Just this week, I had a very plugged in Michigan State fan ask the following question:

“Where can the average Joe/Jane contribute NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money for MSU?”

What seemed like it should be a relatively simple answer led me down a winding, interesting road -- that I document here in about 3,500 words or so.

I’ve talked to some MSU sources about where MSU currently fits in the NIL world and where it is going – and I dive deep into it in this article, which is part factual, part informed speculation, and all 100% interesting. At least to me it is.

TL;DR – MSU appears to be on the verge of creating an NIL program that could set the standard for the rest of the country. This article explains how and why.

If you aren’t a Spartans Illustrated (Rivals) subscriber, now is the time to subscribe. Your ten bucks a month won’t count as NIL money to Spartan players, of course -- 😊 -- but it will allow us to continue bringing you coverage of all things MSU.

We are currently running a limited time promotion where you can get the next two months free by using code MSUVISITS when you check out. After you’ve signed up, send me an email to SpartansIllustrated@gmail.com and let me know which Nudge Printing MSU T-shirt you want and I’ll get it shipped out to you right away. You’ll enjoy your subscription to our site, I’m sure of it.

Now, on to the story.

You would think that Name Image and Likeness (NIL) would be a pretty easy topic to understand. But the more you peel away at it, the more questions come up and the more complicated it gets. So, let’s start by breaking it down into easy-to-understand bits and go from there.

We all know that with the new NIL rules, student-athletes may now benefit by signing deals with companies to advertise their products and their brand – and they won’t get punished for it by the NCAA. Gone are the days when bags of money had to exchange hands in private to get recruits to go to the schools where the donors wanted them to go.

Looking at the NIL offerings in and around a school is now a part of the recruiting process. However, it isn’t necessarily easy for prospective student-athletes to do the work needed to figure out which local businesses might be willing to pay them for their services while they are on campus. That has resulted in different organizations helping recruits out by putting them in contact with donors or businesses who would be willing to help if the student-athlete decided to come to their local university.