Channels Competitions Featured About
Community Star

Official Rules

NIL TV Community Star: Official Rules. NIL TV, Inc. · Effective Nov 2, 2026

1. Sponsor

NIL TV Community Star (the “Program”) is sponsored by NIL TV, Inc., Durham, North Carolina (“NIL TV”). Hosts and judges: Sion James and Anthony Egbo Jr.

2. No purchase necessary

No purchase or payment is required to apply or to vote.

3. Who can apply

  • Legal residents of the United States, 18 or older at the time of applying
  • Currently enrolled at a U.S. college or university and on a varsity athletic roster for the 2026–27 academic year
  • Already active in a community they care about (their college town or hometown)
  • Not eligible: employees, contractors, advisors, and judges of NIL TV, and their immediate family and household members

4. Key dates

All times are as listed. NIL TV’s server clock is the official clock.

  • Applications: Mon, Nov 2, 2026, 9:00am ET to Mon, Nov 23, 2026, 11:59pm PT
  • Finalists notified: Tue, Nov 24; announced Wed, Nov 25
  • Round 2 videos due: Wed, Dec 9, 11:59pm PT
  • Public voting: Fri, Dec 11, 9:00am ET to Sun, Dec 13, 11:59pm PT
  • Top 5 announced: Mon, Dec 14
  • Winners announced: Fri, Dec 18

5. How to apply (Round 1)

  1. Record a vertical video, 90 seconds or less, showing your name, school, sport, and community; what you’re already doing there and why it matters to you; and how people can help. End with: “This is my application to be a NIL TV Community Star.”
  2. Post it on your public Instagram account with the caption “My application to be a NIL TV Community Star, a $5,000 grant for college athletes by @NILTV” and invite @NILTV and @NILSTAR as collaborators.
  3. Complete the application form at NILTV.com/communitystar, including the link to your post.

An application is complete only when all three steps are done. One application per person. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

6. Video requirements

Videos must be your own original work, must not include content you don’t have the right to use (including copyrighted music you aren’t licensed to use), and must not include anything unlawful, hateful, sexually explicit, or otherwise inappropriate, as determined by NIL TV. Anyone else who appears in your video must have given permission. NIL TV may disqualify any application that doesn’t meet these requirements.

7. Round 1: selecting the 25 finalists

The hosts will review all complete applications and select up to 25 finalists based on: (a) the work the applicant is already doing in their community; (b) the applicant’s connection to that community; and (c) how clearly the video shows the work and how people can help. Selection is at the hosts’ sole discretion. Finalists will be contacted by email and Instagram direct message and must respond within 48 hours, or an alternate may be selected.

8. Round 2: finalist videos

Each finalist submits a horizontal video, under 3 minutes, explaining their plan for the $5,000: what it would support (a nonprofit of their choice or the community work they are already doing), who it would reach, and what it would make possible. Round 2 videos will be posted on NIL TV’s Instagram and YouTube channels on Dec 10. Finalists who do not submit by the deadline will not move on.

9. Public voting

  • Voting takes place at NILTV.com/communitystar during the voting period only.
  • One vote per person and per email address for the entire voting period. A vote counts only after the voter confirms it through the email link.
  • Votes cast using automated methods, fake or temporary email addresses, or any other method intended to manipulate results will be voided, and any finalist who benefits from them may be disqualified.
  • A live leaderboard will show the current top 5 during voting.
  • The five finalists with the most valid votes at the close of voting become the top 5. Views, likes, comments, and shares on social media do not count.

10. Selecting the winners

The hosts will choose two winners from the top 5, based on the strength of the finalist’s Round 2 plan and the work they are already doing. The hosts’ decision is final.

11. The grant

  • Two winners will each receive a grant of $5,000 (USD), for $10,000 in total.
  • Each grant must be used as described in the winner’s Round 2 plan, either to support a nonprofit organization of the winner’s choice or the community work the winner is already doing.
  • If the plan supports a nonprofit, NIL TV will pay the grant directly to that nonprofit, which must be a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization in good standing.
  • If the plan supports the winner’s own community work, NIL TV will pay approved costs as set out in the winner agreement, and the winner must submit receipts showing how the full grant was used. NIL TV must approve the plan before any funds are released.
  • Before any funds are released, each winner must sign a winner agreement covering how the grant is paid and follow-up filming.
  • The grant cannot be transferred, exchanged for cash, or used for personal purposes.
  • If a winner is disqualified or does not sign the winner agreement within 7 days of notice, NIL TV may select another winner from the top 5.

12. NCAA and school rules

Applicants are responsible for confirming that taking part, and receiving the grant, is consistent with NCAA, conference, and school rules that apply to them. NIL TV is not responsible for an applicant’s eligibility with their school or athletic association.

13. Use of your content

You keep full ownership of your content. Applying only gives NIL TV permission to share the videos you submit for Community Star (your Round 1 application post and, if you are a finalist, your Round 2 video), along with your name, school, and sport, on NIL TV’s channels and website to promote the Program. It does not give NIL TV rights to any of your other content. Any follow-up content with the winners will be agreed in the winner agreement.

14. General conditions

NIL TV may disqualify anyone who breaks these rules or acts in a way that harms the Program. NIL TV may modify, suspend, or cancel the Program if it cannot run as planned for reasons beyond its control. NIL TV is not responsible for technical failures, lost or late entries, or errors in the voting system. Void where prohibited.

15. Privacy

Information collected through the application form and voting is used to run the Program and to contact applicants and voters about it. NIL TV will not sell this information.

16. Not affiliated

This Program is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram, Meta, YouTube, or the NCAA.

17. Questions

Message @NILTV on Instagram.

Community Star · Apply