College Athletes Get Paid - Some are Jewish

Benny Gealer is a Jewish walk-on to the Stanford basketball team

The greatest change in the history of college sports is taking place right now. Name, Image, and Likeness rights represent a fundamental shift in college athletics. For decades, the NCAA maintained strict amateurism rules that prohibited student-athletes from monetizing their personal brand, despite universities and media companies generating billions from their performances. This changed dramatically on July 1, 2021, when new NCAA rules allowed college athletes to profit from their NIL for the first time.

The legal foundation for this change emerged from years of litigation challenging the NCAA's restrictive policies. The Supreme Court's unanimous decision in NCAA v. Alston (2021) opened the door for broader challenges to NCAA compensation limits. This momentum culminated in several landmark cases that have reshaped college sports.

The Court Cases That Changed Everything

The most significant legal developments have come through multiple interconnected lawsuits. The House v. NCAA case, along with Carter v. NCAA, resulted in a historic $2.8 billion settlement that received preliminary approval in October 2024, with final approval scheduled for April 2025. This settlement allows schools to directly compensate athletes for their NIL rights, fundamentally altering the college sports landscape.

Equally important was the February 2024 federal court decision that blocked NCAA restrictions on NIL recruiting. In Tennessee v. NCAA, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction preventing the NCAA from enforcing its NIL-related recruiting prohibitions. The court ruled that allowing such bans prevented student-athletes from fairly negotiating compensation, extending the injunction nationwide and permitting NIL deals to be negotiated before enrollment.

These legal victories have created an environment where student-athletes can now openly negotiate NIL deals as part of the recruitment process, transforming what was once hidden "pay-for-play" into legitimate business transactions.

While many athletes do profit off of brand deals the vast majority of NIL dollars is intended for recruitment. The most significant development has been the rise of NIL collectives – organizations that pool resources from boosters, alumni, and fans to provide NIL opportunities to athletes. These collectives have become the primary vehicle for what is essentially recruitment-focused compensation. Rather than traditional endorsement deals based on marketability, most NIL dollars now flow through these collectives specifically to attract and retain talent for particular programs.

The recruitment aspect cannot be overstated. While NIL was initially framed as an opportunity for athletes to capitalize on their personal brand and social media following, the reality is that the majority of NIL compensation serves as a recruitment tool. Collectives coordinate with coaching staffs to ensure promising recruits receive attractive NIL packages, effectively creating a new form of competitive bidding for talent.

Against this backdrop of commercial opportunity and recruitment-driven compensation, a unique niche has emerged focusing specifically on Jewish college athletes. Tribe NIL, the nation's first Jewish-focused NIL initiative, represents a groundbreaking approach that combines commercial opportunity with Jewish identity.

Founded with the recognition that Jewish athletes face unique challenges in today's campus environment, Tribe NIL goes beyond traditional NIL arrangements. The organization provides financial support, brand-building expertise, and leadership development specifically rooted in Jewish values. This approach acknowledges that for Jewish athletes, NIL opportunities can serve as both economic empowerment and cultural affirmation.

The timing of this initiative is particularly significant. As antisemitic incidents on college campuses have increased dramatically, Jewish students and athletes often find themselves navigating hostile environments while trying to maintain their religious and cultural identity. Traditional NIL deals might focus solely on athletic performance or social media reach, but Jewish-focused NIL recognizes that identity itself can be a source of strength and marketability.

The emergence of Jewish NIL initiatives comes at a critical time for Jewish students on college campuses. Recent years have seen a troubling increase in antisemitic incidents, harassment, and discrimination targeting Jewish students. This environment has created particular challenges for Jewish athletes who must balance their religious identity with their role as public figures representing their universities.

In this context, Jewish NIL serves a dual purpose. It provides economic opportunities for athletes while simultaneously creating platforms for them to speak out against antisemitism and celebrate their heritage. As one Tribe NIL leader explained, "In a time of rising antisemitism and increased polarization on campus, we're empowering athletes to use their name, image and likeness as a source of pride."

This approach transforms what could be a defensive posture into an offensive strategy. Rather than simply responding to antisemitism, Jewish athletes are proactively building their platforms and using their visibility to educate others and create positive change.

The most significant validation of the Jewish NIL concept came in July 2025 when the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS), backed by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, launched the Blue Square Athlete Ambassador Program in partnership with Tribe NIL. This program signed six Jewish NCAA athletes ranging from Division I to Division III, including Meyer Shapiro from Cornell wrestling, Ethan Hott from Stanford baseball, and Riley Weiss from Columbia basketball.

The Blue Square program represents the first major institutional support for Jewish-focused NIL, providing these athletes with both financial compensation and a platform to combat antisemitism. The athletes work with experts from the organization to develop educational content and advocacy strategies, using their athletic platforms to reach audiences that might not otherwise engage with anti-antisemitism efforts.