Boise State University Pilot Program: $1.07M in NIL Deals and Tax Savings
BSU Pilot Overview
Boise State Athletic Department & BroncoPro (BSU NIL Team)
Nov 3 – Dec 9, 2025 (5 weeks)
48 onboarded, 42 NIL deals, Football & Men's Basketball
NIL tracking, tax suggestions, budgeting, compliance, workshops
Engagement, completion rates, deals logged, taxes calculated
Workshops, onboarding, communications, admin access & reporting
With the connections current student-athlete and co-founder, Marco Notarainni, has within Boise State University, WealthIntel was able to connect with the university administrators and designated NIL teams. We came to an agreement that a need for our services is lacking in the NIL landscape.
The objective was to provide financial education and support for BSU student-athletes as they prepare for taxes and manage their NIL income. From that we were to gather data and behavioral insights as to what we can identify, how valuable our product is, and how we can get this to all student-athletes at Boise State University.
Athlete Onboarding and Workshops
Clear, frictionless activation of athletes paired with financial education.
Athlete Engagement:
- Method of onboarding (team meetings, QR codes, workshops)
- Workshops delivered (signup, usage, value, feedback)
- Word of Mouth
- Softball wants to connect with us being the 2026 year starts
- Individual athletes asking me to get them on the app and help
Team Meeting Onboarding Takeaways:
When the university made the team meeting mandatory, the athletes were a lot more engaged and intent on following through with building their financial management skills/habits. When it was optional, athletes did not see the value of getting onto the app.
The athletes that went out of their way to connect with me were ones that have been a part of or been around teammates with horror stories involved with NIL and the IRS. There was mention of being "screwed" last year, no preparation, "lucky" that their last check covered their tax liabilities, signed deals that they didn't know how tax implications (eg. car deal), and others putting all of their savings into taxes when trying to save up for a house for their wife. Obviously experience is the biggest teacher, but we want to avoid these horror stories of athletes spending all their money, not saving enough, or saving too much and not earning their financial freedom.
Co-Founder and Athlete Marco Notarainni takes the lead on ensuring that his fellow student-athletes at Boise State University are confident and secure in the financial management through NIL. With Marco's experience juggling many different competing priorities (school, sport, social, family, etc.) it was extremely difficult to properly understand and plan for taxes with an inconsistent stream of income. WealthIntel's goal is to passionately empower and aid student-athletes in their financial wellness journey!
Data Retrieved
As of Week 5 of the Boise State University Pilot, we were able to compile data from 47 athletes from the teams mentioned above.
Key Indicators:
42 deals have been logged (mostly revenue sharing contracts) and identified $1.17 million of tax risk
Average tax risk per deal = $25,372
Based on the logging/tracking system, athletes have saved $372,613 — saving them from possible tax penalties of $93,153
There are still possible tax penalties of $173,252
Engagement between features showed below by an average # of clicks per week:
- Tax Section: 455 clicks
- Chatbot Automation: 96 clicks
- Budgeting: 118 clicks
Behavioral Insights
From the start of the pilot program (based on interviews, workshops, and surveys) it was clear that the only athletes that understood the tax implications that come with their NIL deals were from upper classmen/women. After diving deeper into those conversations a lot of them just survived their previous tax seasons and considered themselves "lucky". Most did not put any money aside for taxes and used their last quarterly payment to cover their tax liabilities come April, while some had to take money out of their savings for a house for them and their wife. While all of these possible horror stories were averted, it taught them a valuable lesson that their financial management should not be taken lightly.
At the end of the program each athlete emphasized how they wished they had a tool like ours to automate and track their tax liabilities. Many of them feel less stressed/overwhelmed, while being excited to take over their finances. After understanding their tax liabilities and monthly expenses, athletes felt the freedom to invest, spend, or save their money for their financial goals.
What This Means
Of the 47 of the athletes onboarded to the app and the average tax risk per deal, Boise State University's total athletes of 365 would make their total tax suggested $9.26 million (average tax risk x rest of the athletes not onboarded). This is assuming that all athletes receive the same revenue sharing compensation and does not account for a lot of authentic NIL, which do not typically consist of tens of thousands of dollars. Although this emphasizes an inflated tax suggestion, it shows the relevance and importance of ensuring tax preparation and financial literacy for all student-athletes.
Next Steps
With the completion of the pilot program, we are now focusing on expanding WealthIntel to more universities and athletic programs. Our goal is to provide every student-athlete with the financial tools they need to succeed both on and off the field.
We are actively seeking partnerships with universities, athletic departments, and NIL collectives who want to empower their athletes with financial literacy and tax management tools.
Conclusion
The Boise State University pilot program has validated the need for comprehensive financial education and tax management tools for student-athletes. The data speaks for itself: 42 deals logged, $1.17 million in tax risk identified, and $372,613 in potential savings for athletes. WealthIntel is ready to bring this solution to universities across the country.
Testimonials
"What makes this app so effective is its ability to meet users where they are. It makes financial education approachable and helps translate knowledge into real tax savings, which is exactly the kind of support people need."
Sara Whiles, Associate Athletic Director, BroncoLife & Varsity B
"Wealth intel allows student-athletes to own their personal finance journey and become knowledgeable on potential tax responsibilities and best savings practices in the new era of NIL and college athletics."
Collin Stoecker, Assistant Athletic Director, BroncoPRO
TAGS
Marco Notarainni
Co-Founder, WealthIntel
Expert contributor to the WealthIntel Blog, sharing insights on financial success for student-athletes.