Cal Athletics introduces GOLDEN program for student-athletes Josh Kahen/File This past week, the NCAA rolled out a new NIL package for student-athletes. These three letters represent the athlete’s name, image and likeness and will give athletes the opportunity to build their own personal brand. This is a radical change in policy for the NCAA, which has long held that “amateurism” is part of what makes college athletics special. This stance has long prevented athletes from gaining any sort of income from their athletic endeavors, while both the NCAA and its institutions were allowed to profit off of talented players who drew fans into stadiums.