Creators and brands aren’t the only ones keeping an eye on a possible TikTok ban—college athletes with NIL deals are also navigating how any ruling would impact their partnerships. 

College athletes are nearly balanced in their use of TikTok and Instagram, with nearly 40% of their total social media followers coming from TikTok and another 40% coming from Instagram, according to data from SponsorUnited, a NIL deal-tracking platform. Instagram accounts for 75% of all engagement on branded NIL posts, but TikTok still brings in about a quarter of engagement on sponsored content. A ban could mean marketers would have to shift more focus to Instagram.

“Short term, if a ban was implemented, we'd see a dramatic increase in Instagram engagement,” said Bob Lynch, founder and CEO of SponsorUnited.

SponsorUnited isn’t the only platform that has noticed the higher volume of Instagram posts.

“Anecdotally, we see about three times more Instagram deals than TikTok,” said Sam Weber, head of brand marketing and communications at Opendorse, an influencer athlete platform. “In some cases, it's because marketers are more familiar and comfortable with Instagram. Others like the ability to create a single post or Reel and have the athlete share it to their Stories as well.”

In the almost two years since the NCAA's NIL policy went into effect on July 1, 2021, student-athlete deals have exploded. The overall number of NIL deals increased by 146% from 2021 to 2022, according to a previous report by SponsorUnited, showing how quickly brands and players have embraced the change. Athletes often have highly loyal and engaged social media followings, making them attractive to marketers.

TikTok made headlines after its CEO Shou Zi Chew answered questions during a Congressional hearing meant to help determine if the app should be banned in the U.S. The hearing has some advertisers worried about the platform’s long-term staying power, while creators have mostly shrugged off the ban, pointing to the Trump Administration's previous ban attempt. Some creators have said that they would move to YouTube or Instagram.

Read: TikTok ban threat forces creators to rethink other platforms

While Instagram still accounts for a higher level of engagement when it comes to college sports, there are plenty of athletes who would be impacted by a TikTok ban.

Miami Hurricanes' twin basketball players Haley and Hanna Cavinder have 4.5 million followers on TikTok, where they have sponsored posts with Universal Pictures, Caktus AI, TurboTax and Raising Cane's. Their Instagram has just 171,000 followers with sponsored posts for Victoria’s Secret, Revolve and the Florida Panthers.

But other athletes have found success on Instagram: University of Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark, who recently achieved the first 40-point triple-double in March Madness history, has inked deals with Hy-Vee, Bose, Buick and Nike, all seen on her Instagram, where she has 240,000 followers compared with just 26,000 on TikTok.

“Thousands of college athletes have built valuable audiences on TikTok, which they are now monetizing,” Weber added. “Many of those athletes are also successful on Instagram, but eliminating the app would limit opportunities nonetheless.”