Higher Ed Advisor: navigating NIL collectives in collegiate athletics

Welcome to Higher Ed Advisor, the Baker Tilly podcast series where we speak with higher education industry leaders about practical and proactive guidance to help colleges and universities protect and enhance their value.

Name, image and likeness (NIL) continues to expand opportunities and push boundaries across higher education. One area drawing attention across the industry – from athletic departments to donors and alumni to the media and even the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), is the concept of the NIL collective. In this podcast, we explore what NIL collectives are, the growth of tax-exempt collectives, their impact on colleges and universities and how they support student athletes.

While NIL collectives present numerous possibilities for institutions and student athletes, they do come with challenges. Listen as we highlight:

• Compliance issues and risks connected to NIL collectives
• NCAA guidelines and future legislation that may influence how collectives operate and the way institutions recruit potential athletes
• Tax implications for both tax-exempt (not-for-profit) and for-profit collectives
• Importance of putting student athletes first and helping them navigate the complex NIL landscape with continuous education and communication

Don’t miss the tax and compliance best practices we share to help prepare institutions and student athletes to effectively maneuver the evolving NIL era, now, for tomorrow.