“Parents get stipend to see them play”: When Dawn Staley talked about creating equal NIL opportunities for all student-athletes

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has always put her players first and has adamantly supported name, image and likeness policies. Staley joined the "Taking the Pulse" podcast last summer to discuss her perspective on the evolving NIL landscape.

As a special guest on the 200th episode of the podcast, the three-time national champion coach delved into the complexities of managing a team navigating the new NIL realities.

"I think there are things that us coaches have to get in front of, and [NIL] is one of them — to make sure that everybody's benefiting from the space in some form or fashion," Dawn Staley said (9:07).

"So we do things to help with that ... because we want to provide a base for everybody. Everybody gets a certain amount ... but they know they're going to get something from us.

"We also provide every player on our team — their parents get a stipend to come travel and see them play, here or on the road. And the other stuff is, I help every player that wants representation and an agent to find the right agency. So we do our part to make sure that it's streamlined."

Dawn Staley also explains how she and her coaching staff work to ensure their players get the best resources available to them, from strength and conditioning to nutrition.

"If you give every player an opportunity to be successful in it, they feel good about it," she said.

Dawn Staley once shared how NIL deals shape athlete behavior off-court

With the introduction of NIL in 2021, student-athletes have become more cautious about their behavior and off-court activities to maintain their brand value.

Dawn Staley noted this in her conversation on the "Breakfast Club Power 105.1" radio show in April 2022.

"I want them to capture their college careers the way they want to," she said (23:23). "And they've been pretty good about it, and the NIL thing helps too because they don't want to mess that up.

"Someone posts some crazy stuff, I just screenshot and send it to them, I was like, 'This is how you want your brand to be represented?' And then they get it."

While some coaches have expressed concerns about the NIL era affecting team culture, Dawn Staley seems to have found a way to leverage the opportunities for her players while maintaining high standards.

She led the South Carolina Gamecocks to two national championships in the post-NIL era, in 2022 and 2024. This season, the Gamecocks, ranked No. 2, are among the favorites again to win the title. They have defeated five ranked opponents in their last five SEC games, including No. 5 Texas and No. 7 LSU.