Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ball State University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Ball State University, its conference, the state of Indiana and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 23, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Ball State
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Ball State's "Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Policy", effective July 1, 2021, is the policy posted on the athletics site. It covers reporting, representation, prohibited activities and Ball YOU, the department's NIL education program, and says Ball State "expects to revise this policy as the NIL environment evolves". The Student-Athlete Handbook posted on the athletics site (November 2024 link, current file dated 2025-12-18) addresses NIL only in its agent paragraph | Ball State Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01); Student-Athlete Handbook (file dated 2025-12-18) |
| How deals are disclosed | 2021 policy: athletes "must disclose any NIL agreements to the athletic department within three businesses days of signing" through Compliance forms, and Ball State "strongly encourages" prior approval from the Athletics Compliance Office. NCAA: third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). Indiana sets no NIL disclosure rule; its agent act has the athlete tell the athletic director within 72 hours of signing an agency contract (IC 25-5.2-2-9) | Ball State Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/indiana |
| Banned categories | 2021 policy: no NIL deals with alcohol, tobacco, firearms, gambling or sports wagering vendors, or vendors associated with performance enhancing drugs; no activity involving sports wagering, banned substances, medical or legal marijuana or illegal drugs; nothing that "negatively impacts or reflect adversely on BSU"; and nothing requiring an athlete to wear or show a brand competing with a Ball State team contract during team activities. Indiana has no NIL statute listing categories | Ball State Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01); /nil/college/indiana |
| School marks and group licensing | 2021 policy: athletes "must request permission" from the Marketing Strategy Team to use the official athletic mark in NIL activity, and from Sports Facilities Management to use Ball State facilities. Ball State lists co-branded merchandise programs with Influxer (2024), Athletes Thread and Fanatics NIL Pick-A-Player jerseys. A group licensing program: Not published | Ball State Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01); Influxer partnership (2024-09-12) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and lists Ball State University as participating in 2026-27 (read 2026-10-23). Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell wrote on 2026-06-24 that "Budgets have tightened as we enter an era of revenue sharing with student-athletes." No total or division is published | College Sports Commission; Ball State Athletics, letter from the Director of Athletics (2026-06-24) |
| Collective or NIL group | Not published. No collective is named on Ball State's athletics site. Its 2024 Influxer release lists Influxer, Opendorse (marketplace announced 2022-04-22), AthletesThread and Fanatics as ways athletes take part in NIL, and the site's NIL menu (read 2026-10-23) lists AthletesThread, Fanatics NIL Pick-A-Player jerseys and Influxer | Ball State Athletics, Opendorse partnership (2022-04-22), Influxer partnership (2024-09-12) and site NIL menu |
| Agents and representation | 2021 policy: athletes may secure an agent or lawyer "only for NIL issues", an athlete-agent seeking NIL compensation "must be licensed in the state of Indiana", and athletes give the representative's name to Compliance. The compliance site says agents register with the Athletics Compliance Office through an Agent Questionnaire before contacting athletes and "demonstrate they are properly licensed by the State of Indiana". The handbook allows an agent, advisor or other professional services provider "for purposes of Name, Image and Likeness activity only". Indiana's IC 25-5.2 requires athlete agents, including for endorsement contracts, to register with the attorney general and gives the athlete 14 days to cancel | Ball State Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01) and Compliance, Information for Agents; Student-Athlete Handbook (file dated 2025-12-18); /nil/college/indiana |
| Compliance contact | Ball State Athletics Compliance Office. Ryne Hillenberg, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, rmhillenberg@bsu.edu, 765-285-8581; Jared Neeley, Director of Compliance, jared.neeley@bsu.edu, 765-285-1196 | Ball State Athletics, Compliance (read 2026-10-23) |
| State law | No statute. Indiana has passed no college NIL law, so NCAA and Ball State rules apply; Indiana's athlete agent act (IC 25-5.2) covers agents for endorsement deals and makes agent misconduct a felony | /nil/college/indiana |
What is specific to Ball State
Ball State built its NIL approach around education. Its 2021 policy and its 2022 Opendorse announcement describe Ball YOU, a three-part program: The Starting Line (NIL rules, brand assessments, photo and video sessions), the Nest Tool Chest (contract education, business creation, licensing, intellectual property, running camps and lessons) and Take Flight (career preparation and the Gainbridge Leadership Series on financial literacy). The written rules have not kept pace: the posted policy is still the July 2021 version, with a three-business-day disclosure window and a ban on Ball State paying or arranging NIL pay, while the College Sports Commission lists Ball State for revenue sharing in 2026-27. Because Indiana has no NIL statute, the policy's own rules and the NCAA's are the ones in writing.
How Leave fits
In Leave, every deal thread carries a rules summary for the athlete's state and level, and keeps the contract, its dates and the disclosure deadline that applies. It is a summary, not a ruling; the school and the law decide. Leave is software, not an agent, and takes 0% of any deal. You decide, you send.
Questions about NIL at Ball State
Does Ball State pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists Ball State as participating in revenue sharing for 2026-27, with a cap of approximately $21.58 million per school, and the athletic director wrote in June 2026 of entering "an era of revenue sharing with student-athletes." Ball State has not published amounts or how it divides the money. Its posted 2021 NIL policy has not been updated to describe school payments.
How do Ball State Cardinals athletes report NIL deals?
Ball State's posted 2021 policy asks for disclosure of NIL agreements to the athletic department within three business days of signing, through Compliance forms, and encourages prior approval. The NCAA rule sends third-party deals of $600 or more to NIL Go within five business days.
Is there an NIL law in Indiana for Ball State athletes?
No. Indiana has no college NIL statute, so the rules come from the NCAA and Ball State. Indiana's athlete agent act does apply to agents who negotiate endorsement contracts: they register with the attorney general, and the athlete has 14 days to cancel.
What can't Ball State athletes promote?
The 2021 policy bars deals with alcohol, tobacco, firearms, gambling or sports wagering vendors and performance enhancing drug vendors, activity involving marijuana or illegal drugs, anything that reflects adversely on Ball State, and brands competing with a Ball State team contract during team activities.
What is Ball YOU?
Ball State's NIL program, built on three parts: The Starting Line for NIL rules and brand assessments, the Nest Tool Chest for contracts, business creation and licensing, and Take Flight for career and financial literacy training.
Be your own agent. Leave.
