Even in the era of NIL, college sports are stacked against student athletes—now lack of transparency is holding them back from a ‘fair market’

College athletes navigating name, image, and likeness deals face significant disadvantages compared to professional sports due to the absence of collective bargaining agreements. The lack of financial transparency in these transactions prevents players from effectively evaluating their market value and securing fair compensation. Consequently, student athletes must negotiate complex sponsorship arrangements without the standardized protections or market insights standard in professional leagues.