Avant Launches NIL-Focused Risk Management Division as Revenue Sharing Reshapes College Sports

Protecting Programs, Collectives, and the Donors Who Fund Them

DALLAS, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Avant Specialty Benefits today announced the launch of its Collegiate Athletics Risk Management division, a new practice dedicated to NIL and revenue‑sharing insurance strategies for colleges, universities, and affiliated private collectives navigating a fundamentally changed collegiate athletics economy. Unlike individual athlete disability policies, this division addresses NIL and revenue-share exposure at the enterprise level, serving institutions and the collectives that fund them.

The launch comes as schools adapt to the House v. NCAA settlement, finalized in June 2025, which introduced direct revenue sharing between institutions and student‑athletes—capped at 22% of certain revenues, or approximately $20.5 million per school for the 2025–26 academic year, with annual increases thereafter. These obligations exist alongside scholarships and third‑party NIL compensation, creating payroll‑like financial exposure without traditional employment status or insurance infrastructure.

"Institutions are now committing tens of millions of dollars annually to athlete compensation in an environment that lacks long‑standing risk guardrails," said Lauren Roth, President of Avant Specialty Benefits. "This division was created to help colleges and NIL collectives manage that exposure responsibly—protecting program sustainability, donor investments, and long‑term financial stability as revenue sharing becomes embedded in college sports."

Purpose‑Built NIL Strategies for Institutions and Collectives

Avant's Collegiate Athletics Risk Management division is purpose‑built for institutions and the collectives that support them, addressing NIL and revenue‑share risk at the enterprise level rather than through individual athlete policies.

As NIL agreements, collective‑driven compensation models, and revenue‑share commitments expand, schools and collectives face exposure that closely resembles payroll and contractual liability—without the protection of conventional employment frameworks. Avant designs insurance and risk‑transfer solutions that help institutions and collectives:

• Mitigate financial exposure tied to NIL and revenue‑share commitments
• Manage disruption caused by injury, participation limitations, or transfer‑portal movement
• Align insurance structures with evolving NCAA guidance, conference policies, and more than 30 state NIL statutes
• Support governance, fiduciary oversight, and clarity of risk ownership between institutions and private collectives
• Protect donor and collective capital, giving contributors confidence that their investments are backed by risk infrastructure

Rather than a coverage‑by‑coverage approach, Avant integrates NIL risk management into the broader institutional and collective framework—helping stakeholders deploy NIL programs confidently without introducing unintended financial or operational vulnerability.

A Unified Governance and Risk Model for College Athletics

Avant works with universities and NIL collectives as interconnected partners within the same ecosystem. Its consultative model emphasizes:

• Coordinated insurance structures that complement institutional coverage
• Clear delineation of responsibilities between athletic departments and private collectives
• Risk transfer strategies that support compliance, governance discipline, and long‑term sustainability

"Our focus is not transactional insurance placement," added Lance Lankford, Collegiate Athletics Risk Strategies Director at Avant Specialty Benefits. "It's helping institutions and collectives understand where risk truly lives in this new revenue‑sharing environment—and building solutions before volatility forces their hand. The schools and collectives that act now will be far better positioned as revenue-share caps increase and the regulatory landscape continues to evolve."

Positioned for the Post‑Settlement Era

The Collegiate Athletics Risk Management division reflects Avant's long‑term investment in the business of college sports. By combining deep experience in sports risk and specialty benefits with a nuanced understanding of NIL governance and revenue sharing, Avant positions itself as a strategic partner for institutions navigating one of the most significant structural shifts in collegiate athletics history.

For more information about Avant's Collegiate Athletics Risk Management division, visit www.avantsb.com or contact Lance Lankford at [email protected] and Michael Vicente at [email protected].

About Avant Specialty Benefits
Avant Specialty Benefits is a specialty insurance and risk management firm with deep experience in complex, high-stakes benefit environments. Its Collegiate Athletics Risk Management division helps universities and NIL collectives design enterprise-level insurance strategies for the post-House vs. NCAA landscape.

Contact: Lance Lankford
(214) 265.6631
[email protected]

SOURCE Avant Specialty Benefits