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DOI

https://doi.org/10.51221/sc.jiia.2026.19.1.2

Abstract

The rapid expansion of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities has reshaped the U.S. college sport landscape, yet limited research has examined how NIL engagement affects athlete identity and well-being. This study investigates the relationships among NIL engagement, identity salience, and stress. Survey data were collected from 351 Division I athletes across four major conferences. Regression analyses indicated that greater NIL commitment was associated with heightened athlete identity salience and increased NIL-related stress. NIL satisfaction emerged as a protective factor, predicting lower stress, whereas perceptions of fairness were not significantly related to stress. Brief open-ended survey responses provided explanatory context, identifying limited institutional support, time demands, and procedural complexity as key stressors, while financial benefits, recognition, and identity-aligned partnerships buffered strain. Athletes also highlighted inequities related to gender, sport, and international status. Collectively, the findings illustrate how NIL engagement can simultaneously intensify identity and strain, while clarifying conditions under which NIL experiences may support athlete well-being.

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