Methodology
Every figure on OpenNIL is a reported claim, not a confirmed fact. This page explains how reports move from rumor to corroborated record, and how we aggregate them.
Reported is not verified
Every figure starts as a claim. Its credibility grows as evidence and independent reports accumulate. We never overwrite conflicting reports — multiple observations are the signal. Here's what each status means:
A single unverified report. Treat as a rumor until corroborated.
The reporter attached a source or context, held privately for moderation.
Two or more independent reports point to the same deal.
Confirmed against a credible public source by a moderator.
How a report moves through the system
- • Anyone can report a deal, anonymously or on the record.
- • Sources and evidence are stored privately for moderators — they are never published.
- • Submissions publish immediately; moderators monitor the report log and remove inaccurate or abusive entries.
- • Independent reports of the same deal corroborate each other; we keep every raw observation.
- • Published figures are reported claims, not confirmed facts, unless marked Verified.
How Market Data is aggregated
Market Data summarizes reported deal values grouped by sport, gender, conference, position, or school. We show median, mean, and range, but suppress the summary for any group with fewer than 3 reports — the sample is too small to mean anything. These are summaries of reported deals, not appraisals or fair market values for any individual athlete.
Open data
The entire dataset is public and downloadable as CSV. Take it, audit it, build on it — no gatekeeping, no paywall.