Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Baylor University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Baylor University, its conference, the state of Texas and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 21, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Baylor
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "Policy and Procedure for Name, Image and Likeness as of August 1, 2024", printed in the "24-25 Student-Athlete Handbook (updated December 2024)", which is the handbook linked from Baylor's Current Bears compliance page on 2026-10-21. It covers disclosure, Baylor's help (education, evaluating opportunities and professional services, but "not selection" of agents), barred categories, use of Baylor marks, NIL agents and boosters, and requires each athlete to attest to it. A much older compliance page titled "Use of a Student-Athlete's Name, Picture, or Likeness is Prohibited", which quotes NCAA bylaws from before July 2021, is also still online. No newer handbook or standalone NIL policy was found on baylorbears.com | Baylor Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2024-25 (updated December 2024); Baylor compliance pages (read 2026-10-21) |
| How deals are disclosed | Texas law: each proposed NIL contract is disclosed to the school "before entering into the contract, in the manner prescribed by the institution" (§ 51.9246(g)(1)). Baylor's 2024 policy: disclosure to compliance "within 30 days of entering into the agreement", listing the parties, the terms and pay structure, any professional service provider and that provider's fee; incoming and transfer athletes disclose all NIL agreements before they may practice; the handbook FAQ names the Opendorse app, and deals made on the Baylor NIL Exchange (Teamworks Influencer, 2025) automate a compliance disclosure. NCAA: noninstitutional deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2) | Baylor Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2024-25; Baylor NIL Exchange announcement (2025-10-07); Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9246; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27 |
| Banned categories | Texas law bars pay for athletic performance and for endorsing alcohol, tobacco products, e-cigarettes or other nicotine delivery devices, anabolic steroids, sports betting, casino gambling, a firearm the athlete cannot legally buy, or a sexually oriented business (§ 51.9246(g)(2)(B)). Baylor's policy adds products, services or causes that "conflict with or detract from the University's Christian mission" or violate the Student Conduct Code (its examples include adult entertainment, alcohol, tobacco and drug paraphernalia), products that conflict with NCAA legislation (sports wagering, banned substances), and anything that conflicts with Baylor's exclusive rights agreements (its examples are Nike, Pepsi and Gatorade) unless the NIL Office approves | Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9246; Baylor Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2024-25 |
| School marks and group licensing | Baylor marks and logos are used in NIL activity only with prior approval of the Baylor NIL Office; the FAQ says express, written consent, and allows Baylor marks in unpaid social posts. Texas law lets a school permit its marks only under its licensing requirements and at market rates (§ 51.9246(g)(5), (g-2)). Baylor's NIL site names The Brandr Group its "Exclusive Group Licensing Partner" for co-branded group NIL products, joined by signing The Brandr Group's licensing agreement and disclosing it through Opendorse; in 2022 the Baylor Bookstore sold football name-and-number shirts under group licensing. The NIL site's products page links several NIL merchandise stores | Baylor NIL site, home page, The Brandr Group page and NIL Products page; Baylor Athletics, Bookstore NIL apparel (2022-09-13); Baylor Student-Athlete Handbook 2024-25 |
| Revenue sharing | A message from then-athletic director Mack B. Rhoades IV, posted on Baylor's House Settlement Info page (PDF created 2025-05-29), said every Baylor athlete would be offered an NIL licensing agreement for institutional use of NIL from fall 2025, at two levels: a base participatory agreement, and an enhanced agreement that the initial model gave to football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball. On 2025-06-09 Baylor Athletics wrote that "Baylor is all in" on revenue share. The College Sports Commission lists Baylor for 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school". No newer Baylor breakdown was found | Baylor Athletics, House Settlement Info and Rhoades message (2025); Baylor Athletics (2025-06-09); College Sports Commission, Revenue Sharing and Participating Schools |
| Collective or NIL group | A 2024-05-13 Baylor Athletics release called GXG, developed by Startup Waco, "the Baylor-focused collective" and said Baylor's new in-house NIL unit would work with it; no later Baylor statement about GXG was found. On 2026-08-27 Baylor Athletics and TheLinkU announced Link254, "TheLinkU's Baylor-focused platform", which includes a web page for fans to "directly support NIL opportunities" for Baylor teams. Baylor's in-house NIL unit (2024), its multimedia rights partner Playfly with JABA (2025-08-12) and the Teamworks Influencer exchange (2025-10-07) also connect athletes with deals | Baylor Athletics releases (2024-05-13, 2025-08-12, 2025-10-07, 2026-08-27) |
| Agents and representation | Baylor's policy allows an NIL agent for advice, contract negotiation and marketing, but not one who also markets the athlete to pro teams, and any NIL agent is disclosed; the handbook says NIL agents "are expected to register with the Compliance Office and provide us any written contracts prior to a student-athlete signing". The FAQ says a representative who is also an "athlete agent" under Texas law must be registered and bonded with the Secretary of State. Baylor's Athlete-Agent and Advisor Program requires registration with Baylor and the Texas Secretary of State before contacting athletes and holds advisors, marketing representatives and brand managers to the same standards. Texas law bars a school from preventing professional representation, including a Texas-licensed attorney (§ 51.9246(c)(2)) | Baylor Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2024-25; Athlete-Agent and Advisor Program page; Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9246 |
| Compliance contact | Baylor's compliance staff page now carries the title "Governance & Regulatory Affairs Office" (1500 S. University Parks Dr., Waco, TX 76706); the 2024 NIL policy names a Baylor NIL Office led by the NIL General Manager | Baylor Athletics, Staff/Contact Us; Baylor Student-Athlete Handbook 2024-25 |
| State law | Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9246 reaches athletes at private or independent institutions as defined in § 61.003, so its disclosure before signing, banned categories, 10-day conflict rule, school marks rule and first-year financial literacy course apply at Baylor, and since HB 126 (2025-06-05) it allows what an athletic association, conference or final court order authorizes; its confidentiality rule (l) is written as an exception to the Public Information Act, and the Texas page does not address how that applies to a private university; in force | /nil/college/texas |
What is specific to Baylor
Baylor ties its NIL rules to its identity as a private Christian university: the 2024 policy bars deals that "conflict with or detract from the University's Christian mission" and has every athlete attest to the policy as a condition of participation. Its NIL partners have changed several times, according to Baylor Athletics releases: an Opendorse marketplace in 2022, an in-house NIL unit working with the GXG collective in 2024, Playfly and JABA tools in 2025, a Teamworks Influencer exchange in October 2025, and TheLinkU's Link254 in August 2026, with athletic director Doug McNamee quoted in the release. Baylor's revenue-share plan, as described in 2025, splits athletes between a base licensing agreement and an enhanced one for six sports. The written disclosure deadline (30 days after signing) differs from the Texas statute's wording (before signing).
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 Baylor
Does Baylor pay its athletes?
Baylor said in June 2025 that it is "all in" on revenue sharing, and a 2025 message from the athletic director said every Baylor athlete would be offered an NIL licensing agreement, with an enhanced agreement for football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball under the initial model. The College Sports Commission lists Baylor for 2026-27, with a cap of about $21.58 million per school. Baylor has not published a newer breakdown.
How do Baylor athletes report NIL deals?
Three rules appear in the sources. Texas law says each proposed contract is disclosed to the school before signing. Baylor's 2024 policy says within 30 days of entering the agreement, through Opendorse according to its FAQ. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 add a NIL Go report within five business days for third-party deals of $600 or more. The policy does not explain how the 30-day rule fits the statute.
What NIL collective works with Baylor?
Baylor Athletics called GXG, developed by Startup Waco, "the Baylor-focused collective" in 2024, and no later Baylor statement about GXG was found. Since August 2026 Baylor has promoted Link254, a TheLinkU platform where fans and businesses can support NIL opportunities for Baylor teams.
Can a Baylor athlete promote alcohol or adult products in an NIL deal?
No. Texas law bans endorsements of alcohol, tobacco, nicotine devices, anabolic steroids, sports betting, casino gambling, some firearms and sexually oriented businesses, and Baylor's policy also bars products or causes that conflict with its Christian mission or its Student Conduct Code, plus anything that conflicts with sponsors such as Nike, Pepsi and Gatorade unless its NIL Office approves.
Does Texas NIL law apply at Baylor even though it is a private school?
Yes. Education Code § 51.9246 covers athletes at private or independent institutions of higher education, so its disclosure, banned-category, conflict and marks rules reach Baylor athletes. Its confidentiality rule is written as an exception to the Public Information Act, which governs public records requests; the Texas page on this site does not address how that rule works at a private university.
Be your own agent. Leave.
