NIL Rules Overview
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules allow college athletes to earn compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness — including endorsements, appearances, social media promotion, and merchandise. NCAA policy sets a baseline framework, but individual states and schools may layer additional requirements on top of it. Orenyx is built to help athletes and brands operate within whichever combination of rules applies to them.
NCAA Baseline — Athletes may engage in NIL activity as long as it is not tied to enrollment or compensation for athletic performance, and does not involve pay-for-play arrangements.
State Law Layer — Many states have their own NIL statutes that can add disclosure requirements, restrict certain deal categories (e.g., alcohol, gambling), or set additional reporting timelines.
School Policy Layer — Individual schools and conferences may require deal disclosure to a compliance office, prior approval for certain categories, or use of specific reporting tools.
What Athletes Must Report
Most schools require athletes to disclose NIL deals above a certain value, or all deals regardless of value, to their compliance office within a defined window after signing.
Deal Terms — Brand name, compensation amount or value, and deliverables.
Timing — Date the deal was signed and the window in which it must be reported.
Ongoing Deals — Any renewals, extensions, or changes to an existing disclosed deal.
Restricted Categories — Any deal category that may require additional school or conference approval (e.g., categories restricted by state law).
What Brands Must Provide
Before a deal is finalized on Orenyx, brands are expected to supply the documentation and terms needed to support both the athlete’s compliance disclosure and Orenyx’s own verification process.
Business Verification — Basic business registration or identity information completed during brand onboarding.
Complete Deal Terms — Clear, written deliverables, timeline, and compensation for every offer.
Payment Documentation — Accurate billing information to support payout and compliance record-keeping.
Automated Compliance Logs
Every offer, acceptance, deliverable, and payment on Orenyx is time-stamped and stored in an auditable compliance log. Athletes can export their own deal history at any time, and — with the athlete’s authorization or where required by policy — schools can be granted access to the same records for compliance review.
Educational Resources
Orenyx provides plain-language guides to help athletes and brands understand how NIL rules apply to them, including how deals work, how payments work, how compliance reporting works, and how to avoid the most common NIL mistakes. See the NIL Education page for the full library.