NJAC NIL Deals: How Fans Support NJAC Athletes

The New Jersey Athletic Conference defines Division III excellence in the Garden State. From Kean’s Opendorse marketplace to TCNJ’s Influxer stores, NJAC athletics blend public university values with innovative NIL tools. Here’s how NJAC fans can support athletes through platforms like RallyFuel.

Why the NJAC Matters in NIL

The NJAC has become a unique NIL environment for important reasons:

• Division III Public University Excellence: Founded in 1957 as the New Jersey State Athletic Conference, the NJAC is almost exclusively comprised of public institutions funded by the State of New Jersey. This creates institutional homogeneity, with members sharing missions of accessibility, public service, and regional economic development.
• NJAC member institutions have combined to win 63 NCAA Division III national team championships, placing the conference in the upper echelon of amateur athletics. TCNJ and Rowan primarily drive national success in field hockey, women’s soccer, and track and field.
• New Jersey Senate Bill 4439: This comprehensive legislation will take full effect in September 2025, permitting institutions and their related entities (alumni associations, foundations) to enter into direct contracts with student-athletes for NIL compensation. Legislators have created a radical departure from traditional amateur models.
• Opendorse Pioneer: Kean University became the first NJAC institution to partner with Opendorse and established a branded online marketplace where fans can browse athlete profiles, pitch NIL deals, and pay athletes through a secure, compliant platform.
• Influxer Integration: The College of New Jersey and Montclair State University have partnered with Influxer to offer licensed merchandise, allowing athletes to sell apparel featuring their names and numbers alongside official university branding.
• NIL Club Ecosystem: Athlete-operated fan communities are active across the conference, including Kean Flag Football ($50 of $260 monthly goal), Kean Men’s Basketball ($10 of $200 goal), Montclair State Football ($560 of $2,420 goal), and MSU E-Sports.
• High School NIL Pipeline: Since January 2022, New Jersey has allowed high school athletes to profit from NIL, so incoming NJAC freshmen often arrive ‘NIL-ready’ with established social media followings.

As a result, NJAC athletes actively engage New Jersey communities, and NIL support creates direct connections between passionate fan bases and their student-athletes.

NJAC NIL by School

NIL activity spans NJAC programs:

• Kean University: Cougars with Union community support. First NJAC institution to partner with Opendorse—establishing a branded online marketplace where every student-athlete receives a customizable profile. NIL Clubs are active for Flag Football ($50 of $260 monthly goal) and Men’s Basketball ($10 of $200 goal). 13,352 enrollment.
• Montclair State University: Red Hawks with Montclair community support. Influxer partnership provides athlete merchandise stores—trending items include personalized football tumblers ($54.95) and volleyball quarter-zips ($72.95). NIL Clubs are active for Football ($560 of $2,420 monthly goal) and E-Sports. 22,570 enrollment—largest in conference.
• New Jersey City University: Gothic Knights with Jersey City urban market access. Departing NJAC following the 2026-27 season to co-found a new Division III conference. 6,800 enrollment.
• Ramapo College: Roadrunners with Mahwah community support. Selective public honors college with developing NIL infrastructure. 5,145 enrollment.
• Rowan University: Professors with Glassboro community support. Multiple national championships across various sports. Strong athletic tradition with 22,903 enrollment—second largest in conference.
• Rutgers University–Camden: Scarlet Raptors with South Jersey market access. Part of the Rutgers system for developing NIL infrastructure. 6,158 enrollment.
• Rutgers University–Newark: Scarlet Raiders with Newark urban market access. Part of the Rutgers system for developing NIL infrastructure. 12,321 enrollment.
• Stockton University: Ospreys with South Jersey (Galloway) community support. Strong track and field program—swept “Athlete of the Week” honors in March 2025. 8,392 enrollment.
• The College of New Jersey (TCNJ): Lions with Ewing community support. Influxer partnership announced—licensed merchandise featuring athletes with official university branding. National championship tradition with multiple NJAC Weekly Awards in 2025. 7,340 enrollment.
• William Paterson University: Pioneers with Wayne community support. Strong men’s basketball tradition—5-0 conference start in 2025. ECAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in volleyball. 8,398 enrollment.
• SUNY New Paltz (Joining 2026-27): Hawks becoming first full member located outside New Jersey. Expands conference geographical footprint into New York.

RallyFuel hosts verified athletes from NJAC schools for direct fan support.

NJAC NIL Beyond Football

The NJAC excels in NIL across multiple sports:

• Football: Montclair State Football NIL Club generating $560 of its $2,420 monthly goal—players like Noah Marchica provide exclusive content. Affiliate members Christopher Newport (7-0 conference record, 2025) and Salisbury (6-1) maintain national championship-caliber programs. Kean, Rowan, TCNJ, and William Paterson sponsor full programs.
• Men’s Basketball: Kean Men’s Basketball NIL Club ($10 of $200 monthly goal) supports players like Phil Brown and Justin B. William Paterson’s 5-0 conference start in 2025 demonstrates competitive depth.
• Women’s Flag Football: Kean Flag Football NIL Club ($50 of $260 monthly goal) represents an emerging sport with a developing NIL infrastructure.
• Track and Field: Stockton’s dominance in 2025 Athlete of the Week awards demonstrates individual excellence. TCNJ and Rowan maintain strong programs.
• E-Sports: Montclair State E-Sports NIL Club extends monetization into digital competition through a community-driven model for supporter income.
• Volleyball: William Paterson earned ECAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2025. Strong programs across the conference.

Fan-powered platforms like RallyFuel enable support across all NJAC sports—not just football.

How NJAC Fans Can Support

Athletes NJAC fans can support roster athletes on RallyFuel in a few steps:

1. Create an account on RallyFuel.com or the mobile app.
2. Select your NJAC school affiliation.
3. Browse verified athletes currently on your program’s roster.
4. Fuel athletes across any sport
5. Track your support through your fan dashboard.

How It Works: When you purchase Fan Fuel, you’re purchasing Conditional NIL Engagement Rights (CNERs). If conditions are met, RallyFuel or its affiliate offers an NIL Agreement to the athlete. If conditions aren’t met—for example, if an athlete transfers—you receive an automatic refund.

Additional Support Channels:

• Opendorse Marketplace: Book athletes from Kean for social media posts, appearances, autographs, or shoutout videos through data-backed pricing
• Influxer Merchandise: Purchase athlete-branded apparel from TCNJ and Montclair State ($54.95-$72.95) with royalties going directly to student-athletes
• NIL Clubs: Subscribe to team-specific fan communities (Kean Flag Football, Kean MBB, MSU Football, MSU E-Sports) with monthly subscriptions and proceeds split equally among athletes

Conditional Protection: RallyFuel’s conditional model protects Fan Fuel with automatic refunds if athletes transfer or conditions aren’t met. NJAC fans can support players without financial risk.

Important: Fan support through RallyFuel is voluntary and conditional. Fuel purchases are not charitable donations. RallyFuel is not a guarantor that any athlete will accept an NIL Agreement. Purchasing Fan Fuel does not guarantee athletic performance, playing time, or any specific outcome.

NJAC Battleground Competition

RallyFuel’s Battleground tracks NJAC rankings:

How It Works:

• Every Fan Fuel contribution adds to your school’s total.
• Real-time updates as transactions occur
• NJAC schools ranked against each other and nationally
• Championship counts display alongside NIL totals.

Conference Competition:

• See how your school compares to NJAC rivals.
• Rowan vs. TCNJ rivalries extend to Battleground.
• Montclair State vs. William Paterson continues year-round.
• Track your personal contribution to the school totals.

Battleground measures fan engagement for current roster athletes—showing which NJAC fan bases are most active in supporting their programs.

The Transfer Portal and NIL

The transfer portal has intensified NIL activity across the NJAC:

For Athletes: Players entering the portal evaluate multiple factors, including NIL opportunity. Athletes make independent decisions—NIL is one consideration among academics, playing time, coaching, location, and other factors.

For Fans: RallyFuel’s conditional model allows fans to support athletes in the transfer portal. If an athlete selects a different school during the conditional period, fans receive automatic refunds.

Conditional Protection:

• Automatic refunds if the athlete selects a different school
• Automatic refunds if the conditional period expires
• No financial risk to fans

Important: Fan support does not guarantee any athlete will transfer to a specific program. RallyFuel is not a guarantor that any athlete will accept an NIL Agreement or join a specific school. Athletes make independent decisions based on many factors.

Empowered by these tools and knowledge, you’re ready to connect with and fuel NJAC athletes.

Explore verified NJAC athletes on RallyFuel, see how your school ranks on Battleground, and start fueling today.

Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.

RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information on athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure of modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in greater depth.

Visit RallyFuel

Learn More About the NIL Landscape

Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.

RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information about athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure behind modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in more depth.

Visit RallyFuel

Frequently Asked Questions

How can NJAC fans support athletes through NIL?

NJAC fans can fuel athletes directly through RallyFuel by creating an account, selecting their school affiliation, and browsing verified athletes. The conditional model provides automatic refunds if athletes transfer or if conditions aren’t met. Additionally, fans can use Opendorse marketplaces (Kean), purchase Influxer merchandise (TCNJ, Montclair State), or subscribe to NIL Clubs.

Which NJAC schools are on RallyFuel?

Athletes from NJAC schools are available for fan support on RallyFuel, including Kean, Montclair State, Rowan, TCNJ, William Paterson, Stockton, Ramapo, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, and New Jersey City University. SUNY New Paltz joins as a full member 2026-27.

Why is NIL important for Division III athletes?

NIL creates meaningful opportunities for Division III athletes who receive no athletic scholarships. In the non-scholarship DIII environment, NIL compensation from merchandise sales ($54.95-$72.95 items), marketplace deals, and NIL Club subscriptions can help offset rising higher education costs while building professional skills.

What makes the NJAC NIL ecosystem unique?

The NJAC benefits from New Jersey S4439 (effective September 2025), which permits institutions and their related entities to directly contract with athletes for NIL compensation. Kean’s Opendorse marketplace and TCNJ/Montclair State’s Influxer merchandise partnerships represent different strategic approaches within the same conference.

What about sports betting partnerships?

New Jersey Assembly Bill 4113 prohibits public colleges from entering promotional partnerships with sports betting operators. NJAC athletes over 21 can sign individual deals with sportsbooks, but cannot use school branding while performing promotional duties.

What happens if an athlete I supported transfers?

If an athlete transfers or selects a different school during the conditional period, you receive an automatic refund to your original payment method. No manual request is required.

How is the NJAC changing?

NJCU is departing following the 2026-27 academic year to co-found a new DIII conference. SUNY New Paltz joins as the first full member outside New Jersey in 2026-27, expanding the conference’s regional footprint.