Name: The Sideline NIL Market Index 2026 for All 357 Division I Programs
Creator: The Sideline
License: https://thesideline.co/terms

Question 1

Which school has the highest estimated NIL roster value in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Texas ranks first at $65.3M in The Sideline's 2026 NIL Market Index. The headline is a best current estimate, not reported school payroll.

Question 2

What is the SEC's aggregate NIL roster market value?

Accepted Answer

The 16 SEC programs total approximately $698.8M in aggregate NIL roster market value. The total should not be read as conference or school spending.

Question 3

What is the Big Ten's aggregate NIL roster market value?

Accepted Answer

The Big Ten programs total approximately $665.8M in aggregate NIL roster market value. Published benchmarks and modeled roster values are combined sport by sport.

Question 4

Can service academy athletes (Army, Navy, Air Force) earn NIL?

Accepted Answer

Service-academy commercial activity is governed by federal and Department of Defense rules that differ materially from other Division I programs. The Sideline lists Army, Navy, and Air Force at $0 rather than forcing a non-comparable market model.

Question 5

Do Ivy League schools have NIL?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Ivy League athletes can participate in third-party NIL activity. Their roster values are modeled conservatively and are not treated as school payroll or direct institutional spending.

Question 6

Is aggregate roster value the same as the school benefits cap?

Accepted Answer

No. The College Sports Commission estimates the 2026–27 institutional benefits cap at about $21.3 million. The Sideline's roster market values also reflect third-party NIL and estimated athlete market value, so they are a separate measure and can exceed that cap.

Question 7

Which sport gets the most NIL money?

Accepted Answer

Football usually carries the largest aggregate roster value at Power-conference programs. Men's basketball often leads at schools without FBS football. Every school page shows the current sport-by-sport split.

Question 8

Are individual player values reported contracts?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. Source-linked publisher values are shown exactly and labeled; other players are modeled with an uncertainty range. A displayed estimate should not be read as salary or verified contract compensation.

Question 9

How are unsourced players valued?

Accepted Answer

The long-tail model uses sport, position, class, recruiting profile, likely role, roster size, and conference market. At programs with at least five public benchmarks, an unsourced player cannot outrank the lowest sourced top-of-roster value.

Question 10

How often is the model audited?

Accepted Answer

Market sources and rosters can be refreshed independently. Every rebuild checks exact source preservation, school and sport reconciliation, source metadata, ranking order, and modeled-player benchmark boundaries.

Texas

Texas A&M

Oregon

Miami (FL)

LSU

Ohio State

USC

Indiana

Texas Tech

Notre Dame

Ole Miss

Oklahoma

Tennessee

Alabama

Georgia

Michigan

UCLA

Missouri

Vanderbilt

Auburn

Houston

Florida State

North Carolina

Florida

Kentucky

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