As Name, Grade, and Team – Black student-athletes have long dominated NCAA Division I football and basketball rosters, yet many enter college with little to no formal financial education. Now, with Name, Grade, and Team—college sports is entering a new era where athletes are suddenly negotiating Name, Grade, and Team deals, managing taxes, and navigating unexpected income at just 18 or 19 years old. The stakes are higher than ever, and the need for financial literacy is urgent.
Enter Robinhood’s Money Drills, a for-credit financial education program designed to give student-athletes the real-world skills necessary to manage money responsibly. Unlike a traditional workshop, Money Drills™ is embedded directly into university curriculums, ensuring that participants graduate not just with a degree but with critical financial knowledge covering budgeting, saving, credit, investing, and taxes.
The timing of this program is particularly critical for Black student-athletes, who face unique systemic financial challenges. According to the Federal Reserve’s SHED report, only 41% of Black adults have emergency savings compared to 60% of White adults. Financial literacy gaps are evident even earlier: a 2025 TIAA–GFLEC study found Gen Z answered just 38% of core personal finance questions correctly, with Black and Hispanic young adults scoring significantly lower. And the stakes in professional sports are sobering—research from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that 15.7% of NFL players file for bankruptcy within 12 years of retirement, often due to a lack of financial preparation early in life.
Money Drills is designed to change that trajectory. By giving student-athletes a structured, credit-bearing education in personal finance, the program aims to equip them with the tools to build long-term stability, rather than debt and risk. For Black student-athletes, it’s about more than just money—it’s about equity and empowerment, ensuring that they can maximize the opportunities NIL deals bring while safeguarding their futures.
Robinhood is partnering with universities to integrate Money Drills into existing curricula, offering a scalable approach that can reach thousands of students nationwide. Professors and program leaders emphasize that financial literacy at this stage isn’t optional—it’s essential to navigating both athletic and personal life successfully.
As the conversation around NIL, athlete pay, and equity grows, Money Drills represents a proactive step toward ensuring that the next generation of Black student-athletes not only thrive on the court and field but also off it—armed with knowledge, confidence, and a foundation for financial success.