NIL for runners.
Decoded, state by state.
The deepest NIL resource built for track & cross country families — all 50 states, real deal data, and a playbook for athletes and parents. Even if a big deal never comes, this is how you build value the right way.
Click your state
High school NIL rules from each state athletic association. Hover a state, click to open its full guide.
Geographic map (AlbersUSA). Hover to highlight, click to open a state. Reference only — not legal advice.
Small states (easier to click here)
Who's signing in track & field
75 real NIL signings — high-school first, newest first. Search and filter, then click a headline for the source.
75 results
Who's signing the most runners
Tracked T&F NIL signings by brand. Click a brand for its full roster.
What NIL actually pays in T&F
Honest, range-based benchmarks. Most deals are small — and that's the truth nobody tells recruits.
~$51–65
Median NIL deal (all sports)
The typical deal is pocket money. A handful of stars pull the average up — most athletes are near the median.
~$1,000–1,300
Average D1 athlete / year
Blended across all sports. Track & field skews well below this except for brand-deal outliers.
~$100–500
Social post (10K–100K followers)
Per Instagram feed post for a micro-influencer athlete. Reels pay more than static posts.
~$2 / 1K
Rough rate per 1,000 followers
A common micro-influencer benchmark — but engagement matters far more than follower count.
Gear → low hundreds
Local business deal
Running store, PT clinic, gym, coffee shop. Often in-kind (free product, gift cards) more than cash.
The rare payday
Elite distance/sprint brand deal
National champions and viral personalities land real shoe/apparel money. This is the exception, not the norm.
What rev-share really means for runners
NIL became legal July 1, 2021. The 2025 House settlement opened a new revenue-sharing era — but for track & field, the story is more about roster math than paychecks.
Revenue sharing (House settlement)
Starting 2025-26, schools may pay athletes directly, up to a ~$20.5M cap (rising ~4%/yr). Roughly 75% goes to football, 15% to men’s basketball, ~10% to everything else. T&F competes for a thin slice — most runners see little or none.
NIL Go clearinghouse
Third-party deals of $600+ must clear NIL Go (run by Deloitte), which checks for a "valid business purpose" and fair-market value. Built to stop collectives from disguising pay-for-play. Report within 5 business days.
Roster limits — the real T&F impact
Scholarship caps were replaced by hard roster caps: 45 for track, 17 for cross country (the SEC went lower for men). Schools can now fund more scholarships per roster spot — but deep walk-on benches are being cut. An estimated 3,000+ Olympic-sport roster spots are at risk.
Brand deals are where T&F money lives
For the small tier of elite collegiate distance and sprint stars, shoe/apparel NIL (New Balance, Nike, On, Brooks, HOKA, Adidas) is the meaningful money — and a relationship pipeline to a future pro contract.
International athletes & the visa wall
Most international athletes hold F-1 visas, which generally bar U.S.-based NIL work and rev-share pay. A huge issue in distance running, where foreign-born talent is heavily represented. Treat it as a legal-counsel question, never a given.
A state-law patchwork
There’s no single federal NIL law. State statutes, NCAA rules, the settlement terms, and the new College Sports Commission all interact — and conflict. Rules are still settling; verify current status.
Protect eligibility. Don't get burned.
Disclosure, representation, contracts, and taxes — written for parents, not lawyers.
Disclosure — the #1 eligibility trap
Most eligibility problems are paperwork failures, not money problems. Report deals, on time, every time.
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Disclosure — the #1 eligibility trap
Most eligibility problems are paperwork failures, not money problems. Report deals, on time, every time.
College (Division I)
Any third-party deal worth $600+ must be reported to NIL Go (the Deloitte-run clearinghouse) within 5 business days. Incoming athletes report qualifying deals within 14 days of enrolling, or before their first competition.
High school
A state-by-state patchwork. Most states that allow HS NIL require notifying the school/athletic director within a set window — commonly 3 to 14 days. Check your state on the map above.
Penalty for non-disclosure
Ineligibility. This is the single biggest risk — and it is entirely avoidable. When in doubt, disclose.
Protecting eligibility — the bright lines
Four rules cover almost every state. Cross any of them and you risk eligibility.
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Protecting eligibility — the bright lines
Four rules cover almost every state. Cross any of them and you risk eligibility.
No school IP
No school logos, mascots, nicknames, uniforms, or facilities in NIL content. At the HS level most states bar even mentioning the school. This is the most commonly violated rule.
No pay-for-play
Money can’t be tied to performance, winning, scoring, or transferring. Deals must be for real deliverables — posts, appearances, content, camps.
No booster / recruiting inducements
A deal can’t be a disguised recruiting payment from a booster or collective to lure an athlete to a school.
Prohibited categories
Most states ban alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, gambling, weapons, adult content, and prescription drugs. Categories vary — verify in your state.
Agents vs. attorneys
For small T&F deals, a flat-fee attorney review usually beats handing an agent a percentage of everything.
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Agents vs. attorneys
For small T&F deals, a flat-fee attorney review usually beats handing an agent a percentage of everything.
Agents
Find and negotiate deals, usually for a 15–20% commission. Unless they’re also lawyers, they can’t give legal advice or represent you in a dispute. The space is largely unregulated — vet who you sign with.
Attorneys
Have a fiduciary duty to act in your interest, ensure compliance and enforceability, and can represent you in disputes. A one-time review fee often makes more sense than a 20% cut of a $300 deal.
Practical call
Most T&F families don’t need a full-time agent. Get contracts reviewed; keep representation proportional to the dollars involved.
Contract red flags
Scan every agreement for these before anyone signs.
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Contract red flags
Scan every agreement for these before anyone signs.
Overbroad exclusivity
Locks you out of an entire category (all footwear, all nutrition) for little money.
Long term / perpetuity
Multi-year lock-ins, auto-renewals, or rights that extend beyond the relationship.
IP / NIL ownership grabs
Clauses that sign away long-term control of your name, image, and likeness, or claim future earnings.
Vague deliverables & pressure
Unclear obligations invite disputes. If someone is rushing you to sign, it usually benefits them — not the athlete.
Taxes — the part families miss
NIL income is taxable self-employment income, even with no 1099 and even when paid in free gear. Run it by a CPA.
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Taxes — the part families miss
NIL income is taxable self-employment income, even with no 1099 and even when paid in free gear. Run it by a CPA.
It’s self-employment income
Reported on Schedule C, subject to ordinary income tax plus ~15.3% self-employment tax. Non-cash pay (gear, gift cards, product) is taxable at fair market value. Taxable even if no form is issued — the 1099-NEC threshold rises to $2,000 in 2026.
Quarterly estimated taxes
No employer withholds, so you generally owe quarterly estimated payments (federal and state). A common rule of thumb is setting aside ~25–30% of every deal. Missing deadlines means penalties.
The "kiddie tax"
Applies to a dependent’s unearned income. NIL is generally earned income, so it usually falls outside it — but interactions with a high-bracket parent return matter. A "check with a CPA before filing" situation.
Deductions, LLC & FAFSA
Legitimate business expenses (travel, content, agent/accountant fees, equipment) reduce taxable income. An LLC can help at higher deal volume. NIL income must be reported on the FAFSA and can reduce need-based aid — sometimes a modest deal costs more in lost aid than it pays.
No big deal coming? Build value anyway
For nearly all T&F athletes, NIL isn’t a payday — it’s long-game brand building. The recruiting upside usually dwarfs the dollars.
Build the audience now
Consistency beats virality. Post training, meets, and the day-to-day journey. Document the grind, not just results — authentic niche content outperforms polished generic content.
Engagement > follower count
A 5,000-follower runner with a tight, engaged audience can be worth more to a local brand than a 50,000-follower account with dead engagement. Reply, interact, be a real person.
Local & in-kind deals are achievable
Running stores, PT/chiro clinics, gyms, smoothie shops, camps, and coaching younger athletes are all within reach with a modest, engaged following — often free gear or small fees, but real and repeatable.
The real payoff is recruiting visibility
A strong, professional social presence lets college coaches see your skills, character, and personality beyond meet results. A brand built in high school translates directly into more recruiting interest — and more NIL potential later.
Common NIL questions
Can high school track & field athletes sign NIL deals?›
It depends on your state. As of 2026, the large majority of states permit some form of high school NIL through their athletic association, a few are limited or contested, and a small number still prohibit it. Use the state map on this page to check your state.
How much do track & field NIL deals pay?›
For most athletes, very little — the median NIL deal across all sports is roughly $50–65, and track & field skews lower. Only a small tier of elite distance and sprint stars land meaningful shoe or apparel brand deals. Most value for the typical runner is in free gear, experience, and recruiting visibility.
Which brands sign track & field athletes?›
New Balance, Nike, Brooks, HOKA, On, Adidas, and Puma all sign track, cross country, and distance athletes — at both the high school and college level. New Balance has been the most active in high school distance NIL.
Will an NIL deal hurt my high school eligibility?›
It can if you break the rules. Most states prohibit using school logos, uniforms, or facilities, ban pay-for-play, and require you to disclose the deal to your school within a set window. Disclosure failures are the most common — and most avoidable — eligibility problem.
Is NIL income taxable?›
Yes. NIL income is taxable self-employment income — even when you’re paid in free gear or product, and even if no tax form is issued. Families should set money aside for taxes and consult a CPA.
Recruiting is more than NIL.
Programs, rosters, marks, coaches, and the data that actually moves recruiting — built for serious track & XC families.
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