Families have been navigating value, leverage, and risk in college sports long before NIL was ever legalized. They were doing the work quietly, strategically, and often without any institutional support because the system left them no alternative.
Where I think the conversation needs to evolve is around the role of today’s professional advisors. Agents, attorneys, CPAs, and tax advisors have a place in this space, and are needed in the space, especially now! But we don’t get to be the gatekeepers or replacements for families. Our highest value in the NIL era should be education.
If we’re serious about protecting athletes, then the professionals entering this ecosystem should be focused on:
Teaching families how the business actually works.
Explaining contracts, tax obligations, and long‑term implications in plain language.
Empowering athletes to make informed decisions, not just signing contracts.
Collaborating with families rather than sidelining them.
Families built the early version of this marketplace under pressure, without transparency, and without legal recognition. They deserve respect. They deserve partners who expand their understanding, not actors who assume control.
Protection in 2026 isn’t about shielding athletes from their own families. It’s about equipping families and athletes with the knowledge to navigate a system that is finally operating in the open.
If agents and advisors want a seat at the table, the price of admission should be education first, representation second.