The Landscape of College Athletics, NIL….and Roy

Collegiate sports as an institution involving amateur athletes and governing bodies were largely unchanged for a long, long time. Talented athletes would move on from high school, attend their college of choice, play for as long as they could and then either move on to the professional ranks of their sport or enter the workforce all while the universities and the “grown-ups” in the room raked in cash hand over fist. Star quarterbacks didn’t make a dime when their jerseys would sell out of stores while their coaches inked million-dollar deals and really had the freedom to do whatever they wanted when it came to contracts, endorsements and business ventures beyond their sport and school. Those QBs, along with athletes in all other collegiate sports on the other hand, almost seemed financially trapped when they were actually the ones bringing in the money.

Fast forward to the summer of 2021 — all of that was about to change.

In June 2021, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA in NCAA v. Alston that the NCAA could not limit education-related payments to student-athletes and the NIL era was born. NIL, standing for name, image and likeness, allows players to profit off of their own brand and presence. Some schools decided to embrace the new approach, while others were slow to change and dragged their feet. Now, it feels like the wild, wild west out there with deals, broken deals, donor money, boosters, companies, corporations and of course, student athletes whirling around in a storm of billions.

Now, in the fourth quarter of 2024, NIL is still evolving, changing and growing. Collectives, which are essentially companies usually founded by alumni of a school or wealthy superfans, collect financial resources, which are then directed to athletes for the rights to use their name, image and likeness. The water in which collectives operate can get a bit murky, and there have been many examples of both athletes and collectives not living up to their end of deals, which has resulted in lawsuits, unexpected voids and an increase in transfers due solely to things simply not working out.

Enter Roy, a cutting-edge online platform that empowers college athletes and fans to connect through exclusive content.
Fans can financially support athletes, and in return, athletes share exclusive behind-the-scenes content with their supporters. This helps athletes thrive at their current schools and engages fans in a new way. Roy aims to democratize and revolutionize college sports by fostering engagement and support in the new NIL-era of college sports.

Roy connects college athletes and fans in a unique way. Athletes claim their profiles, and fans contribute funds to support their favorite athletes. These payments are pooled based on the athlete’s chosen school. Once a campaign has closed and the athlete has selected their school for the next year, the funds are released to the athlete over time as they deliver exclusive content. This creates a transparent, engaging, and compliant way for fans to support their favorite athletes and schools.

Unlike traditional collectives, Roy offers transparency and direct support from fans. Fans know exactly which athlete their money is going to, providing assurance that their payments are making a direct impact. This transparency helps athletes achieve fair-market value for their NIL rights and gives fans more control over their support. If collectives are the sundae, Roy is designed to be the cherry on top, or rather, potentially millions of cherries on top.

It’s also very worth noting that Roy brings something to the table that no other NIL-related transaction does — the potential for a full refund. If an athlete you support selects a different school, or transfers early or decides to go pro before fulfilling their deliverables, your payment will be refunded to you. You can also choose to move your funds to another athlete or campaign on the Roy platform. This ensures that your financial support goes towards the athletes who align with your preferred school.

It’s an exciting time to be involved in collegiate athletics and Roy is taking that excitement and NIL involvement to another level. Overall, the intersection of NIL rights, amateurism, and college sports continues to be a dynamic and evolving issue in collegiate athletics and Roy is at the forefront of changing the way it’s done forever, with fan involvement and the best interest of the athletes at the center of it all.

The Landscape of College Athletics, NIL….and Roy