Home/Sports

Protect your name, your deals, and your future

Professional contracts for athletes, coaches, agents, and sports organizations. We've got you covered on NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals, brand endorsements, representation, appearances, and training.

Every contract has been drafted and reviewed by a Harvard Law entertainment attorney.

Find the right contract

How to choose the right sports, NIL, or athlete contract

Find the situation that fits your deal, then open the contract type that may be relevant.

Key Terms To Understand

NIL
Name, Image, and Likeness, the personal brand rights an athlete can license or earn from.
Endorsement
An athlete promoting or appearing for a brand, product, or service.
Likeness rights
Permission to use an athlete's image, name, or recognizable features.
Usage rights
How, where, and for how long a brand can use an athlete's name, image, or content.
Exclusivity
A promise not to work with certain competing brands or categories for a set time.
Term
How long the agreement lasts.
Territory
The geographic area the agreement covers.
Deliverables
The specific things the athlete agrees to do, such as posts, appearances, or content.
Appearance obligations
The events, hours, and duties an athlete agrees to show up for.
Morals clause
A term letting a brand end the deal if the athlete's conduct causes serious public harm to the brand.
School and team marks
Logos, names, and trademarks owned by a school, team, league, or association.
Compliance
Following the NIL, eligibility, and reporting rules that apply to the athlete.
Payment timing
When and how the athlete gets paid.
Taxes
NIL and endorsement income is usually taxable, and athletes are often treated as independent earners responsible for their own taxes.

NIL, eligibility, school, conference, association, and reporting rules can vary. Athletes should check applicable requirements before signing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be included in an NIL agreement?
Cover the deliverables, payment and timing, usage and likeness rights, exclusivity, term, any use of school or team marks, and the steps for following the rules that apply to the athlete.
Is an NIL deal the same as an endorsement agreement?
They overlap. NIL is an athlete earning from their name, image, and likeness. An Athlete Endorsement Agreement is one common way to do that, and the same contract can cover both.
Can a brand use my school logo or team marks?
Only with permission from the school, team, or league that owns them. A brand using those marks without clear permission is a red flag.
What are usage rights in an athlete endorsement deal?
They define how, where, and for how long a brand can use your name, image, or content. Watch for rights that last forever without extra pay.
What does exclusivity mean in a sports contract?
It means you agree not to work with certain competing brands or categories for a set time. Broad exclusivity blocks other opportunities, so the scope matters.
What are common warning signs in sports agreements?

These are common issues to watch for in any sports agreement:

  • Unlimited use of the athlete's name, image, or likeness
  • Deliverables are not clearly defined
  • Broad exclusivity that blocks other deals
  • Brand uses school or team marks without permission
  • No deadline for payment
  • No process for NIL reporting or compliance
  • Approval rights are unclear
  • No cancellation terms for appearances
  • Long-term or perpetual rights with no clear explanation