Insurance isn’t usually the first thing people think about when they talk NIL—but in today’s revenue-sharing era, it’s quickly becoming one of the most important.

In this episode of NIL Edge, host Sterling Randle sits down with Tate Gillespie, Vice President of Strategy & Partnerships at Players Health and former inaugural NIL Director at Kansas, to unpack how insurance, risk management, and roster strategy now intersect in college athletics.

From protecting seven-figure NIL investments to helping coaches and administrators make smarter roster decisions, Tate offers a behind-the-scenes look at how universities are beginning to professionalize NIL operations—and why insurance is no longer optional in a $20M+ athlete economy.

If you work in an athletic department, with a collective, or alongside NIL decision-makers, this conversation will change how you think about risk, ROI, and long-term program stability.

Key Takeaways

• NIL is now a balance-sheet issue, not just a marketing one
  As revenue share dollars move onto university books, NIL spending is being scrutinized like any other major business expense—making insurance and risk protection a necessary part of modern athletic department operations.

• Risk visibility is reshaping roster construction
  Injury history, transfer likelihood, and contract structure are now data-driven decisions. Insurance tools are helping coaches and GMs evaluate ROI before committing major NIL dollars—often in portal windows measured in hours, not weeks.

• Insurance can unlock smarter NIL strategy—not just protection
  Rather than being a passive safety net, insurance is influencing how contracts are structured, how bonuses are front-loaded, and how departments communicate stewardship and trust to donors facing NIL fatigue.