Strategic Advisory
Ongoing advisory relationships that provide leadership teams with experienced perspectives and rapid decision support as NIL issues arise.
Athletic directors and leadership teams are now making NIL decisions that involve significant financial commitments, evolving regulatory expectations, and complex coordination across multiple stakeholders. In many cases, these decisions arise quickly and require experienced perspective from someone who understands both the regulatory environment and the operational realities of college athletics.
Strategic Advisory engagements provide athletic departments with ongoing access to that perspective. Starnes Sports works alongside leadership teams as a trusted advisor, helping them evaluate options, anticipate risks, and make informed decisions as NIL issues arise throughout the year.
These engagements are designed for institutions that want an experienced advisor available for leadership discussions, time-sensitive questions, and high-stakes decisions without outsourcing the underlying operations of their NIL program.
Example Engagement Models
Advisor-on-Call Retainer
Rapid-response advisory support for athletic directors, general managers, compliance leaders, and other senior decision-makers navigating complex NIL questions.
Typical support includes:
- Review of high-value or high-risk NIL structures
- Guidance on retention strategy and roster planning
- Leadership alignment sessions
- Monthly leadership briefs summarizing risks, decisions, and next steps
Retained Advisory
An ongoing advisory relationship supporting leadership decisions and day-to-day NIL strategy throughout the year.
Typical support includes:
- Regular leadership touchpoints
- Stakeholder alignment across athletics, compliance, licensing, collectives, and university leadership
- NIL operating support, templates, and governance frameworks
- Risk and compliance guardrails