how expensive clarity would become.

Today, an entire cottage industry of consultants, lawyers and software vendors has emerged to help schools, collectives and athletes navigate an ever-changing patchwork of policies. From compliance platforms promising turnkey deal tracking to law firms drafting custom institutional guidelines, the business of NIL compliance has quietly evolved into one of the most reliable — and lucrative — revenue streams in college sports services.

A gold rush built on gray areas

In interviews with athletic department administrators and compliance staffers, a familiar refrain has surfaced again and again: The NCAA’s guidance is often vague, state laws conflict, and the enforcement landscape remains unpredictable. For consultants, that uncertainty has proven to be a powerful selling point.

“There is a whole generation of companies now whose pitch is basically, you don’t want to get caught doing something wrong — so pay us to help you figure it out,” said one compliance director at a Big 12 program, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about vendor relationships.

Many of the most prominent players in this space are already well known within college sports. Altius Sports Partners, for example, offers everything from executive NIL education to detailed compliance audits. INFLCR, part of Teamworks, operates software platforms that track athlete earnings, deal disclosures and promotional activity. Meanwhile, boutique law firms and consultancies provide tailored policy reviews and interpretations of each state’s legislation.

According to public contracts and records, universities spend anywhere from $50,000 to more than $250,000 annually on a combination of these services. For mid-major and smaller programs, that represents a significant budget commitment, often carved out of already strained resources.

Are schools getting their money’s worth?

While many administrators credit consultants for bringing structure to a chaotic system, others question whether these services reduce risk — or merely redistribute it.

“A lot of the advice we get boils down to disclaimers: We can’t guarantee this won’t be challenged later,” a compliance officer at a mid-sized athletic department said. “You’re paying for peace of mind, but that peace isn’t always durable.”

Part of the challenge is that the NCAA’s own policies remain intentionally ambiguous, and federal legislation remains stalled in Congress. As a result, the compliance business thrives on perpetual motion: every new state law, every lawsuit, every NCAA memo generates new demand for guidance, audits and policy updates.

It’s an environment that can feel less like clarity and more like a continuous cycle of billable uncertainty.

The next phase: consolidation or expansion?

As the NIL landscape matures, some observers expect the compliance market to consolidate. Larger companies like Teamworks have been steadily acquiring smaller competitors, aiming to offer end-to-end solutions that combine education, reporting and disclosure under one umbrella. Meanwhile, several law firms have partnered with software vendors to create bundled compliance packages.

But even if the number of vendors shrinks, the demand for compliance expertise is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. With no federal NIL framework and continued legal challenges to NCAA authority, athletic departments are preparing for even more uncertainty — not less.

“Every time there’s a new development, it feels like we’re starting from scratch,” an associate athletic director at a Power Five school said. “That’s not going to change quickly. And that means these consultants will keep finding work.”

The bottom line

The NIL compliance boom underscores a fundamental reality of modern college sports: confusion can be very, very profitable.

As universities continue to wrestle with the demands of this new era, one thing is clear — whatever the NCAA or Congress decides next, there will be no shortage of experts ready to help schools navigate it, for a price.

Debra Bangert is an attorney and writer specializing in NIL and the evolving legal landscape of amateur and collegiate athletics — particularly in ice hockey. Debra writes at the intersection of law, player development and the business of sport, and she is the voice behind @HockeyLawyerMom on TikTok.