Viraaj Sood releases free NIL guide for high school athletes

Viraaj Sood has published a free e-book aimed at helping high school student-athletes understand name, image and likeness rules before they reach college. The guide is designed to make NIL basics easier to share with schools, families and sports programs as athletes prepare for a fast-changing college sports landscape.

Why it matters: - High school athletes are increasingly facing NIL questions before they have college support systems in place. - The e-book is meant to give students an early starting point on eligibility, branding and income opportunities tied to NIL. - The guide is free and shareable, which could widen access beyond New York.

What happened: - Viraaj Sood released The NIL Blueprint: Building a Strong Future for Student-Athletes, a free e-book focused on NIL guidance for high school athletes. - Sood created the guide after noticing that many high school student-athletes knew NIL existed but lacked clear, practical guidance. - He began distributing the e-book to high schools, libraries, athletic directors and organizations that support student-athletes. - Sood also reached out to outlets and organizations tied to high school sports and recruiting, including MaxPreps, NCSA College Recruiting, EDGE Magazine and SportsEngine.

The details: - The NCAA’s NIL policy took effect in July 2021, allowing college student-athletes to receive third-party compensation tied to their name, image and likeness. - NIL opportunities can include social media posts, brand appearances and product or service promotion. - The e-book breaks down NIL topics into chapters covering what NIL means, personal branding, mistakes to avoid and how athletes can earn income. - The guide includes an action plan checklist at the end to give student-athletes a starting point. - Sood researched NIL using e-books, online articles, sports media coverage and broader discussions around college and professional sports. - With research supported by Yale professor Ravi Dhar, Sood also examined the relationship between college athletics and professional sports. - Sood said the goal was to make the guide digestible and accessible rather than legalistic.

Between the lines: - The project reflects a gap in NIL education, especially for students who are still in high school and not yet connected to college resources. - Sood’s perspective as a high school student-athlete likely helped shape a guide aimed at peers who may not want a dense policy manual. - Making the e-book free suggests the main goal is reach, not revenue. - The distribution strategy points to a grassroots effort to place NIL education where families and coaches are already looking for athlete guidance.

What's next: - Sood wants the guide to reach more student-athletes, school staff and families who need NIL basics. - He hopes the e-book will help athletes feel less overwhelmed and more prepared to ask the right questions before college. - Questions about the guide can be sent to viraajnilbook@gmail.com.

The bottom line: - Sood is trying to make NIL guidance easier to find for high school athletes before they enter the college sports system.