NIL is no longer just about deals. It is becoming a marketing, data, and infrastructure problem. In this conversation, Brent Wall, co-founder and CEO of Student Athlete Score, breaks down how schools, athletes, and brands are using data to understand athlete value, social reach, campaign performance, and NIL ROI. Eric Kasimov and Brent discuss how NIL is moving from chaos and headline chasing toward measurable marketing systems, why local and regional brand deals matter, and how athletes can build platforms that last beyond sports. Key Takeaways NIL is moving from chaos toward measurable ROI Student Athlete Score helps schools, athletes, and brands understand athlete value Follower counts alone do not tell the full story Local and regional brand deals may be a major NIL opportunity Schools are building new commercial roles around NIL and athlete marketing Donor fatigue is forcing more focus on real brand value AI and data can help match athletes with better-fit opportunities Olympic and non-revenue athletes may be overlooked NIL opportunities Youth athletes are being pushed to think about personal brand earlier Athlete branding can create skills that last beyond sportsChapters 00:00 Introduction01:50 The professionalization of sports at every level03:00 Why young athletes now have to think about personal brand04:39 Social media cleanup, exposure, and pressure on kids06:32 What Student Athlete Score does07:56 Measuring athlete value on social media08:35 How universities use the platform10:05 AI, discovery, and local brand deals11:39 NIL education, taxes, and athlete responsibility13:36 The old Wild West of NIL and the new one15:59 Compliance, NIL Go, and regulation16:22 Eligibility, the five-and-five rule, and college sports consistency19:35 Tournament expansion, TV money, sports betting, and more games23:00 Olympic sports and non-revenue programs26:17 Donor fatigue and the need for NIL ROI29:41 Why money does not guarantee winning31:19 The transfer portal and mid-major programs36:00 International athletes, age gaps, and roster pressure38:49 Olympic athletes, NIL, and personal brand gaps40:28 Bots, fake followers, and better data42:31 Why athlete interests matter to brands43:31 Building a platform for life after sports44:11 Youth sports, high school athletes, and brand education46:21 NIL as sales and marketing education47:21 Team dinners, micro-influencers, and local business value50:40 How Student Athlete Score grew with universities51:26 New commercial roles inside athletic departments52:57 Where to find Brent Wall and Student Athlete Score Connect & Follow The NIL Podcast by SportsEpreneurHosted by Eric Kasimov: https://x.com/Eric_Kaz Brent Wall: LinkedInInstagram: @studentathletescore SportsEpreneur https://sportsepreneur.com https://x.com/sportsepreneur https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportsepreneur