Name. Image. Likeness.

Back the Nittany Lions: Football NIL Support

Revenue sharing changed how college football players get paid. Here's what it means for Penn State fans, and how to support the team the right way in 2026.

There's a new head coach on the Penn State sideline in 2026, with Matt Campbell in his first season after the 2025 coaching change, and a brand-new money system under the whole sport. If you've wondered where fans fit now that schools pay players directly, you're not alone. Here's the short version as of fall 2026, plus practical ways to back the team that stay inside the rules.

How Penn State football players get paid now

There are three main streams, and it helps to keep them separate.

  • Scholarships and benefits. The settlement replaced scholarship limits with roster limits. An FBS team can carry 105 players, and schools are allowed to put every one of them on scholarship.
  • Revenue sharing. Since July 1, 2025, schools can pay athletes directly, up to a cap that was $20.5 million in 2025-26 and is roughly $21.5 million for 2026-27. That cap covers every sport at the school, not just football. Penn State said it would share revenue up to the cap, and reporting before year one suggested most FBS schools planned to send roughly 70 to 75 percent of the pool to football.
  • Third-party NIL. Deals with businesses, brands, collectives and individuals. These don't count against the cap, but any deal worth $600 or more has to be reported to NIL Go, the College Sports Commission's clearinghouse, which checks for a valid business purpose and a reasonable price.

For scale: across Division I, 307 schools shared about $1.77 billion with nearly 35,000 athletes in the first year, according to College Sports Commission figures reported in early October 2026.

Where fans come in

Revenue sharing didn't make fans irrelevant. The pool comes out of athletic department revenue, the cap limits what the school pays but not what outside partners pay, and a 105-man roster has plenty of players who will never land a national campaign. Here's how to help.

Show up and stay loud

A full Beaver Stadium is part of what Penn State sells to TV partners and sponsors. Tickets, parking and concessions help fund the department that now pays players. Buy through official channels, and when you can't make the trip, watch on the official broadcasts.

Buy licensed, and buy player merch

Licensed Penn State gear sends royalties back to the university. Pennsylvania law also requires royalties to athletes when merchandise uses their name, image or likeness. Licensing deals, like the ones that brought college football video games back, now pay players for products fans were going to buy anyway.

Hire players for real work

Local businesses are the backbone of NIL for most of the roster. Think youth camps, autograph sessions, a radio spot, a grand opening or a social post for a restaurant downtown. The deal needs a defined deliverable, a fair price and a business reason, and the athlete reports anything worth $600 or more through NIL Go. Our explainer on what NIL deals Penn State athletes can sign walks through what's allowed.

Follow official channels

Engagement is the currency of NIL. Follow players' verified accounts, share their content and show up for their community events. A reserve lineman with a growing audience can land deals that wouldn't have existed five years ago.

Give carefully

If you want to give money, use the university's official athletics fund or a group you've vetted. Ask whether athlete deals clear NIL Go and whether your gift is deductible. Our breakdown of NIL collectives vs donations explains where each dollar ends up.

Rules every fan should know

  • No pay-for-play. Third-party payments can't be tied to wins, stats or a player staying at Penn State.
  • No booster recruiting. Leave recruits, and any NIL talk with them, to the coaching staff. NCAA rules restrict booster contact with prospects.
  • Logos are separate. A player can license their own name and image. Using Penn State marks requires a license from the university.
  • Some categories are off-limits. Pennsylvania law bars athlete deals involving adult entertainment, alcohol, gambling, tobacco and vaping, prescription drugs and controlled substances, and schools can add limits of their own.

The bigger picture

None of this is settled for good. Congress has debated national NIL legislation for years without passing a law, and the CSC's review standards have shifted more than once since launch. If you want the basics before the details, start with What Is NIL? A Guide for Penn State Fans. Wrestling fans can find a sport-specific version on our Penn State wrestling NIL page.

Football NIL FAQ

If Penn State pays players directly, why does fan NIL support still matter?
The revenue-sharing cap covers every sport at the school, and football's share has to stretch across a large roster. Outside NIL deals don't count against the cap, so local businesses and fan engagement still shape what many players earn.
Can my business sign a Penn State football player?
Yes, for real marketing work at a fair price. Put the deliverables in writing, don't tie pay to performance or enrollment, and expect the athlete to report any deal worth $600 or more to NIL Go. Using Penn State logos takes a separate license.
Do ticket and merchandise purchases really help players?
Indirectly, yes. Athletic department revenue funds revenue sharing and scholarships, and licensed products that use a player's name or likeness pay royalties to that player under Pennsylvania law.
Can boosters talk to recruits about NIL money?
Leave that to the coaching staff. NCAA rules limit booster contact with prospects, and dangling NIL money to influence a recruit's school choice can create real problems for the program.
Is giving to a collective the same as giving to Penn State?
No. Collectives are independent organizations, and contributions to them are usually not tax-deductible. Gifts to the university's athletics fund are handled by the school. Ask any group exactly where your money goes before you give.