Intellectual Property (IP)

Intellectual property in college athletics covers trademarks, logos, and the rights an athlete holds in their own name, image and likeness. NIL agreements are licenses: the athlete grants a business the right to use their identity for defined purposes, for a defined time, in exchange for payment.

Q. Who owns an athlete’s NIL?

The athlete. What a deal transfers is a license to use it, and the scope of that licence is exactly what the contract says , which is why term, territory and permitted uses matter more than the headline figure.

Q. Where do disputes arise?

Most often over scope and duration: perpetual licenses, rights that survive graduation, or exclusivity clauses that block later deals. Athletes frequently sign these without advice.

Q. What about school trademarks?

An athlete’s NIL rights do not include the school’s marks, logos or uniforms. Using them in a personal NIL deal requires the school’s permission, which is why co-branded deals are handled separately.

Q. What should schools watch for?

Deals that quietly license school IP, agreements with terms extending beyond eligibility, and exclusivity that conflicts with institutional sponsors.