Aug 9, 2026Gary Knudson
What a transfer penalty clause means before your athlete signs
A late July lawsuit over transferred players illustrates why families should read exit terms in revenue-sharing agreements before signing.
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NIL
Commentary on NIL economics, deal structures, market dynamics, and what changes in the NIL landscape mean for families weighing offers.
19 articles in this category
Aug 2, 2026Gary Knudson
What a new antitrust challenge to the House cap means for families
A class-action lawsuit filed in June challenges the $20.5M revenue-share cap as an antitrust violation in 17 states. What families should know before factoring litigation into offer decisions.
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Jul 31, 2026Gary Knudson
Why third-party NIL packages can be rejected after they are offered
The CSC approved $7.5M in restructured NIL deals for 18 Nebraska players in July. What the valid business purpose standard means when a program pitches total compensation.
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Jul 28, 2026Gary Knudson
How the NIL clearinghouse updated its rules in July
The College Sports Commission raised its review thresholds and flagged a new deal structure in July. Here is what the updates mean for families evaluating offers this fall.
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Jul 13, 2026Gary Knudson
What $90 million in rejected NIL deals means for 2027 families
The clearinghouse has rejected $90M in NIL deals since June 2025. For families evaluating offers, the third-party number still has to clear.
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Jul 7, 2026Gary Knudson
August 1 is when revenue-share offers become written contracts
Programs can begin presenting written revenue-sharing terms to 2027 recruits on August 1. For uncommitted families, that date changes what an offer means.
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Jul 6, 2026Gary Knudson
What sits outside the revenue-share cap in a program's offer
Revenue sharing went live July 1. Programs are already building compensation channels that sit outside the official cap, and families comparing offers should know what they're looking at.
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Jun 26, 2026Gary Knudson
High school NIL runs on state rules, not the college offer
As of April 2026, 44 states permit high school NIL and five ban it outright. What a recruit can do now is set by state rules, separate from any money a program quotes.
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Jun 21, 2026Gary Knudson
The NIL number a program quotes blends two different pools
On July 1 the House settlement's revenue-share cap rises to about $21.3 million per school. That money and the third-party NIL figures families also hear are two different pools.
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Jun 10, 2026Gary Knudson
What 'valid business purpose' now decides about an NIL offer
Since June 2025, the College Sports Commission has rejected 1,153 NIL deals on three tests, including 'valid business purpose.' Families reading 2027 offers should know what that means.
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May 31, 2026Gary Knudson
What recent NIL buyout lawsuits mean for a recruit's offer
Oregon's May 15 suit against a transferred player is the latest in a wave of buyout cases. The trend reshapes how families should read a high school NIL offer.
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May 29, 2026Gary Knudson
The Nebraska NIL ruling defined which offers survive review
On May 11, an arbitrator upheld the College Sports Commission's rejection of $7.5 million in Nebraska NIL deals. The ruling defined a structural test for any offer.
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May 24, 2026Gary Knudson
When a coach mentions an NIL number, ask which part has cleared
The College Sports Commission has cleared roughly $242 million in NIL deals and rejected about ten percent of what it has reviewed. For families weighing offers, the difference matters.
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May 20, 2026Gary Knudson
State tax codes are quietly reshaping the NIL math.
A growing list of states has moved to exempt athlete NIL earnings from state income tax. The advisory implication: the offer on the table and the after-tax number are no longer the same conversation.
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May 18, 2026Gary Knudson
The NIL clearinghouse is straining under school-affiliated deals
The CSC's clearinghouse cleared 3,704 NIL deals in early 2026 and rejected 187 worth $14.36 million. The backlog shapes how families read recruiting offers.
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May 17, 2026Rudy Carpenter
What NIL Actually Means for High School Football Recruits
A plain-language guide to NIL for families weighing offers in the post-House-settlement era. What it is, who pays, how it differs from scholarship money, and the questions to ask.
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May 14, 2026Gary Knudson
Reading an NIL offer after the CSC's first arbitration win
The College Sports Commission won its first NIL arbitration on May 12. Here is what the ruling, and the May 27 federal hearing that follows, mean for how families should read an NIL offer.
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May 12, 2026Gary Knudson
What the May 27 NIL ruling could change for families weighing offers
A federal hearing on May 27 will decide what counts as an “associated entity” under the House settlement. The outcome will shape how NIL offers are reviewed.
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May 12, 2026Gary Knudson
What the Nebraska NIL ruling tells families to ask during visits
An arbitrator rejected millions in NIL deals routed through Nebraska's multimedia rights partner. The two rules behind the decision are a practical filter for families hearing offers.
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