Study: From Field to Marketplace: NIL, Identity Dynamics, and Well-Being Among College Athletes (DOI: 10.51221/sc.jiia.2026.19.1.2)
For decades, the college athlete's world has been split between the classroom and the playing field--and now there's a third role: chief marketing officer.
Name, image and likeness policies provide athletes income through endorsements and sponsorships, and while NIL doesn't force athletes to choose between school and sports, it does crank up the pressure, new research from the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota suggests.
But despite growing interest in NIL, little is known about how these policies
influence college athletes' daily lives as they balance academic, athletic and commercial roles, said Kathryn Heinze, the study's lead author and associate professor at the U-M School of Kinesiology.
To better understand these dynamics, the research team surveyed 350 Division I athletes at 11 universities across four major conferences, focusing on how NIL affects participants' identities as students and athletes, and how much stress it adds to their lives. The results appear in the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics.
Key findings:
- Surprisingly, NIL commitment strengthened their identity as athletes but didn't undermine their identity as students.
- The more an athlete committed to NIL, the higher their stress levels. However, their roles as student and athletes weren't in conflict, rather it was a matter of role overload, or having too much to do.
- Though not directly related to stress in survey results, many athletes reported feeling disadvantaged, especially women, athletes in less popular sports, and international students who sometimes couldn't participate due to visa rules.
- Athletes who felt satisfied with their NIL reported less stress, and positive experiences helped make NIL less burdensome.
Not playing for a paycheck
Heinze said it was encouraging that athletes weren't pulled from their student roles as they invested time in NIL, but the added stress is still a problem that needs addressing.
"Athletes aren't necessarily feeling like they're choosing between being a student or an athlete, but they are feeling stretched thin," she said. "However, the increase in stress is important and can't be ignored. NIL can be empowering when athletes feel supported and satisfied, but without the right resources, it risks becoming another layer of pressure."
Athletes reported numerous challenges
Heinze said many of the athletes struggled with understanding NIL rules and reported a lack of university support, or had trouble with complicated contracts or deals.
One student said: "One NIL deal with a restaurant became extremely stressful due to having a bad manager who was assigning me more than the contract and lacked professionalism."
NIL fueled anxiety because students needed legal expertise or marketing skills and organization in addition to good grades and athletic performance.
Said another study participant: "I have not been able to dedicate the proper time and effort into getting involved with NIL because of how busy I am with academics and athletics."
Students also had positive experiences
Heinze said NIL boosted students' confidence, provided financial support and enabled self-expression. And, NIL provided meaningful opportunities for personal branding, community engagement and professional development when aligned with the athlete's own values.
"A brand that I have worn since I was a little kid was willing to make my own line of apparel," said one respondent.
For athletes, the key takeaway is to be intentional, Heinze said.
"NIL can be valuable and even empowering, but it's important to align opportunities with your goals and manage your time and energy carefully," she said.
Universities can also help by providing more guidance, Heinze said.
"For universities, the message is clear: support matters," she said. "Schools that provide education, legal guidance and time management support, and ensure that athletes across sports and backgrounds have access to resources can help reduce stress."
Co-authors include: Landy Lu, University of Minnesota; Hairou Ren and Sara Soderstrom, University of Michigan.
