The Big NIL Headlines vs. D3 Reality
When the NCAA approved Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in 2021, college athletics changed overnight. Headlines focused on six-figure deals, booster collectives, and star quarterbacks cashing in. But that version of NIL doesn’t tell the whole story. It definitely doesn’t reflect what NIL looks like at the D3 level.
For official details, see the NCAA NIL overview.
At Cornell College, where I play football, NIL exists but it looks completely different from what you see on ESPN.
Understanding D3 Financial Structure
First, it’s important to understand the structure. D3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships. According to the NCAA Division III guidelines, financial aid at the D3 level is based on academics or need, not athletic ability. As a football player at Cornell, I don’t receive scholarship money for playing. That doesn’t mean I don’t get academic scholarships, but I still pay a significant amount for college each year. Football isn’t paying my tuition.
NIL technically applies to us, though. Every NCAA athlete has the opportunity to profit from their name, image, and likeness under the current rules outlined by the NCAA. But opportunity and reality are two very different things.
How NIL Works at Cornell a D3 College
At Cornell, the NIL we receive is minimal. It doesn’t come directly through the school. Instead, our coach had us download an app called NIL Club. The way it works is pretty simple: players download the app and send a link to family and friends. They can subscribe or donate money, and whatever comes in gets dispersed equally among the athletes on the team who are signed up.
Most of the football team joined. Not everyone did, but a good number of us are on it. On average, I would say we receive around $10 a month, sometimes less. There are also optional deals inside the app that allow you to complete small promotional tasks for extra money. But most of those require a decent amount of effort and time, and when you’re balancing classes, lifts, practice, meetings, and travel, it’s hard to justify spending hours for a small payout.
NIL’s Impact on Recruiting and College Life
That’s the reality of NIL at a D3 school like Cornell. It exists. It just doesn’t move the needle very much.
And honestly, it doesn’t really impact recruiting at our level either. No one is choosing Cornell because of NIL opportunities. They’re choosing it because of academics, the Block Plan, relationships with coaches, or the chance to compete. NIL might cover a couple of meals each month, but it’s not covering tuition or influencing major decisions. For more context on Division III recruiting and financial aid, see Cornell College Athletics policies.
Why NIL Still Matters
That doesn’t mean it’s meaningless. It’s still something. It’s still money that didn’t exist before 2021. It’s still a recognition that athletes at every level have value. Even small amounts add up over time. More importantly, it shows that D3 athletes are part of the same national shift in college athletics, just on a much smaller scale.
When people talk about NIL, the conversation almost always centers on Power Five football and massive collectives. But the truth is, NIL doesn’t look the same everywhere. At schools like Cornell College, it’s not life-changing. It’s not headline-worthy. It’s quiet, small, and mostly supported by family and close community.
Small But Real
So while NIL has dramatically reshaped Division I athletics, at the Division III level, it has had minimal impact. It’s there. It’s real. But for most of us, it’s just a small monthly reminder that college sports are evolving even if that evolution feels a lot different in Mount Vernon, Iowa, than it does on national television.
