Yes, a significant cap has been introduced for direct payments from schools to college athletes as part of the NCAA vs. House settlement, starting around $20.5 million per school annually and increasing yearly, while third-party NIL deals (endorsements, etc.) still have no set cap but face stricter oversight through a clearinghouse to prevent pay-for-play. This means schools can now share revenue directly (capped), but external NIL deals for athletes remain separate, though regulated.  Two Separate Streams: Think of direct payments as a school salary (capped) and third-party NIL as independent contractor work (uncapped but monitored

Don't even think about endorsing a business associated with alcohol, gambling, tobacco or e-cigarettes, prescription drugs, controlled substances (including cannabis) or adult entertainment

One of the most significant challenges of NIL is ensuring compliance with an array of state laws, athletic organization policies and institutional guidelines. The patchwork of regulations creates confusion for athletes and administrators

Broadly speaking, the average income from NIL deals for student-athletes ranges from $1,000 to $10,000.

Yes, NIL earnings are taxable and the athlete is solely responsible for paying them.