Accountability in the Era of Contracts

When the Classroom Meets the Contract: Accountability in the Era of NIL and the Transfer Portal

The University of Georgia’s lawsuit against former defensive end Damon Wilson II, seeking $390,000 in damages after he entered the transfer portal, isn’t just a headline about NIL gone wrong.

Last year, Wilson, a highly-recruited edge rusher who played two seasons at Georgia, signed a name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreement with Georgia’s Classic City Collective that was reportedly worth up to $500,000 over 14 months. Shortly after receiving an initial $30,000 payment under that agreement, Wilson entered the NCAA transfer portal and eventually committed to the University of Missouri.

What happened next is unprecedented.

It’s a wake-up call about accountability in college athletics.

If student-athletes want to participate in the business of college sports, they must also operate with a business mindset. NIL has turned amateur athletics into a commercial ecosystem where athletes negotiate six-figure deals, build personal brands, and leverage their visibility.

That’s opportunity.

But it also comes with legal liability.

The Student Side of the Business

“Student-athlete” doesn’t just mean balancing books and playbooks anymore.

It means understanding contracts, taxes, intellectual property, and breach clauses.

Athletes who sign NIL deals without legal counsel or a financial advisor aren’t just risking money—they’re undermining common-law expectations of informed consent and contractual competence.

If universities are professionalizing sports, athletes must professionalize their approach to self-management.

Ignorance of a contract won’t hold up in court.

And every lawsuit like this sets a precedent that could shape how accountability is enforced across college athletics.

Shared Responsibility, Not Shared Excuses

Yes, institutions have a duty to educate and protect their athletes.

But empowerment cuts both ways.

Athletes now have unprecedented earning potential and autonomy. With that freedom comes the obligation to build their own support teams -attorneys, agents, and mentors who can help them navigate the fine print.

Because at the end of the day, business is still business, whether it’s happening in the boardroom or the locker room.

The Next Era of College Sports

The Georgia case isn’t just about who owes what, it’s about the future of professional literacy in education.

If we want college athletics to maintain integrity, we can’t treat NIL like free money or schools like villains.

Both sides must evolve.

Universities need to teach the business; athletes need to learn the business.

That’s the only way to keep opportunity from turning into liability - and to preserve both the “student” and the “athlete” in this new era of collegiate sport.