Activate NIL

College football just entered uncharted territory.

A Louisiana judge has cleared the way for former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to return to college football and potentially play for LSU.

They are among 42 athletes across multiple sports who sued for another year of eligibility.

But the legal fight is far from over.

The SEC has already filed a federal lawsuit against LSU and Lane Kiffin and is fighting the ruling that prevents the conference from enforcing its rules against former professionals.

So now we’re asking:

Can you go from college → NFL → back to college?

And if so, what does that mean for the future of college sports?

💬 Would you support former pros being allowed to return to college?

Most brands chase the biggest following. Diadora bet on potential.

They signed Marco Langon as their first NIL partner—before he became a household name.

When Langon turned pro, the partnership continued.

The NIL lesson: Don’t just invest in who an athlete is today. Invest in who they could become.

💬 Would you take 500K followers today or 50K + massive potential?

Follow Activate NIL | NIL Education for more NIL case studies and strategy.

📸 diadora

SEC vs. LSU is escalating.

LSU is facing backlash after bringing former NFL players back into college football under a new interpretation of eligibility rules. SEC executives are reportedly discussing extreme measures—including potential sanctions or even refusing to compete against LSU.

The bigger issue? Where should the line be drawn when it comes to athletes moving between college and professional football?

As the NCAA’s eligibility landscape continues to change, LSU’s situation could have major implications for how schools handle former professional athletes going forward.

NIL is becoming bigger than just brand deals.

As more money flows into college sports, the ecosystem around athletes is growing, too — creating more opportunities for athletes to work with brands, create content, build businesses, and monetize their personal brands.

Mizzou is a great example of this shift: sponsorship revenue is up more than 130% in less than three years.

The takeaway? Athletes who understand how to position themselves in this evolving NIL ecosystem will have more opportunities to benefit from it.

NIL isn’t slowing down. It’s expanding.

Follow Activate NIL | NIL Education for NIL news, education, and strategies that help athletes turn opportunity into action.

Travis Kelce is officially making moves in the NIL space.

The NFL star is partnering with Publicis Sports to launch TEKTA, a new NIL venture aimed at connecting brands with college athletes and creating bigger opportunities in the space.

From NFL stars to major agencies, NIL is becoming a bigger part of the sports marketing ecosystem—and this could be just the beginning.

What do you think this means for the future of NIL?

Montana is putting purpose behind its jersey patch.

The Grizzlies are partnering with the UM Foundation on a “For Montana” patch that will help support scholarships for Montana students.

Instead of using the jersey space for a traditional corporate sponsor, Montana is turning it into a way to give back to the state and invest directly in students.

It’s a reminder that NIL and college athletics can create opportunities that extend far beyond the field.

A major eligibility twist in college football.

A Louisiana judge has temporarily cleared 16 former players to return to college for a fifth season — after they had already pursued NFL opportunities because they weren’t sure they had another year of eligibility.

Now, they could have a path back to college football.

This could have major implications for the NCAA’s evolving eligibility rules.

This partnership is mutually beneficial. It offers Cullen Honohan more than visibility on a jersey—it creates a new platform for growing their personal brand.

Through content opportunities, access to the team’s audience and an ongoing relationship with the program, Cullen can build both reach and credibility while creating value for the basketball program.

Could creator partnerships become a bigger part of the NIL landscape?

What just changed in the Ohio eligibility case (Borovicanin v. NCAA)?

For context, 15 athletes sued the NCAA in the state of Ohio for an additional year of eligibility following the NCAA’s five-year eligibility model.

Here’s a simple version of what’s changed:
A lower Ohio court previously issued an injunction allowing certain athletes who had exhausted their eligibility to compete for another season while the case was in progress.

The NCAA appealed that decision — and now, an appeals court has paused the injunction while the appeal moves forward.

So what does that mean?
The Ohio ruling is temporarily on hold and those athletes are not allowed to play this upcoming season while the case is ongoing. It does not mean the NCAA has won the entire case or that the athletes permanently lost their extra year.

The underlying case is still being decided.

And importantly, this Ohio case is separate from the Wisne case, which involves a different court order affecting fifth-year eligibility.

In short: Ohio’s ruling is paused — the case is not over.

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake’s didn’t hold back when asked about NIL.

His mindset may be more important than the size of his NIL budget.

Because NIL isn’t just about who can spend the most. It’s about strategy, development, relationships, culture and maximizing the resources you have.

Some programs will always have bigger budgets.

The question is: What are you doing with yours?

Do you agree or disagree with Coach Sitake?