Abstract
This Article examines how the emergence of Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”) rights and the approval of the House settlement have transformed the experience and future of women college athletes. For the first time in modern college athletics, athletes are permitted to profit from their personal brands through endorsements, sponsorships, social media promotions, and institutional revenue-sharing opportunities. These developments have created unprecedented visibility and economic opportunity for women athletes, particularly in sports such as basketball, gymnastics, and volleyball, where athletes have demonstrated significant commercial value and audience engagement. At the same time, the rapid commercialization of college sports has introduced new concerns regarding resource allocation, roster limits, participation opportunities, and the long-term impact of revenue-sharing systems on women’s athletics. Although antitrust litigation laid the foundation for these changes, the central issue now is whether the evolving structure of college sports will meaningfully include and protect women athletes in this new economic era. This Article argues that the NIL and revenue-sharing era presents both extraordinary opportunities and substantial risks for gender equity in college sports. While NIL has allowed many women athletes to build brands and secure compensation previously unavailable under NCAA rules, emerging revenue- sharing models threaten to reinforce historical disparities by directing the majority of institutional resources toward football and men’s basketball. The Article analyzes how schools are navigating the intersection of NIL, the House settlement, and Title IX obligations while balancing growing commercial pressures within collegiate athletics. It further explores the risks posed by donor- driven NIL collectives, roster reductions, and unequal access to institutional support systems that shape athletes’ ability to succeed in the modern marketplace. Ultimately, this Article proposes policy reforms aimed at protecting participation opportunities, promoting equitable compensation structures, and ensuring that the future of college athletics does not replicate the inequities that women athletes have historically faced.
Recommended Citation
Martin, Hannah
(2026)
"NEW PLAYBOOK: HOW THE MODERN COLLEGE SPORTS LEGAL LANDSCAPE SHAPES THE WOMEN ATHLETE EXPERIENCE AND FUTURE,"
UNH Sports Law Review: Vol. 5:
Iss.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://scholars.unh.edu/unhslr/vol5/iss1/5
Recommended Citation
Martin, Hannah (2026) "New Playbook: How The Modern College Sports Legal Landscape Shapes The Women Athlete Experience and Future," UNH Sports Law Review: Vol.5: Iss.1: Article 2.