Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by California State University, Bakersfield, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what California State University, Bakersfield, its conference, the state of California and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 24, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Cal State Bakersfield
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "NIL Policy, Last revision 10.1.2025", linked from the compliance page as "CSUB NIL Policy (Updated 10.1.2025)". It says CSUB Athletics "supports the right of a student-athlete to benefit from their NIL" and lists permitted activities (social media, own business, ads, endorsements, lessons or camps, appearances). Limits: no conflict with any CSUB contract ("Team Contracts"); no missed class or team activities; no pay contingent on enrolling at CSUB; no pay "based on athletic participation or achievement"; and no contract or service "that negatively impact[s] or reflect[s] adversely on CSUB or CSUB Athletics." The policy says "CSUB and CSUB Athletics may engage in the development, operation, promotion, or facilitation" of athletes' NIL activities and "may be amended from time to time by CSUB in its sole discretion." No California State University system NIL policy was found | CSUB Athletics, NIL Policy (rev. 2025-10-01) |
| How deals are disclosed | NCAA: third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2); the CSUB policy restates the $600 rule, including adding up deals with the same payor. CSUB's own rule: "Prior to receiving any compensation or entering into a NIL Contract, all student-athletes are required to first submit the proposed NIL Contract to the CSUB Athletics Compliance Office for approval", with ten listed items including payment terms, the payor, any CSUB representative's interest, any agent or attorney, and a draft contract. "Within four (4) days after a student-athlete enters into an NIL Contract", the athlete notifies compliance and provides a copy; if CSUB finds a conflict, the athlete has four days after notice to resolve it. Incoming athletes disclose NIL pay received before attending CSUB. California law requires each NIL contract to be disclosed to an official the school designates (Educ. Code § 67456(e)(2)) | CSUB Athletics, NIL Policy (rev. 2025-10-01); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/california |
| Banned categories | California's statute lists none. CSUB's policy says athletes "will not be permitted to enter into NIL Contracts with products or services prohibited by other NCAA regulations (e.g. gambling; alcoholic, marijuana, or tobacco products; pornographic or adult publications or sites; drugs or drug paraphenalia)", bars contracts that reflect adversely on CSUB, and "suggests that student-athletes use discretion" because some lawful deals may "conflict with CSUB's missions and values" | CSUB Athletics, NIL Policy (rev. 2025-10-01); /nil/college/california |
| School marks and group licensing | An athlete "shall not use a uniform, trademark, logo, slogan, or mascot of CSUB or of CSUB Athletics" in NIL activity "without first obtaining advance written permission ... through an agreement with CSUB that grants specified use rights", requested as part of the Request for Approval. Facilities need advance written permission, which may involve location agreements, liability waivers and rental fees. Athletes may sell personal team-related items they normally keep after checking with compliance. A group licensing program is not described | CSUB Athletics, NIL Policy (rev. 2025-10-01) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission lists California State University, Bakersfield as participating in 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-24). On 2026-06-03 CSUB Athletics announced the Roadrunner Advantage Fund, saying that after the House settlement "universities are now empowered to provide direct financial support to student-athletes through name, image, and likeness (NIL) initiatives and revenue sharing opportunities" and that gifts will aid CSUB "by directly providing support to NIL and revenue-sharing initiatives"; gifts go through the CSUB Foundation and "can also be designated to specific sport programs." No CSUB revenue-sharing total or split by sport is published | College Sports Commission; CSUB Athletics, Roadrunner Advantage Fund release (2026-06-03) |
| Collective or NIL group | Not published. CSUB's athletics site names no collective. Its own fundraising vehicle for NIL and revenue sharing is the Roadrunner Advantage Fund (2026). A 2024-05-20 CSUB release said an athletics administrator "spearheaded CSUB Athletics' Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) programming, cultivating platforms with Influxer, Athlete's Thread, and Opendorse" | CSUB Athletics, releases of 2024-05-20 and 2026-06-03 |
| Agents and representation | The policy says athletes "may only secure professional and/or legal representation in connection with their NIL activities by an athlete agent or attorney licensed by the State of California", that representatives may be engaged "only for purposes of negotiating their NIL activities and not for purposes of negotiating future professional athletic contracts", and that no CSUB employee may arrange for or serve as a provider, though CSUB may help vet providers. The compliance page also posts a Student-Athlete Eligibility & Professional Opportunities guide (2026-01-13) on agents under NCAA rules. State law: § 67456(c)(2) says representation must come from persons licensed by the state, with athlete agents under the Miller-Ayala Athlete Agents Act, and that Act has an athlete agent file information with the Secretary of State before doing business (Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 18895.2, 18896) | CSUB Athletics, NIL Policy (rev. 2025-10-01) and Compliance page; /nil/college/california |
| Compliance contact | CSUB Athletics Compliance Office (Compliance page), whose staff list names Bridget Alexander, Director of Compliance (Transfer Portal Contact) | CSUB Athletics, Compliance |
| State law | California Education Code § 67456 (Fair Pay to Play Act), in force since 2021-09-01, protects NIL pay and representation, requires each NIL contract to be disclosed to the school and lists no banned categories; in force | /nil/college/california |
What is specific to Cal State Bakersfield
CSUB's policy puts its review before the signature: an athlete hands compliance the proposed contract and nine other items before signing or taking any money, waits for CSUB to say whether it conflicts with a school contract, and then sends the signed copy within four days. The policy also covers crowdfunding for an athlete's own business, a charity or a family emergency, and says a minor "should have any NIL signed by their parent or guardian to ensure enforceability". The money side arrived on 2026-06-03, when the department, led by Acting Director of Athletics Dr. Sarah Tuohy, launched the Roadrunner Advantage Fund for recruiting and retaining athletes across CSUB's 16 Division I sports, with gifts that count toward Roadrunner Club membership. On 2026-09-28 President Vernon B. Harper Jr. named Andy Fiske, then Sacramento State's senior associate athletic director for external affairs and chief revenue officer, as CSUB's Director of Athletics, expected on campus in mid-October 2026.
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 Cal State Bakersfield
Does Cal State Bakersfield pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists CSUB as a revenue-sharing school for 2026-27 (cap approximately $21.58 million per school). CSUB's own 2026-06-03 release says the Roadrunner Advantage Fund will support "NIL and revenue-sharing initiatives". CSUB has not published how much it pays or how the money is split among sports.
Does a CSUB athlete need approval before signing an NIL deal?
Under CSUB's policy, yes. The athlete submits the proposed contract and supporting details to the CSUB Athletics Compliance Office "Prior to receiving any compensation or entering into a NIL Contract", and may not sign without that review or while a disclosed conflict with a CSUB contract is unresolved. A copy of the signed contract goes to compliance within four days. Deals of $600 or more also go into NIL Go under NCAA rules.
Can Cal State Bakersfield athletes use the Roadrunners logo in NIL deals?
Only with advance written permission through an agreement with CSUB granting specified use rights, requested with the Request for Approval. The same applies to uniforms, slogans and the mascot, and facilities need written permission and may carry rental fees.
What NIL collective works with Cal State Bakersfield?
CSUB's athletics site names no collective as of 2026-10-24. Donors are directed to the Roadrunner Advantage Fund, processed through the CSUB Foundation, which can be designated to specific sports.
Does the California State University system have NIL rules for CSUB?
No systemwide CSU NIL policy was found. An information item to the CSU Board of Trustees' Committee on Educational Policy (Agenda Item 6, January 27-29, 2025) says the CSU's athletics programs "are managed at the campus level" and that the external collectives through which NIL in the CSU had largely been managed "are not currently governed by any CSU policies or regulations". The CSU Ad Hoc Intercollegiate Athletics Task Force's recommendations were called "preliminary" in the committee's minutes of 2025-03-25. CSUB's own policy and California's § 67456 are what apply.
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