Deion Sanders says NIL is no more, but rather 'pay-per-view'

Deion Sanders left little room for interpretation when he spoke about NIL this week. The Colorado head coach said he believes college athletes should be compensated, but he also argued the current system is no longer really about name, image and likeness.

Sanders made the comments during an appearance on Front Office Sports News with Baker Machado, where the conversation turned to how NIL has changed recruiting and roster building. Sanders said the money now involved in college athletics goes beyond brand deals and endorsements.

“I do believe that college athletes should be compensated for their name, image and likeness,” Sanders said. “But it’s not about name, image and likeness right now. It’s just about pay-per-view. If it is what it is, then let’s let it. Say what it is.”

That debate matters for Colorado because NIL and the transfer portal have become central to how Sanders builds his roster. The Buffs brought in 43 transfers this offseason after losing 36 players from last year’s team, another sign of how often the roster changes in Boulder.

Sanders arrived in 2023 and immediately turned Colorado football into one of the most talked-about programs in the country. The Buffs went from 1-11 in 2022 to 9-4 in his second season, but the program still has work to do after going 3-9 and missing a bowl game in 2025. Sanders is now trying to get Colorado back on track in 2026, with NIL still shaping nearly every part of the journey.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Deion Sanders says NIL is now ‘pay-for-play’ in college football