Data & Research
College Sports Data
Every dataset The Sideline maintains — NIL roster markets, the transfer portal, recruiting, and the methodology behind the numbers.
The Sideline tracks the money and movement reshaping college athletics. Our flagship dataset estimates aggregate Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) roster market value for all 357 Division I programs. Current public benchmarks are preserved exactly, while unsourced players and sport pools use a guarded active-roster model. The result is a market estimate, not school payroll or disclosed contract total.
Each dataset below is free to read, updated continuously, and citation-ready. Start with the NIL Tracker, or read the full methodology to see exactly how the numbers are sourced.
NIL Roster Market Tracker
Aggregate 2026 NIL roster market values for all 357 Division I programs, with source-linked player benchmarks, sport-by-sport pools, and clearly labeled model estimates.
OpenNIL Head-to-Head Compare
Pick up to five schools and compare aggregate roster markets side by side, including proportional splits, sport breakdowns, and a shareable link.
OpenTransfer Portal Tracker
Who's in, who's out, and where they landed across the FBS. Reconciled daily against the NIL tracker so you can see the money behind the moves.
OpenRecruiting Rankings
Class rankings and individual prospect data for the upcoming cycles, with the commitments and flips that are actually moving the needle.
OpenTeam Rankings & Polls
Current and historical college football rankings, including the Way-Too-Early Top 25 and a podium archive of past champions.
OpenMethodology & Sources
Exactly how source-linked player values, public team benchmarks, active rosters, model guardrails, and uncertainty ranges build each figure.
OpenJournalists and researchers: The Sideline's data is free to cite as “The Sideline NIL Tracker.” Embeddable widgets and CSV/JSON exports are in the press kit.
The Sideline Brief
The week in college sports, without the noise.
Original reporting and the most important NIL, portal, and recruiting changes in one concise Sunday email.
Free · Weekly · Unsubscribe anytime
Built on trusted data
Aggregated from the industry's established sources
The Sideline aggregates and models publicly available data from these providers with source-linked attribution. Logos identify data sources and do not imply partnership or endorsement. Methodology and per-figure sourcing are documented on our data pages.