NCAA agrees to deal to promote championship events and could lead to NIL money for athletes

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman shakes hands with his players as they come off the field after scoring a touchdown against Arkansas during an NCAA college football game Sept. 27, 2025, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods, File) 2026-08-20T15:09:16Z INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA and Playfly Sports have agreed to a deal that will open the door to more marketing opportunities around championship events , including possible NIL deals for student-athletes. The deal announced on Thursday calls on Playfly to hire a staff that will work closely with NCAA officials to sell sponsorship packages to local businesses and organizations that help promote championship events and could lead to athletes being paid for commercial endorsements. Playfly is the sports industry’s leading revenue maximization company. The new revenue will be used to cover the expenses of NCAA tournaments and personnel, and additional money would be used to enhance the student-athlete experience or be sent back to the member schools. “We worked with the Playfly team on asset valuation in 2024 and were impressed by their dedication and results,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement. “Playfly’s network of resources and relationships will provide benefits that could positively impact every school across our organization, provide added visibility to NCAA programs, and make us better and stronger amid the evolving landscape of college athletics.” The NCAA already has a Corporate Champions and Partners Program, which features sponsors for all of the organization’s national championships. It is managed by CBS Sports and TNT Sports. But this new venture will rely solely on finding local sponsors near the NCAA tourneys. An amendment to the TV contract following the expansion of the men’s tournament to 76 teams made it possible for the NCAA to expand its efforts to generate more money from its biggest events. “The NCAA is simultaneously entrenched with colleges on the local and national level, providing a unique opportunity to drive new sources of income,” said Christy Hedgpeth, president of Playfly Sports Properties. “As they seek to move the organization toward a stronger focus on revenue generation, there is no better team to support their growth than Playfly.” (