NOCAP Sports Newsletter

From Courtrooms to Campuses — What’s Shaping NIL Now 🚀

May 19, 2025

Hey NOCAP Sports Fam, The past few weeks have been packed with big wins in NIL strategy, athlete empowerment, and brand impact. Here’s what we’ve been up to—and what’s ahead.

📌 What’s Inside:

  • ⚖️ Legal Landscape Breakdown – Casey Floyd on what’s really happening with the NCAA

  • 🏃‍♀️ Leveling the Playing Field: Women’s NIL Panel Recap – Key takeaways and media highlights from our Tampa event

  • 🔗 LinkedIn Events Recap – 300+ NIL deals with real brand results

  • 💰 Revenue Solutions Q&A – What the House Settlement means for our partners

  • 📩 Athlete Roster Submission – Ensure your athletes don’t miss out on opportunities.

Let’s dive in!

NOCAP Co-Founder and Chief Compliance Officer Casey Floyd, Esq., draws on years of NCAA compliance and legal experience to break down the latest shifts in the NIL legal landscape.

Here are the latest developments:

The House Settlement is likely to be approved, though it raises several antitrust concerns—such as limits on athlete compensation and restrictions on third-party payments. Interestingly, the judge did not challenge those elements. Instead, her primary concern was with roster limits, which are not directly tied to antitrust law. She encouraged the NCAA to restore roster spots lost due to the settlement—not out of legal obligation, but as a matter of fairness. The NCAA declined, similar to its earlier decision during the preliminary hearing not to revise restrictions on third-party payments. Despite these concerns, the judge granted preliminary approval, making final approval highly probable.

However, approval does not equate to resolution.

Athlete advocates are expected to appeal the settlement to the 9th Circuit. While this particular phase may not have favored the athletes, broader discussions are continuing in Congress. The NCAA is actively seeking federal legislation that would solidify many of the settlement’s provisions, some of which could face legal challenges in the future. As part of this effort, political figures—including former President Trump, who has formed a commission to examine college sports—are becoming involved. The commission’s recommendations may influence congressional action on NCAA-related legislation.

Bottom line: The legal framework around college athletics is still evolving, with important questions about athlete rights yet to be resolved. The next 18 months will be a pivotal period for shaping the future of athlete compensation and governance.

For brands: this remains a significant opportunity. As the collegiate sports landscape continues to shift, brands can play a meaningful role by supporting athletes through NIL partnerships. Investing in NIL now positions brands to build authentic connections and demonstrate leadership in a rapidly evolving space.

 🏃‍♀️ Leveling the Playing Field: Women’s NIL Panel Recap

Last month, we hosted a powerful panel at Embarc Collective in Tampa focused on the future of women’s NIL and how brands can drive meaningful change. The event featured top voices from across sports and media:

The discussion spotlighted the importance of equitable brand investment, strategic marketing, and the future of NIL for female athletes. Panelists shared firsthand insights on the challenges women face in securing NIL opportunities and how brands can play a critical role in closing that gap.

From shifting the narrative around women’s sports to creating campaigns that prioritize visibility and long-term value, the conversation made one thing clear: investing in women is not just the right thing to do—it’s a smart business decision.

The event sparked meaningful connections between brands, athletes, and advocates, setting the stage for more intentional, impactful partnerships that elevate female voices in the NIL space.

🎉 Bonus win: Our wonderful sponsor for the event, Workout Anytime, was recently featured in Sports Illustrated for its leadership in supporting women’s sports.

🔗 LinkedIn Events Recap

300+ NIL deals. 3 campuses. Real impact.

Our latest campaign with LinkedIn brought NIL to life at UCLA, Santa Clara, and the University of Washington—helping student-athletes grow their personal brands and get paid.

Every athlete who attended received a professional headshot, guidance on how to elevate their LinkedIn profiles, and walked away with practical tools for building their brand beyond sports. It wasn’t just about content—it was about career preparation and long-term value.

In addition, a select group of athletes helped promote LinkedIn Games, highlighting how athletes use logic and mental sharpness to compete on and off the field.

This campaign showed what’s possible when education, opportunity, and brand value align—and we’re just getting started.

📩 Want to learn more? Contact John Martinelli at [email protected]

💰 Revenue Solutions Q&A

How does the House Settlement impact NOCAP Revenue Solutions?

In short: It highlights the importance of what we’re building.

As the industry awaits final rulings on the House Settlement, NOCAP has stayed focused on delivering long-term value. We’ve always viewed NIL as a starting point, and this moment reinforces the need for scalable, future-ready solutions that support both athletes and institutions.

We're engaging in deeper conversations with athletic directors and development teams—not just about NIL, but about broader, sustainable revenue strategies. Our platform is designed to unlock new, scalable funding opportunities that ease the burden on traditional fundraising efforts. Whether at the D1, D2, D3 level—or even within school districts—we’re focused on supporting innovation and driving meaningful results together.

Less fundraising fatigue. More sustainable impact.

📩 Want to learn more? Contact Adam Gunn at [email protected].

📢 Agents – Send Rosters Now! Maximize NIL Opportunities for Your Athletes!

To ensure your athletes don’t miss out on major NIL deals this season, send us your rosters today!

Submit athlete rosters to: [email protected]

Let us know if you’d like to get involved, explore a partnership, or learn more about how we’re unlocking new value in college sports.

— The NOCAP Team