In what ways do NIL deals and opportunities affect the expos…

In what ways do NIL deals and opportunities affect the exposure, social status, and perceived value of female athletes compared to male athletes within schools, online communities, and the broader landscape of college sports?

Thesis (You can change): The current NIL system both amplifies and constrains the exposure and social status of female college athletes, as it rewards a narrower, often gendered ideal of marketability, thereby reinforcing longstanding inequalities in how womens athletic value is perceived relative to men in schools, online communities, and the broader college sports economy.

Main Reasons:

1. Media and sport popularity gaps

NIL deals concentrate in already popular mens sports (especially football and basketball), so male athletes receive more consistent offers, visibility, and status.

1. Unequal investment and pay

Brands and collectives typically spend more on mens programs, which widens both the financial and exposure gap between male and female athletes.

1. Marketability over performance for women

Female athletes are often rewarded more for appearance, personality, and social media image than for athletic performance, reinforcing gender stereotypes about their value.

1. Perception of men as the default valuable athletes

These patterns send the message that mens sports are the primary economic and cultural priority, while womens sports and athletes are secondary or conditional in value.