The Increased Risk of NIL

The NIL era has changed more than recruiting, branding, and compensation…

It’s changed risk.

High school and collegiate athletes are no longer just participants—they are assets with real financial value tied to their name, image, and likeness. A missed diagnosis, delayed referral, or return-to-play decision doesn’t just impact health anymore…

It can impact contracts, endorsements, and income potential.

And that shifts the liability landscape for athletic trainers.

Most ATs carry (or are covered by) a standard $1M / $3M professional liability policy. For years, that’s been viewed as “enough.”

But in today’s environment, that number deserves a second look.

When an athlete’s earning potential is part of the equation, claims are no longer limited to medical costs and pain & suffering—they can include lost future earnings and opportunity damages tied to NIL deals.

That’s a different level of exposure.

And here’s the uncomfortable reality:

➡️ Employer-provided policies may not be structured with your individual risk in mind

➡️ Coverage limits may be shared across an organization

➡️ Once limits are exhausted, your personal exposure begins

In a world where a single case could exceed traditional limits, relying solely on a $1M / $3M policy may not align with the actual risk profile of modern sport.

Athletic trainers should be asking:

Do my coverage limits reflect today’s risk environment?

Is my policy occurrence-based or claims-made?

Do I have protection beyond my employer’s shared limits?

Because as the value of athletes increases, so does the value of the decisions surrounding their care.

Carrying higher individual limits isn’t about fear—it’s about practicing in alignment with the reality of the profession today.

NIL didn’t just professionalize athletes.

It raised the stakes for everyone responsible for their care.