The Players Nil
The Players NIL is a bootstrapped online education platform that delivers NIL courses, coaching, and career development resources to student-athletes, with a stated focus on the 98% outside Power 5 programs. Founded 2021-2022 in Los Angeles by Mark Koesterer.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersRedondo Beach, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Players Nil does
The Players NIL is a privately held, founder-operated online education and coaching company that provides Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) education, branding tools, and career development resources to student-athletes. Founded around 2021-2022 by Mark Koesterer following the NCAA's interim NIL policy, the company is headquartered in Los Angeles/Redondo Beach, California, and operates with a 1-10 person team. The company's stated focus is the '98%' of athletes outside Power 5 football and basketball programs, positioning itself as an education-first alternative to commission-based NIL intermediaries.
The core offering is the Five Pillars Course, a proprietary online curriculum covering Personal Brand Development, Influencer and Brand Relations, Legal/Tax/Compliance, Philanthropy and Community Service, and Financial Literacy, delivered through the Thinkific learning management platform with Stripe payment processing. Layered products include the Athlete Positioning System (three 45-minute 1:1 Zoom coaching sessions with custom checklists and templates), the NIL Success Coach Plan ($149/month with assigned coach), the NIL Toolbox guidebook, the NIL Know-How Guide published on Amazon, the weekly Players NIL Podcast distributed on YouTube, a paid email newsletter subscription, the free NIL For All Webinar, and the January 2025-launched Rocky Steps Challenge 31-day video series. Distribution is primarily digital and self-serve, with a campus cohort program (Unlocking Influence) targeting sports management professors and athletic departments for institutional adoption.
The business model combines one-time course purchases ($525 list, $585 regular), recurring subscription revenue ($13.50/month newsletter; $149/month coaching), and professional services revenue from premium coaching and campus consulting. The company has no disclosed funding rounds and appears bootstrapped, with three documented strategic partnerships (Athletes to Athletes in Jan 2023, Team Attack Cancer/HEADstrong Foundation in April 2024, and PlayersOnly in Sept 2025). Customer base is described as 'hundreds of student-athletes' served, and customer concentration is distributed across individual consumer buyers with a growing but undisclosed institutional cohort component.
The Players Nil firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Players Nil
- Legal name
- The Players NIL
- Website
- https://theplayersnil.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Players NIL is a bootstrapped online education platform that delivers NIL courses, coaching, and career development resources to student-athletes, with a stated focus on the 98% outside Power 5 programs. Founded 2021-2022 in Los Angeles by Mark Koesterer.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Players Nil industry classification
Industry- Product category
- NIL and Athlete Education / Sports Career Coaching
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- NIL Representation & Compliance Services (Student-Athletes) (MPAKAMAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN), College Recruiting & Scholarship Advisory / Athlete Placement (HSADAEAL)
Keywords
Where The Players Nil is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Redondo Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Players Nil business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Online Course Sales: Self-serve Five Pillars Course sold via Thinkific platform. One-time purchase with lifetime access. Historical pricing at $525 with promotional code tpnil60 (reg. $585).
- Monthly Membership Subscription: Email subscription service providing weekly video lessons, social media highlights, trending NIL news, and monthly strategy calls with Mark Koesterer at $13.50/month or $132 annual one-time payment.
- NIL Success Coach Plan: Premium coaching package offering lifetime access to NIL educational library, text/email/phone support, brand building guidance, monthly check-in calls, and assigned personal NIL success coach for $149.
- Athlete Positioning System Coaching: Three-session (45-min each) one-on-one Zoom coaching program with custom brand checklist, outreach templates, action plans, and 30-day follow-up. Sold via Stripe at premium pricing.
- Campus Cohort Programs: In-person and online consulting for athletic departments and sports management programs, offering personalized game plans for institutional adoption of NIL education.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Five Pillars Course - Core NIL education program covering all five pillars with lifetime access |
| Subscription | Monthly | NIL Success Coach Plan - Premium coaching with personal success coach and lifetime course access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Email Newsletter Subscription - Weekly video lessons, NIL news, monthly strategy calls |
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Pay-as-you-go | Athlete Positioning System - 3-session coaching roadmap with custom branding and storytelling |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Players Nil product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Players NIL sells online education and coaching to help student-athletes build personal brands, secure Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, and prepare for post-college careers. Its core product is the Five Pillars Course (delivered via Thinkific), covering personal brand development, influencer/brand relations, legal/tax/compliance, philanthropy, and financial literacy, sold alongside one-on-one Zoom coaching (Athlete Positioning System), a recurring NIL Success Coach Plan, a paid email newsletter, and supplemental offerings such as a guidebook (NIL Toolbox), a print guide (NIL Know-How), and a weekly podcast.
Product overview
The Players NIL is an online NIL education and professional development platform built exclusively for athletes. The core offering is the Five Pillars Course, a comprehensive online program delivered via Thinkific covering personal brand development, influencer and brand relations, legal/tax/compliance, philanthropy, and financial literacy. The platform also offers the Athlete Positioning System (career coaching with 3 one-on-one Zoom sessions), NIL Success Coach Plan (coaching with lifetime library access), and the NIL Toolbox guidebook. Supporting offerings include The Players NIL Podcast (weekly interviews), email newsletter subscription, the free NIL For All Webinar, and the 2025 Rocky Steps Challenge (31-day video series). The platform targets high school and college student-athletes, their parents, coaches, and sports management students, with a focus on serving the '98%' of athletes who aren't in Power 5 football/basketball programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Five Pillars Course: Comprehensive online NIL education course covering Personal Brand Development, Influencer and Brand Relations, Legal Tax and Compliance, Philanthropy and Community Service, and Financial Literacy.
- Athlete Positioning System
- NIL Toolbox
- The Players NIL Podcast
Products and services
- Five Pillars Course A comprehensive online NIL education course covering five modules: Personal Brand Development, Influencer and Brand Relations, Legal/Tax/Compliance, Philanthropy and Community Service, and Financial Literacy. Delivered via Thinkific with lifetime access, support via text/email/phone, and monthly check-in calls. Aimed at student-athletes looking to monetize their NIL rights and build a career beyond sports.
- Athlete Positioning System A premium 3-session (45-minute each) one-on-one Zoom coaching program designed to help student-athletes stand out and secure opportunities. Includes a custom brand and storytelling checklist, sample outreach templates, post-session action plans, and 30-day follow-up emails. Sold directly via Stripe checkout.
- NIL Success Coach Plan A premium coaching subscription priced at $149 that includes lifetime access to the NIL and life skills educational library, brand building guidance, support via text/email/phone, monthly check-in calls, and an assigned personal NIL success coach.
- NIL Toolbox A digital/print guidebook providing knowledge, skills, and strategies for student-athletes to build their brand, leverage athletics and academics, and create lasting opportunities in college and beyond. Covers personal brand building, opportunity creation, and success strategies.
- The Players NIL Podcast (The NIL Playbook) A weekly podcast hosted by Mark Koesterer featuring interviews with athletes, industry professionals, and experts discussing sports, professional development, personal branding, and NIL opportunities.
- Email Newsletter Subscription A paid email subscription service providing weekly NIL tips, industry updates, company updates, social media highlights, trending NIL news, and monthly strategy session video calls with Mark Koesterer. Priced at $13.50/month or $132 one-time payment.
- NIL For All Webinar A free 30-minute webinar recording featuring student-athletes from the University of Oregon and St. John's University discussing how athletes at any level can build a personal brand and secure brand partnerships. Distributed as a free top-of-funnel lead magnet that includes a 25% discount offer toward paid courses.
- Rocky Steps Challenge A 31-day daily video series launching January 2025 featuring 2-minute videos on leadership, life skills, personal growth, and career development for athletes. Distributed via LinkedIn and Instagram.
- NIL Know-How Guide A 30-minute quick-read guide available on Amazon (ISBN: B0BW2QMGSQ) providing NIL insights and strategies for athletes to turn opportunities into impact. Sold as a printed book on Amazon.
- Unlocking Influence Cohort An on-campus NIL cohort program for sports management professors and athletic administrators that bridges athletes and sports-minded business students. Includes personalized game plans and in-person or online consulting for individuals or groups; positioned as enterprise institutional programming.
Companies that use The Players Nil
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Players Nil technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
The Players Nil partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- PlayersOnlyminorPlayersOnly partnered with TPNIL to launch 'Unlocking Influence,' a program empowering athletes to own their brands beyond the game. Strategic marketing partnership to expand reach of TPNIL's NIL education services.
- Team Attack Cancer / HEADstrong FoundationcoreTeam Attack Cancer partners with TPNIL to provide comprehensive NIL coaching and guidance for its high school lacrosse members and families. TPNIL delivers online and in-person coaching on influencer marketing strategies through the Lake Placid Summit Classic program. Both organizations share commitment to athlete development beyond sports.
- Athletes to AthletescoreTPNIL provides its flagship Five Pillars Course free mini-class to student-athletes on the Athletes to Athletes app. Athletes to Athletes is a college advising platform run by former college athletes. This partnership aligns with TPNIL's mission to empower athletes and provides NIL education access to A2A's student-athlete user base.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Players Nil competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- CaptainU: CaptainU is a college sports recruiting platform offering profile-building and exposure tools to high school athletes. Emerging player because it overlaps with TPNIL's audience (youth athletes) on the personal-brand and exposure dimension, though CaptainU's primary value is recruiting rather than NIL education.
- The NIL Deal: The NIL Deal is a niche NIL marketplace and education site connecting athletes with brands. Emerging player because it serves a similar SMB/non-elite athlete segment with both content and deal flow, partially overlapping with TPNIL's positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Wasserman: Wasserman is one of the largest global sports marketing and athlete representation agencies, with a significant NIL division (The Collective) serving college athletes. Broad incumbent because it operates across professional athlete management while expanding into NIL, representing direct competition for athlete attention and brand deals.
- Excel Sports Management: Excel Sports Management is a major U.S. sports agency with athlete representation across golf, tennis, baseball, and basketball. Broad incumbent because it represents elite professional athletes whose NIL advice and adjacent education content overlaps with TPNIL's curriculum topics.
- NCSA (Next College Student Athlete): NCSA is a well-established college athletic recruiting platform now owned by PlayFly Sports. Broad incumbent because it serves a much larger and more general athlete audience (college recruiting) but increasingly overlaps with NIL education and athlete brand-building content.
- Octagon: Octagon is a global sports marketing agency with a college athlete NIL practice. Broad incumbent because it brings deep sponsorship and brand-relations capabilities that compete for the same brand-deal ecosystem TPNIL trains athletes to navigate.
Direct peers
- INFLCR (LeverPlay): INFLCR, now part of LeverPlay, provides NIL content delivery, brand-building tools, and compliance support to college athletic departments and athletes. Direct peer because both monetize athlete brand development and education, with INFLCR focused on institutional/team sales.
- PlayersOnly: PlayersOnly is an athlete-focused platform delivering content, NIL education, and brand-building tools. Direct peer because TPNIL has an active strategic partnership with PlayersOnly on the Unlocking Influence program, and both target the same student-athlete education niche.
- Opendorse: Opendorse is the leading NIL technology platform connecting college athletes with brand opportunities through a marketplace and educational resources. Direct peer because both serve student-athletes navigating NIL deals, though Opendorse leans transactional while TPNIL is education-led.
- Athletes to Athletes (A2A): Athletes to Athletes is a college advising platform run by former college athletes offering guidance to high school recruits. Direct peer in the athlete development space; notably TPNIL already partners with A2A, indicating overlapping customer bases and adjacent value propositions.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Players Nil social profiles
Digital presenceThe Players Nil compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Players Nil financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Players Nil leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Players Nil funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Players Nil M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Players Nil
What does The Players Nil do?
The Players NIL sells online education and coaching to help student-athletes build personal brands, secure Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, and prepare for post-college careers. Its core product is the Five Pillars Course (delivered via Thinkific), covering personal brand development, influencer/brand relations, legal/tax/compliance, philanthropy, and financial literacy, sold alongside one-on-one Zoom coaching (Athlete Positioning System), a recurring NIL Success Coach Plan, a paid email newsletter, and supplemental offerings such as a guidebook (NIL Toolbox), a print guide (NIL Know-How), and a weekly podcast.
Is The Players Nil a public or private company?
The Players Nil is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Players Nil founded?
The Players Nil was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Players Nil based?
The Players Nil is headquartered in Redondo Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Players Nil make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Online Course Sales are the primary driver. The others are monthly Membership Subscription, NIL Success Coach Plan, athlete Positioning System Coaching and campus Cohort Programs.
Who are The Players Nil's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are CaptainU and The NIL Deal. Broad incumbents are Wasserman, Excel Sports Management, NCSA (Next College Student Athlete) and Octagon. Direct peers are INFLCR (LeverPlay), PlayersOnly, Opendorse and Athletes to Athletes (A2A).
Does The Players Nil have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Players Nil.
What industry is The Players Nil in?
The Players Nil's product category is NIL and Athlete Education / Sports Career Coaching. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAMAE, NIL Representation & Compliance Services (Student-Athletes), with a secondary code of EDALAIAN, Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support. Its NAICS code is 611620 and its SIC code is 8200.