The scenario of college sports has drastically shifted; they are completely different now, and the credit goes to NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness). Athletes aren’t just playing for the love of the game—they’re making major banks with the help of their personal brand. While that’s a total game-changer for the athletes themselves, at the same time, it’s also throwing universities into some pretty tricky situations. With so much money on the line, it’s actually no surprise that colleges are having a difficult time figuring out how to handle such serious legal issues involving their players.

One case coming from Illinois has depicted just how messy things can get. A player facing some serious allegations got his suspension challenged in the court, and guess what? NIL played a big role in the legal outcome, obviously. Now one thing is transparent: this is likely to be just the start of a new era that’s unfolding, where Name, Image, and Likeness are changing the way universities handle certain situations.

NIL deals keep getting bigger, and with 2025, it is being introduced in a new revenue-sharing model, declared by the IRS. The universities are finding themselves in a compressed spot when it comes to disciplining athletes who get caught up in legal trouble. It’s one thing to suspend or expel a player who isn’t earning big money. But when that player is bringing in millions, things get a lot more complicated. These athletes aren’t just students—they’re financial assets, and that changes everything.

“One area in which we might expect to see changes is how universities discipline student-athletes for alleged sexual assault on college campuses. It is one thing for a university to discipline or even expel someone accused of such a crime, but it is quite another when the person accused is the highest-paid person on campus, and the university has a direct investment in him,” the National Review pointed out. And it makes sense, right? When a school is financially invested in an athlete, they can’t just pull the trigger on a suspension or expulsion without weighing a ton of factors.

The case of Shannon Jr.

The NBA icon, Terrence Shannon Jr.’s case is a fitting example of how NIL has switched the game. Shannon was the top projected NBA draft in June 2024. He’s a 6-6 senior guard at the University of Illinois. In March 2024, a woman from Kansas reported him. Shannon was facing serious accusations of physical misbehavior; he was also arrested. But his NIL earnings and future prospects were key to his legal fight. A federal judge ruled Illinois violated Shannon’s civil rights by suspending him without enough due process. His participation in college sports wasn’t just about school anymore—it was tied to his career and potential earnings.

So, how do universities handle this? They’ll need to rethink their whole approach to discipline. In the past, college sports were treated as a privilege, and athletes were expected to follow the rules. But with NIL, it’s not just about the game anymore—it’s about career and money. Schools need to factor in all of that before making any moves, especially in cases where serious accusations are involved.

As NIL continues to grow, expect more legal challenges like this one. The Shannon case is just the beginning, and it’s clear that universities will have to adapt fast to the changing landscape. Athletes’ legal rights and NIL deals are going to keep complicating how schools handle these situations, and we’re going to see a lot more cases like this one play out in the future.