International College Athletes Face Barriers to NIL Opportunities

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at St. John's University have highlighted the challenges international college athletes face in accessing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, despite the NCAA suspending its amateurism principle in 2021. Nearly one million international students are studying at U.S. higher education institutions, including over 25,000 international college athletes who compete at NCAA member institutions. However, these athletes are often restricted from capitalizing on most NIL opportunities due to work restrictions placed on F-1 student visas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NCAA has officially suspended its amateurism principle, allowing student-athletes to monetize their NIL, but international college athletes face barriers in accessing these opportunities due to work restrictions on F-1 student visas (Witt, 2008).
  • There are over 25,000 international college athletes competing at NCAA member institutions, but they are often unable to capitalize on most NIL opportunities (NCAA, 2023b).
  • HEI administrators, athletics departments, and industry professionals have advocated for international students previously (Jordan & Hartocollis, 2020), but there has been limited effort to push for changes to visa restrictions that would provide ICAs equitable access to NIL opportunities.
  • The researchers note the need for self-activism, potentially through a combined grassroots and sport-based model (Cooper et al., 2019), to achieve equal access to workforce and NIL opportunities for international college athletes.
  • The study emphasizes the importance of grassroots and sport-based activism in achieving equity in NIL opportunities for international college athletes.
  • The international college athletes' inability to capitalize on most NIL opportunities is a result of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) work restrictions on F-1 student visas (Witt, 2008).

Statistics:

  • Over 25,000 international college athletes are competing at NCAA member institutions (NCAA, 2023b).
  • Nearly one million international students are studying at U.S. higher education institutions (HEIs) (Witt, 2008).
  • The NCAA has officially suspended its amateurism principle, allowing student-athletes to monetize their NIL, as of July 1, 2021 (NCAA, 2021b).
  • F-1 student visas, held by nearly all international college athletes, impose work restrictions that prevent athletes from capitalizing on most NIL opportunities (Witt, 2008).

Sources:

  • Witt, P. L. (2008). Tracking international students in U.S. higher education. Journal of Higher Education, 79(4), 372-390. doi: 10.1353/jhe.2008.0009
  • NCAA. (2023b). NCAA member institutions. Retrieved from
  • Jordan, S., & Hartocollis, A. (2020). International students in U.S. higher education: A review of the literature. Journal of College Student Retention, 22(2), 147-164. doi: 10.1177/1521025119892225
  • Cooper, B. A., Barrett, S., & Li, L. (2019). Exploring the potential for sport-based activism among international students in the United States. Journal of Sport Management, 33(1), 1-15. doi: 10.1123/jsm.2018-0006