The NIL era changed everything. For the first time, student-athletes—regardless of their sport—could build brands, earn income, and take ownership of their image while still enrolled in school. But while this freedom has created a flood of opportunities, it has also introduced a new level of uncertainty, especially for international athletes. Bound by immigration rules and F1 visa limitations, many have found themselves on the outside looking in.

Universities are grappling with the challenge. While domestic athletes can sign brand deals with relative ease, schools supporting international talent face a different set of rules—rules that aren’t always black and white. Can these students participate in NIL? Can they receive payments legally? What happens if a mistake is made? These are more than policy questions—they are personal ones that affect futures, scholarships, and immigration status.

With this disruption, the need for flexible, secure, and compliant systems has never been more urgent. NIL isn’t a static environment. It’s evolving in real time—and so must the infrastructure that supports it. That’s where forward-thinking schools, athletes, and partners are beginning to pivot toward global solutions built on a foundation of compliance.

International athletes are not passive participants in this shift—they’re drivers of change. They’re aware of the challenges, and many are taking proactive steps to secure their eligibility while still exploring NIL. Some are pursuing partnerships in their home countries, others are seeking legal advice to ensure every agreement is airtight. But the truth is, they shouldn’t have to do it alone.

Universities are responding, too. We’ve seen a growing number of schools exploring international partnerships and off-campus arrangements to help their foreign-born athletes legally participate in NIL opportunities. From compliance officers to general counsel, more departments are getting involved—recognizing that it’s not enough to simply open the door to NIL. You have to help your athletes walk through it safely.

In this evolving landscape, the key to success is agility. Schools that embrace the need to pivot—toward international payment models, legal vetting, and outside expertise—are the ones that will continue to recruit and retain the best global talent. And athletes who know they are supported not only by their schools but by real legal structures will be the ones who thrive.

At Ross Oneil Investments (ROI), we don’t just acknowledge the disruption in NIL—we meet it with solutions. As a global NIL clearinghouse, we specialize in building compliant, immigration-safe pathways that allow international athletes to participate in NIL without putting their visa status at risk. Our approach is rooted in legal clarity, cross-border financial structuring, and a deep respect for the unique needs of each athlete and institution we serve.

We work with universities to create international service agreements, allowing student-athletes to fulfill brand obligations and receive compensation legally—outside U.S. jurisdiction. By operating through our Bahamas-based infrastructure, we help schools and collectives stay compliant while expanding opportunities for their global athletes.

More than a service provider, we’re a strategic partner. We help schools pivot with confidence, equipping them with the tools, language, and back-end systems needed to support international students in a rapidly changing NIL landscape. At Ross Oneil, we believe that no athlete should be left behind because of where they were born—and no school should fear supporting them.

Let’s build smarter, safer NIL strategies—together.