How NIL and student athletes are prompting changes in higher education administration

Abstract

Name, image, and likeness (NIL) policies are expanding rapidly in the United States and affecting the roles of higher education administrators. Athletics compliance officers are dealing with an uncertain and rapidly shifting policy landscape that includes vague state and NCAA regulations and burgeoning third parties trying to capitalize for the sake of schools and athletes. Using interviews with compliance officers at five institutions, we demonstrate how this environment raises novel questions about theories of prosocial rule breaking, discretion, autonomy, and contracting out. This work demonstrates the value of studying sports administration for theorizing and presents future directions for related research.