NIL Edge

What does an NIL strategy look like when Olympic sports are part of the plan? Jack Liechtung, co-founder and CEO of Canopy, joins NIL Edge to discuss how female athletes can build brands around their interests, personalities and lives beyond competition.

We explore what brands should consider beyond follower count, how team NIL deals can connect sponsors with campus communities, and how athletic departments can support opportunities in sports beyond football and basketball. Jack also explains how Canopy coordinates with multimedia rights partners and helps athletes build a brand that can outlast their college careers.

NIL Edge is produced by HPL Digital Sport in partnership with NILNewsstand

Grayson Wagner, senior director of NIL and revenue share operations at Colorado State, joins Sterling Randle to discuss how the Rams help athletes build content portfolios, pursue brand partnerships and understand the difference between NIL and revenue sharing.

Grayson shares how a freshman basketball player’s content attracted a bank partnership, what Colorado State’s work with Facebook and Vuori looked like and why local businesses value athletes with Colorado roots. He also explains how he sets expectations with athletes and families, builds individual development plans and evaluates success through athlete retention and returning brand partners.

NIL Edge is a podcast from HPL Digital Sport, produced in partnership with NILNewsstand. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts for more conversations about the business of college sports.

What makes an NIL partnership work for both the athlete andthe brand?

Diadora’s U.S. chief marketing officer, Ryan Eckel, joinsSterling Randle to share how the company selects and supports its athletes.

From Marco Langon’s initial pitch to the brand’s relationship with Simeon Birnbaum, Ryan explains why shared values, access to company resources and planning beyond college matter.

The conversation also covers how athletes can build aconnection with fans alongside their school’s apparel agreement, what Diadora looks at when evaluating partnerships and how Ryan’s experience as a parentshapes its social media expectations.

NIL Edge is produced by HPL Digital Sport in partnershipwith NIL Newsstand. Follow the show for more conversations about the businessof NIL.

Brenden Hill, assistant athletic director of student-athlete development and NIL at San Diego State, joins Sterling Randle to discuss how the Aztecs are creating opportunities for athletes in an increasingly complex college sports landscape.

Hill explains why San Diego State treats NIL as its own sport, how storytelling has generated new business opportunities and why athletes must be patient when building their brands. He also breaks down the difference between “true NIL” and revenue sharing, the challenges facing international student-athletes, San Diego State’s move to the Pac-12 and his concerns about the escalating cost of college athletics.

NIL Edge is produced by Digital Sport by Hot Paper Lantern in partnership with NILNewsstand.

The biggest NIL deals may dominate the headlines, but they do not reflect the experience of most college athletes.

Allison Iverson, campaign manager at Postgame, joins Sterling Randle to discuss what brands still misunderstand about NIL and how companies can build more effective athlete marketing campaigns.

Drawing on her experience working at Utah State, Boise State, the University of South Florida and Postgame, Allison explains how brands should establish their goals, select the right athletes and create content that feels natural. She also discusses the realities of athlete compensation, the impact of revenue sharing, common communication breakdowns and the importance of understanding the demands on a student-athlete’s schedule.

NIL Edge is produced by Digital Sport by Hot Paper Lantern in partnership with NILNewsstand.

Some of the most natural NIL opportunities may already exist on campus.

Matthew Stern, Vice Chancellor for Business Services at the University of Pittsburgh, and John Longo, Vice President of Operations for Pitt Eats, powered by Chartwells Higher Education, join Sterling Randle to explain how Pitt integrated student-athletes into its campus dining program.

They discuss how athletes helped create meals and content, the departments involved in bringing the idea to life, how Pitt and Chartwells evaluate its performance and what other schools and campus vendors can learn from the partnership.

What does it take for a growing brand to turn athlete partnerships into content that actually performs?

On this episode of NIL Edge, Sterling Randle sits down with Lauren Campbell, chief marketing officer and partner at Firefly Recovery, to discuss how the company built its NIL strategy around useful products, creative content and genuine athlete relationships.

Lauren shares why Firefly evaluates engagement and storytelling before follower count, what immediately stands out when an athlete approaches the company and why the best branded content begins with a real experience rather than a staged product post.

The conversation also explores:

• Why niche-sport athletes can provide brands with more relevant audiences
• What authenticity actually looks like in athlete content
• How an AthleteCon video reached 100,000 views within hours
• Why athletes should approach brands they already use and love
• How smaller partnerships can prepare athletes for major opportunities
• Where Lauren believes NIL could evolve next

NIL Edge is presented by HPL Digital Sport in partnership with NILNewsstand.

Subscribe for more conversations with the athletes, brands and college athletics leaders shaping the future of NIL.

Grant House’s name will forever be connected to one of the most consequential changes in college sports.

The professional swimmer and former Arizona State athlete joins Sterling Randle to discuss his journey from representing fellow student-athletes on campus to becoming the named plaintiff in House v. NCAA. Grant shares how the case unfolded, the personal toll of becoming the face of the lawsuit and why he would make the same decision again.

They discuss what critics misunderstand about athlete compensation, why NIL can be a form of career development and what Grant hopes people remember about the purpose behind the House settlement.

The conversation also explores:

• Why NIL is about more than money
• What fans misunderstand about athlete compensation
• How NIL can prepare athletes for life after sports
• Why Grant would pursue the case all over again
• How the experience changed his understanding of leadership
• What he hopes the House settlement represents decades from now

NIL Edge is presented by HPL Digital Sport in partnership with NIL Newsstand.

Subscribe for more conversations with the athletes, brands and college athletics leaders shaping the future of NIL.

What does it take for a national consumer brand to build successful NIL partnerships?

On this episode of The NIL Edge, Sterling Randle sits down with Heather Leiferman, Director of Communications at Great Clips, to discuss how one of the country's largest retail brands has approached NIL since entering the space in 2021.

Heather shares how Great Clips evolved from treating student-athletes like traditional influencers to building fully integrated, story-driven campaigns centered on authenticity and long-term brand value. She also explains what brands often misunderstand about NIL, why authentic partnerships consistently outperform transactional deals, and what separates the student-athletes who earn opportunities from those who don't.

The conversation also explores how Great Clips evaluates athletes, balances NIL alongside influencers and content creators, measures campaign success, and where Heather believes brand partnerships in college athletics are headed next.

What does the future of college athletics look like now that the House settlement is here?

In this special AthleteCon edition of NIL Edge, we sat down Will Hall, partner at Jones Walker; Joey Blake, litigation associate at Spencer Fane and a member of the legal team involved in the House settlement; and Steve Simmons, co-founder of NILENT.

Hall shares how schools are navigating revenue sharing, athlete contracts and the growing legal and operational complexities that come with a new era of athlete compensation. Blake provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at the House settlement, what it means for athletic departments and student-athletes, and the legal questions that still need answers. Simmons discusses the challenges athletes face beyond compensation, including financial literacy, mental health, personal branding and preparing for life after sports.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The biggest takeaways from AthleteCon
• How schools are preparing for the post-House settlement era
• Revenue sharing and the rise of athlete contracts
• The legal issues that could shape the next chapter of college sports
• Why athlete education is becoming a bigger priority
• Mental health, financial literacy and career development
• What athletic directors are focused on as the industry continues to evolve

A special thank you to Sam Green and the AthleteCon team for welcoming NIL Edge to Las Vegas and giving us the opportunity to have these conversations in person with some of the brightest minds in college athletics.

What does it take to prepare student-athletes for success in today's NIL environment?

In this episode of NIL Edge, we sit down with Lauren Cherry, Director of NIL Strategy & Revenue Share Operations at the University of North Texas, to discuss how athletic departments can help student-athletes build the skills needed to thrive in the modern college athletics landscape.

Lauren shares how North Texas developed its Influence Cohort, a program designed to educate athletes on personal branding, content creation, and professional development. She explains why NIL education matters more than ever, how schools can help athletes create value beyond the playing field, and what businesses should look for when evaluating potential athlete partnerships.

The conversation also explores the realities behind NIL deal values, common misconceptions about the industry, the challenges of managing roster turnover in the transfer portal era, and how athletic departments are adapting to a rapidly changing college sports environment.

Topics covered:

• The University of North Texas Influence Cohort

• Why NIL education matters more than ever

• Preparing student-athletes for brand partnerships

• Common misconceptions about NIL compensation

• What businesses should look for in athlete partners

• Managing NIL in the transfer portal era

• Athlete development beyond endorsements

• The future of NIL and revenue sharing in college athletics

In this episode of NIL Edge, Brett Sible, Associate AD for NIL Strategy and Innovation at DePaul University, joins the show to discuss how DePaul is navigating the evolving NIL and revenue-sharing landscape from a uniquely different position within college athletics. Brett shares how DePaul’s location in Chicago, lack of football, and direct approach to revenue sharing are shaping the school’s strategy in the new era of athlete compensation. The conversation also explores the growing shift away from collectives, how schools are balancing revenue generation with athlete support, and why transparency and simplicity are becoming increasingly important in athlete negotiations.

What You’ll Learn:

• How DePaul is approaching revenue sharing without relying heavily on collectives or MMR structures
• Why being located in Chicago creates unique NIL and brand partnership opportunities for athletes
• How athletic departments are thinking about athlete compensation, recruiting, and long-term sustainability in the post-collective era

A conversation with Lisa Hake, the Chief Marketing Officer of Winmark Corporation, the parent company of brands including Play It Again Sports, Plato’s Closet, Once Upon A Child, Style Encore, and Music Go Round. The discussion explores how major consumer brands think about athlete partnerships, what makes NIL opportunities stand out internally, and why authenticity and audience alignment matter more than simple follower counts. Lisa also shares insights into how brands approach storytelling, community engagement, and long-term partnership strategy as college athletics continues evolving in the revenue-sharing and NIL era.

What to expect:

• How major consumer brands evaluate athlete and school partnerships
• Why authenticity and audience alignment matter more than vanity metrics
• Practical takeaways for NIL professionals, athletes, and brands building sponsorship strategies

In this episode of NIL Edge, we sit down with Justin DiTolla, Associate AD for NIL at Cal, to break down what it actually looks like to operate an NIL and revenue share model inside a Power Four athletic department. With a background in compliance and now leading Cal’s NIL efforts, Justin offers a real-world perspective on how roles, responsibilities, and priorities have rapidly evolved.

At the center of the conversation is a major shift: NIL is no longer just education and brand-building—it’s now intertwined with revenue sharing, contract management, and cap strategy. That evolution is forcing departments to operate more like professional front offices, often without a clear blueprint.

We also explore how schools are approaching athlete education, where real NIL opportunities are coming from, and how departments are thinking about “above the cap” strategies in an increasingly competitive landscape.

What to Expect (Key Takeaways):

• Why NIL roles are evolving into full-scale front office positions, including contract negotiation and cap management
• How athlete education, branding, and revenue share are all connected in building a complete compensation model
• Where the most realistic NIL opportunities exist today—and why local businesses remain a key driver

In this episode of NIL Edge, we sit down with Josie Leinart, WeAreNIL Practice Lead & Sports Law Attorney, to break down the realities of navigating NIL in today’s rapidly shifting college athletics landscape. With experience advising athletes, schools, and brands, Josie offers a clear-eyed view into where the industry is working—and where it’s falling short.

At the center of the conversation is a simple but critical issue: many athletes are entering NIL opportunities without fully understanding the implications. That gap is shaping everything from deal structures to long-term decision-making, and it’s forcing the industry to rethink how education, access, and support are delivered.

We also explore emerging topics like international athlete restrictions, the growing conversation around athlete employment, and how legal perspectives are evolving alongside the business of college sports.

What to Expect (Key Takeaways):

•

Why many athletes are still navigating NIL without a full understanding of their opportunities and risks

•

The biggest blind spots in NIL deals—and how they can impact athletes long-term

•

Where the industry is heading next: athlete employment, international challenges, and shifting legal frameworks

Disclaimer: This is a paid interview in partnership with WeAreNIL.

In this episode of NIL Edge, we sit down with Brennan White, Assistant AD / General Manager for NIL Administration at Illinois State, to explore how NIL strategy looks outside the Power Four — and what it really takes to build sustainable opportunities for student-athletes at the FCS level. Brennan shares lessons from Illinois State’s recent football success, the realities of operating with limited resources, and why relationships remain the foundation of effective NIL programs.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

•

How Illinois State built an effective NIL strategy at the FCS level — focusing on relationships, local partnerships, and intentional resource allocation rather than chasing volume.

•

The role of community and local businesses in NIL success, and why regional partnerships often drive the most authentic and sustainable opportunities for student-athletes.

•

How NIL leaders manage expectations and educate athletes, helping them understand value, ROI for businesses, and what “true NIL” looks like outside the Power Four ecosystem.

This conversation offers a practical look at how NIL programs can succeed without massive budgets — and why people, process, and trust still matter most in the evolving NIL landscape.

On this episode of NIL Edge, Sterling Randle sits down with Maya Bulger to go inside the day-to-day realities of running NIL at an SEC institution — and how Mississippi State is building a program rooted in education, authenticity, and strategic partnerships.

From revenue share logistics and third-party NIL operations to brand alignment and creative activations, Maya shares how her team is navigating the evolving NIL landscape and creating meaningful opportunities for student-athletes across all sports.

Listeners will learn:

•

How Mississippi State structures its NIL program around three core pillars: education, brand enhancement, and deal management

•

What goes into matching student-athletes with brands in ways that feel authentic and drive long-term value

•

Why creativity and authenticity are becoming the biggest differentiators for successful NIL programs

In this episode of NIL Edge, we’re joined by Travis Hansen, Senior Associate Athletic Director - Revenue Sharing and NIL at BYU, for a deep dive into how one of college sports’ most unique institutions approaches NIL through a transformational—not transactional—lens. Travis shares how BYU aligns athlete identity, education, faith, and purpose with brand partnerships, and why the future of NIL must extend beyond endorsements into mentorship, life skills, and long-term development.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

•

How BYU builds an athlete-first NIL ecosystem centered on identity, purpose, and personal development

•

Why transformational NIL partnerships outperform purely transactional endorsement models

•

The major NIL and revenue-sharing trends Travis is watching as college sports moves toward front-office style operations

In this episode of NIL Edge, we sit down with Jack Adler, Founder & CEO of Out2Win, to unpack how data, authenticity, and scalable strategy are reshaping athlete brand partnerships.

Jack shares how Out2Win evolved from facilitating early NIL deals into a full-scale athlete marketability intelligence platform—and why brands, universities, and agencies can no longer afford to rely on guesswork. From micro-athlete ambassador programs to measuring real ROI, this conversation dives into what actually makes NIL work in today’s rapidly maturing ecosystem.

Key takeaways from this episode:

•

Why data beats intuition in NIL — and how brands are using performance metrics to build smarter, repeatable athlete campaigns

•

What separates good vs. great NIL activations, including the role of authenticity, creative freedom, and long-term partnerships

•

How universities can professionalize NIL by operating more like marketing partners—not just deal facilitators

What does a sustainable, athlete-centric NIL operation actually look like inside a Big Ten athletic department? In this episode of The NIL Edge, Sterling Randle sits down with Jeremiah Carter, Executive Associate AD for NIL & Risk Management at the University of Minnesota, to break down how Minnesota is building NIL systems that balance compliance, creativity, and competitive advantage.

From “play better, post better” to aligning collectives, MMR partners, and brands, this is a masterclass in practical NIL strategy.

Big Takeaways:

•

NIL is career development, not a shortcut. Minnesota treats NIL like a job—focusing on personal branding, content creation, and long-term professional skills rather than one-off payouts.

•

Alignment beats chaos. Real NIL success comes when the athletic department, multimedia rights partner, and collective each stay in their lane—and communicate constantly.

•

Value creation is non-negotiable. As NIL and revenue sharing evolve, deals must clearly deliver value to brands—or they won’t clear in the new regulatory environment.

If you want a grounded, realistic look at where NIL is headed—and how departments can stay competitive without losing their identity—this episode is a must-watch.