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Abstract

This study examines the post-2021 NCAA Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era by synthesizing scholarship on how NIL policies have transformed collegiate athletics. Specifically, it explores the regulatory, economic, governance, and equity dynamics emerging from a decentralized policy environment and the rapid expansion of athlete commercialization. An AI-assisted scoping review and content analysis were conducted on NIL-related studies published in leading sport management and sport law journals since July 1, 2021. Using large language model–supported searches, thematic coding, and reliability and validity procedures, the selected studies were systematically analyzed across legal, governance, commercialization, athlete experience, and equity dimensions. Findings identified eleven major thematic clusters, including governance fragmentation, labor market transformation, commercialization, athlete branding, and equity disparities. Results indicate that NIL regulation remains highly decentralized, producing substantial institutional and geographic variation that shapes athlete opportunities, competitive balance, and resource allocation. Football and men’s basketball continue to dominate NIL compensation, although female athletes increasingly leverage digital platforms to expand visibility and partially address gender inequities. Legal discussions emphasize federal–state tensions, antitrust implications, and evolving interpretations of amateurism. Athlete experiences are strongly influenced by institutional support structures, while underrepresented and international athletes continue to face structural barriers. Overall, this study offers a comprehensive AI-assisted synthesis of NIL scholarship and proposes a multidimensional framework integrating legal, economic, institutional, and equity perspectives to guide future research.

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