NIL GO Launches Today: What Brands, Agencies, Athletes, and PMs Need to Know

By: Kalei Mahi

A new NIL reality begins today.

As of July 1, any NIL deal over $600 must go through a formal compliance review through the new NCAA compliance platform, NIL GO, created by Deloitte. Each deal will be processed through an algorithm and either approved, flagged for more information, or denied.

While most of the attention has been on how this affects student-athletes, schools, and collectives, brands and agencies now have a new set of operational challenges to solve. This isn’t just about red tape. This is about timelines, logistics, and campaign risk.

As someone who’s led hundreds of influencer and creator campaigns on both the brand and agency side, I know how much time and coordination it already takes to get a campaign live. Add an unpredictable new review layer into the mix, and you’ve got a situation that could easily delay launches or force last-minute pivots.

This change affects everyone, from national brands to small business sponsors, and how we prepare will determine who stays ahead.

How NIL GO Impacts Brands of All Sizes

Whether you're a global brand or a local business supporting a standout athlete, NIL GO introduces a new set of timing and workflow risks.

For Large Brands:

With multiple stakeholders and internal sign-offs already built into your process, the addition of NIL GO can create even tighter approval windows. If your campaign is tied to key events like playoff games, retail launches, or back-to-school season, you now need to start even earlier than usual to keep everything on track.

For Small Businesses:

If you're handling your own influencer marketing or working with limited resources, this process could be even more disruptive. A flagged or delayed NIL deal might mean missing your moment entirely, especially if you're operating with narrow timing or budget flexibility.

Best Practices for Navigating NIL GO

To manage this transition, here are four strategies every marketing and project team should implement immediately:

1. Build in a 7–10 day compliance buffer.
   Treat NIL GO approval as its own phase. Don’t assume the review will be quick or automatic. Make sure to plan for the possibility of delays.

2. Finalize paperwork before production begins.
   Deals need to be submitted for approval before you brief creators, ship product, or book shoot days. If a deal gets denied or flagged late, you’re back to square one.

3. Align closely with athletes and their reps.
   Make sure athletes understand what’s needed on their end. Missing documentation or slow responses can delay the entire campaign.

4. Avoid “moment marketing” unless you’re ready.
   Trending moments and last-minute activations are exciting, but now carry big risk. If compliance doesn’t move fast enough, you could miss the window entirely.

This Is a Stress Test

Over the next 3 to 6 months, we’ll find out how efficient this NIL GO process really is. Some deals may fly through without issue. Others might get delayed for reasons that are difficult to troubleshoot. What’s clear is that this will be a stress test for everyone’s timelines.

If you’ve worked in influencer or athlete marketing or on the brand or agency side of the business, you already know: success is all about margin. Margin for review. Margin for reshoots. Margin for approvals. That margin just got smaller.

Final Thoughts: Plan Early, Communicate Often

Brands that build smarter, more resilient campaign timelines will be the ones that thrive in this new environment. This isn’t a reason to panic, but it is a reason to prepare.

Brands need to give time, space, and structure they need to succeed, and recognize that agency and athlete partners are now navigating this shift in real time.

If you're a brand or agency looking to run NIL campaigns with less stress and more strategy, I can help. I work with teams to build campaigns that are legally compliant, creatively sound, and athlete-first.

📩 Let’s connect and plan your next NIL campaign with intention.

What Is NIL Go? The New NIL Clearinghouse Every Athlete and AD Needs to Understand

By: Kalei Mahi

If you're a college athlete, parent, or athletic director navigating the complex world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, you need to know what NIL Go is, and how it could reshape everything from payments to eligibility. This platform, recently launched by Deloitte as part of the House v. NCAA settlement, is the NCAA’s new centralized NIL clearinghouse, and it's officially in play starting July 1, 2025.

What Is NIL Go?

NIL Go is a digital platform designed to vet, track, and verify all third-party NIL deals worth $600 or more for Division I athletes.

Think of it as the IRS + compliance office + watchdog rolled into one. Created by Deloitte, NIL Go uses a proprietary algorithm to assess whether a deal is:

1. Tied to a booster or collective

2. Based on legitimate business activity (e.g., social posts, autographs, appearances)

3. Fair in terms of compensation, based on an athlete’s market value

Every athlete or their rep (agent, parent, etc.) must submit qualifying NIL contracts through NIL Go. Deals are then labeled:

• ✅ Cleared

• 🟡 In Review

• 🟥 Needs More Info

If your deal is flagged or denied, it can delay or derail your payment, eligibility, or school compliance.

What Does NIL Go’s Algorithm Actually Look At?

Deloitte uses a 12-factor system to calculate the Fair Market Value (FMV) of each NIL deal. Key factors include:

• Athlete’s social media following and engagement

• Performance and public visibility

• Type of deliverables (e.g. video posts vs. live events)

• Length and exclusivity of the deal

• Market size and geographic location

• Booster involvement or institutional connections

This system has already raised eyebrows and some concerns. Deloitte claims 70% of collective-backed deals in the past wouldn’t have cleared under these standards.

What Happens If an Athlete Doesn’t Report a Deal?

Big risks. If an athlete doesn’t report theirr NIL deal via NIL Go:

• They may be ruled ineligible.

• The school could face sanctions, including postseason bans or scholarship cuts.

• They risk retroactive penalties if a deal is flagged months later.

For schools, NIL Go introduces a new compliance layer, but one without full transparency. ADs will be expected to monitor and track athlete NIL activity, even when reporting is done externally by the athlete.

Why Athlete Advocacy Groups Are Pushing Back

Organizations like Athletes.org and the National College Players Association (NCPA) argue that NIL Go could violate antitrust laws by suppressing athlete earnings via a "black box" algorithm that lacks transparency and accountability.

They’re pushing for:

• Collective bargaining rights so athletes have a seat at the table (seems like a no-brainer and a must have)

• Greater transparency around how Deloitte calculates FMV

• Legal action, if necessary, to challenge unfair deal rejections or income suppression

Athletes are also pursuing employee status through ongoing lawsuits and NLRB filings, which could allow for formal union representation and shared governance of NIL standards.

What Should Athletes, Families, and ADs Do Now?

Athletes & Parents:

• Get into the proactice of tracking your deals and ensure every NIL contract is submitted to NIL Go starting July 1, 2025.

• Understand FMV: If your deal seems “too good to be true,” it may get flagged. Be prepared to justify the deliverables.

• Keep records: Save all emails, texts, and communication related to NIL agreements. Get hyper organized and create folders to track every project.

Athletic Directors:

• Educate your teams now. Most athletes don’t know NIL Go exists.

• Develop internal reporting systems to verify deal submissions.

• Stay ahead of policy changes and lawsuits. Because we are in an unknown time and the process will be tested and adjusted, the federal legislation may shift this landscape again soon.

Final Thoughts

NIL Go is here to bring structure, but also scrutiny, to college athlete deals. While it may streamline compliance, it also risks limiting athlete opportunity, especially for deals backed by boosters or collectives.

If you’re a student-athlete, parent, or AD, now is the time to get informed, stay organized, and be ready to advocate for fairness in how NIL is policed. Feel free to reach out to discuss any questions you have about NIL Go and how to protect yourself, your child,

The Red Flags You Can’t Ignore in the NIL Era

By: Kalei Mahi

Learn the red flags of NIL deals and how to protect student-athlete mental health during this high-pressure chapter.

What Parents and ADs Can’t Afford to Ignore in the NIL Era

There’s a lot of excitement around NIL and rightfully so. For the first time, student-athletes can legally earn money off their talent, their hustle, and their personal brand.

But beneath the headlines and highlight reels, there’s a quieter reality most families and athletic directors aren’t talking about enough:

The pressure is real and it’s growing.

We’re watching high school and college athletes try to balance it all: training, school, recruiting, content creation, contract negotiation, personal branding, mental health... all while still being kids.

And it’s not just about saying yes to brand deals. It’s about knowing which offers to say yes to, how to protect your image, what to do when a contract feels off, and how to handle the emotional weight of being “on” all the time.

As a parent or athletic director, your job used to be about keeping athletes safe, eligible, and focused. Now? You’re also their first line of defense in an entirely new business arena.

The Red Flags You Can’t Ignore

If you're not familiar with the inner workings of NIL, it can feel overwhelming. But you don’t have to know everything to know when something feels off.

As someone who built and led the influencer division at a major ad agency, I’ve seen what good brand partnerships look like, and what can quietly turn exploitative. I’ve reviewed hundreds of contracts, negotiated directly with brands like eBay, YouTube, Lexus, Google, AT&T, Coca-Cola, and helped creators (some just teenagers) protect their value.

Here are a few warning signs I urge families and athletic departments to watch for:

Fast-moving contracts with little explanation
If a brand or agency is pressuring your athlete to sign quickly, without walking through the terms or giving them time to review with someone they trust, that’s a monster red flag.

Deals that ask for too much, too soon
Some offers demand multiple posts, appearances, or exclusivity in exchange for very little value. If the workload outweighs the benefit, the deal isn’t worth it. There is power in saying no.

No conversation around values or long-term goals
Your athlete’s brand should reflect who they are, not just what’s trending. If a brand doesn’t align with their identity, it’s okay to walk away.

Coaches or staff pushing a specific deal
If anyone is incentivizing or pressuring an athlete to work with a specific company or collective without transparency, take a step back and ask why. The last thing you want to do is be in compliance violation.

The bottom line: if it feels rushed, vague, or transactional, it probably is. Athletes deserve better, and they need people around them who are willing to ask the hard questions.

The Hidden Mental Health Toll

It’s easy to focus on the opportunities NIL creates. What we don’t talk about enough is the invisible cost of the anxiety, burnout, and identity confusion that can creep in.

Many student-athletes today are quietly struggling. Here’s why:

• They’re afraid to mess up. Every post, comment, or missed deliverable feels like a career-ending move.

• They don’t know who to trust. When money’s involved, everyone suddenly has advice. Not all of it is good.

• They’re exhausted. Between workouts, class, meets, games, and content, there’s often no time left to just be.

• They’re unsure who they are outside of their sport. NIL puts a spotlight on their identity often before they’ve figured it out for themselves.

If your athlete seems more anxious, withdrawn, irritable, or overwhelmed please check in with them. These aren’t just growing pains. They might be quietly drowning in pressure they don’t know how to articulate.

How Parents and ADs Can Offer Support

You don’t have to be an expert in NIL law to be a protective, empowering presence. Here’s what makes a difference:

Normalize conversations about mental health. It’s okay to admit this is a lot. Remind them that asking for help is a strength.

Teach them to pause. A thoughtful “let me think about it” is powerful. Not every opportunity is urgent.

Vet opportunities together. Bring in a trusted third party if needed, like a mentor, lawyer, or NIL consultant. You’re not expected to know it all.

Focus on values, not virality. Reinforce that their character will always matter more than a follower count.

Protect their identity. Remind them: You are a person first, not just a brand.

Final Thoughts

This era of NIL can be exciting, empowering, and life-changing, with the right guardrails. But without trusted guidance, many athletes will sign things they shouldn’t, perform under stress they can’t sustain, and lose pieces of themselves trying to keep up.

At NextGen Legacy NIL, we’re here to be that steady hand offering athletes and families the tools, education, and perspective to make confident decisions and build something real.

This isn’t about fear. It’s about awareness. And when we know what to look for, we’re better positioned to protect, guide, and uplift this next generation of leaders on and off the field.

It’s More Than Just a Game: Helping Student-Athletes Navigate the Weight of NIL

Let’s be honest: student-athletes today aren’t just juggling academics and athletics. They’re juggling life at a level most adults would struggle to manage.

They’re expected to perform in the classroom like full-time students. Train like professionals. Maintain their mental health. Figure out their future. Learn how to navigate a social life. And now, thanks to this NIL ear, they’re also expected to be CEOs of their own brand, financial planners, brand strategists, content creators, understand and negotiate contracts, and do all of this before they can legally rent a car.

It’s a lot.

And while NIL has opened doors for student-athletes, it’s also introduced new complexities that many families, school, and athletes weren’t prepared for.

That’s exactly why I started NextGen Legacy NIL. I saw the gap. And I couldn’t ignore it.

What Student-Athletes Are Really Carrying

Behind every highlight reel, viral clip, or sponsorship post, there’s a young person trying figure out:

• How to build a brand that feels authentic and real

• How to manage time, school, sport, and a social life

• What they should charge (or if they’re being taken advantage of)

• How to plan for life after they retire from their sport

And truthfully? Most of them, and their families, are doing their best to figure it out as they go.

I believe they deserve better.

Who We Are And Why It Matters

I built NextGen Legacy NIL not as an agency or talent management company, but as a resource. A guide. A bridge between the athlete they are today and the leader they’re becoming tomorrow.

As a former Division I athlete myself, I know the pressure. I know what it’s like to carry your identity, your goals, and your future on your back before you’ve even figure out who you are.

But I also know the power of the right support.

Now, I’m a parent, a brand strategist, and an entrepreneur. And I care deeply about helping the next generation of athletes build something that lasts.

Whether it’s one-on-one coaching, workshops with schools, ore speaking directly to families, everything we do is rooted in clarity, confidence, and compassion.

Because NIL shouldn’t be about the now. It should be about building a legacy.

For the Few Who Go Pro and the Many Who Don’t

While some student-athletes may turn this chapter into a professional career, the vast majority will not. But what they can carry forward are the skills: how to negotiate, how to brand themselves, how to show, how to lead.

That’s what we’re here to teach.

We’re not here to sell dreams, but to build futures.

What’s Next

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing blogs, resources, and real world strategies to help you, where you’re an athlete, a parent, or an athletic director, make informed and empowering decisions.

In the meantime, if this resonates, reach out. You don’t have to navigate this alone. We’re here to tackle this with you.