College athletics is in the midst of its most transformative decade. NIL, revenue sharing, private equity, and digital disruption aren’t just headlines — they’re redefining how departments must operate. In this edition of Spotlight Insights, I’m breaking down the mindset shift required to build sustainable, athlete-centered, and brand-savvy departments in a rapidly evolving landscape. From Olympic sports recruiting to donor strategy, here’s what the most forward-thinking programs are getting right.
Student-Athlete Experience & Lifelong Impact
College athletics is evolving at a rapid pace. NIL, conference realignment, and escalating media rights deals have turned the landscape into a high-stakes business. Revenue generation is critical—it fuels facilities, coaching salaries, recruiting, and the fan experience. There is good reason for that to be the priority, but we can’t lose focus on the core mission of college sports.
At its best, college athletics isn’t just a pathway to the next level—it’s a transformational experience that shapes athletes for life. It teaches discipline, resilience, teamwork, and leadership. It opens doors beyond the playing field, providing academic opportunities, professional connections, and personal growth that extend far beyond a four-year window.
The challenge is ensuring that this holistic experience doesn’t get lost in the pursuit of short-term financial gains. As schools build out NIL strategies, push for bigger TV deals, and navigate shifting economic models, the priority must remain on the student-athlete. Not just as a revenue driver, but as a person with long-term aspirations—whether those are in professional sports, business, media, or any other industry.
Invest in NIL with Purpose: NIL opportunities should be structured to enhance financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and personal brand-building in a way that lasts beyond an athlete’s playing days.
Prioritize Career Development: Partnerships with businesses, alumni mentorship programs, and life skills training should be just as integrated into the athletic experience as NIL deals.
Elevate Wellbeing: Mental health resources, leadership development, and support systems need to be strengthened to ensure athletes thrive in all aspects of life, not just in competition.
Align Athletics with Institutional Growth: The most successful programs will be the ones that connect athletics to the broader university mission, creating lifelong ambassadors who contribute to their schools long after they stop competing.
College sports can be both a major business and a life-changing experience for athletes. But that balance won’t happen by accident, it has to be intentional. As the industry moves forward, the schools that get this right will stand out.
The Future of Fan Engagement? Digital-First Strategy Integrated with In-Person Experiences
Most athletic departments aren’t thinking big enough when it comes to digital strategy.
Too many still treat their digital platforms like extensions of TV — pushing content into rigid formats, outdated time slots, or highlight-driven windows that feel reactive rather than intentional.
But the best departments today aren’t playing that game. They’ve redefined how digital should work for the department — not the other way around.
They’ve:
- Built digital-first ecosystems that meet fans where they already are, not where the department wishes they’d go.
- Made live-streaming, short-form, and interactive content core to their external strategy — not side projects.
- Treated their media presence as an always-on brand, not just a content dump for game days.
This isn’t about having a YouTube or TikTok account.
It’s about whether your digital presence is a brand builder, a revenue engine, and a recruiting weapon.
The future belongs to departments who take full control of their content ecosystem — and build it with purpose.
Revenue Sharing in College Athletics – The Strategic Play
With revenue sharing becoming a reality in college athletics, the margin between staying competitive and falling behind is narrowing fast — especially for athletic departments with limited resources.
This isn’t just a financial shift. It’s a structural one. How departments respond will define their relevance for the next decade.
The most forward-thinking athletic departments are already making moves:
- Prioritizing transparency in financial reporting to build donor trust.
- Strengthening philanthropic infrastructure by investing in development staff and long-term donor relationships.
- Creating detailed, strategic budgets that account for both fixed costs and future flexibility.
They aren’t waiting for a perfect playbook. They’re building one.
Because in the new era of revenue sharing, success won’t be determined by who reacts the fastest. It’ll be determined by who’s been preparing all along.
Departments that rely on short-term wins or reactive fundraising will struggle to keep pace — not just competitively, but structurally.
In a world where compensation, competition, and expectations are rising — preparation, not reaction, is what will separate leaders from the rest.
NIL is Changing Olympic Sports Recruiting—Faster Than Most Realize
For the longest time, NIL wasn’t a factor in Olympic sports recruiting.
That changed in the last couple of months.
Recruits in sports like volleyball, baseball, and track are now asking about NIL the same way football and basketball players do.
The problem? Most schools still don’t have a structured plan for how NIL fits into their Olympic sports strategy.
The best programs will:
- Integrate NIL into their recruiting process.
- Teach their athletes how to brand themselves effectively.
- Partner with sponsors who see value in non-revenue sports.
The schools that build sustainable, brand-driven NIL models — not just quick-pay solutions — will dominate Olympic sports recruiting over the next decade.
Made the trip to Dayton for the First Four to support Devin and the Texas basketball team. Tough way to end the season, but proud of the year they had and all the work Devin put in behind the scenes. Got to catch up with friends in Cincinnati and spend some time back home in Paris, KY too.
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Clay Bollinger 
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