The names Reggie Bush and Johnny Manziel may ring a bell if you are a college football fan. While most of it that you remember may be based on their play, a large portion has to do with their off the field actions of illegally accepting money. Before NIL became legal on July 1st, 2021. Athletes who received any sort of many from fans or companies were punished severely. Reggie Bush learned this the hard way, after they revoked his 2004 Heisman trophy for illegally receiving benefits from sports marketers. This case was a widespread controversy because many thought Bush was unfairly treated for the actions. “The NCAA has argued allowing student-athletes to make money off their image would shift their attention from their education to athletic success and revenue generation.” (O’Bannon v. NCAA, 2015) Johnny Manziel, who was often remembered for his innate ability to create plays as well as be the life of the show off the field, was another person who was investigated for receiving money in 2013. Both of these players were against their rights in what they did at the time, however, if done today, there would be no ramifications.

After the law was passed in 2021, athletes were able to “appear in commercials for products, sell their autographs for memorabilia or even offer the rights to their image to appear in video games, among the multitudes of other opportunities.”(Bloomsbury) NIL has seen most of its use through college football and basketball as many athletes of these sports have been able to leverage themselves through their athletic ability. Athletes like Livvy Dunne, Arch Manning, and Carson Beck have gotten a lot of recognition through their NIL deals. In this sense, NIL has been positive for getting athletes who perform well at the highest level, the recognition they deserve based on having millions of fans just like professionals. Livvy Dunne who was an LSU gymnast first came onto the scene through Tik Tok, as she became more recognizable to people in the public, the more she grew her brand the more money she made. “At her peak it is estimated she was making $3-4 million dollars per year, and secured sponsorships from companies like Vuori and American Eagle.”(Sports Illustrated) The deals these athletes have been able to sign in reality seem to be more beneficial than not, however, as described by Bloomsbury the “NIL world has been described by most as the wild wild west.” With money comes greed, and when you have 18-21 year olds experiencing millions of dollars at such a young age, the negatives will show face.