Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by California State University, Fullerton, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what California State University, Fullerton, 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 Fullerton
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | The athletics department's NIL Policy (file "Titans_Athletics_NIL_Policy2026-27", two pages, posted 2026-10-15 and linked as "NIL Policy" in the site navigation). It says CSUF "is committed to allowing our student-athletes the freedom to use their name, image, and likeness" and that the policy "is subject to modification." Rules: "NIL is NOT pay for play"; no NIL activity during official team activities; athletes "should not miss class or other academic obligations"; no contract that conflicts with a university contract; "CSUF is not permitted to be involved in the development, operation, or promotion of NIL activities"; and CSUF and its staff "may not compensate or arrange compensation" for an athlete's NIL. CSUF "may authorize variances from, or exceptions to" the policy. The 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook (posted 2026-10-02) has its own NIL section listing prohibited agreements, including "Institutional compensation in exchange for the use of a student-athlete's name, image or likeness." No California State University system NIL policy was found | Cal State Fullerton Athletics, NIL Policy 2026-27 and 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook |
| 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 CSUF policy says "All agreements for NIL activities must be disclosed to CSUF", that athletes "are required to submit all NIL activities using the Inflcr website" NIL workflow, and that NIL activities "should be submitted to CSUF prior to entering into an agreement for or participating in NIL activities"; "Any amount above $600 needs to be disclosed to NIL Go ... prior to receiving payment"; and "Disclosure is NOT an approval process." The 2026-27 handbook says athletes disclose NIL agreements "via the student-athlete's Influencer account or to the Compliance office within 30 days." California law requires each NIL contract to be disclosed to an official the school designates (Educ. Code § 67456(e)(2)) | Cal State Fullerton Athletics, NIL Policy 2026-27 and 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/california |
| Banned categories | California's statute lists none. The CSUF policy says athletes "are not permitted to engage in NIL activities that conflict with NCAA rules (e.g., sports wagering, tobacco, banned substances, etc.)." The handbook also bars NIL agreements with no work performed, pay contingent on enrolling at CSUF, and pay for athletic participation or achievement | Cal State Fullerton Athletics, NIL Policy 2026-27 and 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; /nil/college/california |
| School marks and group licensing | The policy says: "Given so many unknowns in this space, we are currently not permitting the use of CSUF logos/marks/photos for any NIL activities." The handbook says athletes may identify themselves as a CSU Fullerton athlete, with sport and position, but may not use or sell team-issued apparel and uniforms in NIL activities. Facilities may be used under the university's rental procedures, including the CSUF Presidential License Agreement. In a Q&A Cal State Fullerton Athletics published on 2025-07-08, then-athletic director Jim Donovan described a "draft plan" to share revenue with athletes "that sign a non-exclusive NIL waiver with CSUF"; no group licensing agreement is published | Cal State Fullerton Athletics, NIL Policy 2026-27, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook and Q&A with Jim Donovan (2025-07-08) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission lists California State University, Fullerton as participating in 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-24). Fullerton's own statements come from two Q&As with Athletic Director Jim Donovan that Cal State Fullerton Athletics published on its site (interviews by its volunteer features writer). On 2025-07-08 he described a "draft plan" with "Distributed NIL" (a percentage of self-generated revenue for athletes who sign the non-exclusive NIL agreement) and "Directed NIL" (donor funds where "head coaches could decide which student-athletes would receive additional NIL compensation"). On 2026-07-23 he said: "We took an innovative approach to revenue sharing that we were not able to get approved in time this past semester to make a disbursement, but I wouldn't say it was outright blocked. What we proposed was to take 22% of the revenue generated from ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, and licensing, with the goal of distributing an equal share to all student-athletes on our rosters." He added, "I'm sure the next Athletics Director will come up with their own strategy on NIL and revenue sharing and implement it for Titan Athletics." Shondell Reed became athletic director effective 2026-08-31; no later Fullerton statement on revenue sharing was found on the athletics site | College Sports Commission; Cal State Fullerton Athletics, Q&As with Jim Donovan (2025-07-08, 2026-07-23) and Reed release (2026-08-14) |
| Collective or NIL group | Not published. No collective is named on Fullerton's athletics site. Its NIL marketplace is the Titans NIL Exchange on Teamworks Influencer, launched 2026-01-23, which the release says is "Free to both student-athletes and external entities" and includes payment tools and automatic 1099 forms; the athletics site navigation also links an Opendorse page, both labeled "NIL Marketplace" | Cal State Fullerton Athletics, Titans NIL Exchange release (2026-01-23) |
| Agents and representation | The policy says athletes may obtain professional representation, which "shall be from persons licensed by the state", and these individuals "are expected to register with the CSUF Athletics Compliance Office"; athletes pay the representative's normal fee; no CSUF employee or contractor may serve as or help choose a provider. The handbook says representation "must be for NIL opportunities only and not for future professional contract negotiations," and that representatives "must be licensed by the appropriate licensing authority in the state of California." 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) | Cal State Fullerton Athletics, NIL Policy 2026-27 and 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; /nil/college/california |
| Compliance contact | Cal State Fullerton Athletics Compliance, Titan House (Athletics Compliance page); office phone (657) 278-2662. The page lists Sydney Shipley, Assistant Athletics Director, Compliance, and an anonymous violation report link | Cal State Fullerton Athletics, 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 Fullerton
Fullerton has published, in its own athletic director's words, how it wanted revenue sharing to work. In two Q&As on its athletics site a year apart, then-athletic director Jim Donovan described a proposal to share 22% of ticket, sponsorship and licensing revenue "with the goal of distributing an equal share to all student-athletes on our rosters", with donated NIL funds that coaches could use for specific athletes. He said the plan would send the majority of shared revenue to women athletes, "as approximately 58% of our athletic opportunities are for women", and said on 2026-07-23 that it was not approved "in time this past semester to make a disbursement". He also said student-fee growth let Fullerton raise the baseball, softball and women's soccer scholarship budgets. Shondell Reed, a 1995 Fullerton graduate who was senior associate athletic director at the U.S. Air Force Academy, became athletic director on 2026-08-31; Donovan said the next athletic director would "come up with their own strategy on NIL and revenue sharing". On the NIL side, the 2026-27 policy keeps a ban on school logos and photos and points athletes to the Titans NIL Exchange.
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 Fullerton
Does Cal State Fullerton pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists Cal State Fullerton as a revenue-sharing school for 2026-27 (cap approximately $21.58 million per school). In a Q&A the school published on 2026-07-23, then-athletic director Jim Donovan said its equal-share revenue-sharing approach was one "we were not able to get approved in time this past semester to make a disbursement", and that the next athletic director would "come up with their own strategy on NIL and revenue sharing". Shondell Reed started on 2026-08-31; no Fullerton statement on 2026-27 payments was found on the athletics site as of 2026-10-24.
How do Cal State Fullerton athletes report NIL deals?
The 2026-27 policy says all NIL activities are submitted to CSUF through the INFLCR website's NIL workflow, and "should be submitted to CSUF prior to entering into an agreement", and that amounts above $600 go to NIL Go "prior to receiving payment". NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 require third-party deals of $600 or more in NIL Go within five business days. The 2026-27 handbook gives 30 days to disclose to CSUF.
Can Cal State Fullerton athletes use the Titans logo in NIL deals?
No, under the current policy: "we are currently not permitting the use of CSUF logos/marks/photos for any NIL activities." The handbook allows athletes to say they play for CSU Fullerton, including sport and position, but not to use or sell team-issued apparel or uniforms.
What NIL collective works with Cal State Fullerton?
Fullerton's athletics site names none as of 2026-10-24. It runs the Titans NIL Exchange on Teamworks Influencer, where businesses register to find and pay athletes, and links an Opendorse page. In the school's 2025-07-08 Q&A, then-athletic director Jim Donovan described a draft plan for donor "Directed NIL" funds that head coaches would assign.
Does an NIL agent have to register with Cal State Fullerton?
The policy says representatives must be licensed by the state and "are expected to register with the CSUF Athletics Compliance Office." The handbook limits representation to NIL work, not future professional contracts.
Be your own agent. Leave.
