Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Colorado State University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Colorado State University, its conference, the state of Colorado and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 22, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Colorado State
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | CSU publishes no standalone current NIL policy. Its "Policies Regarding Name, Image and Likeness" (2021-07-01) set out NCAA, Colorado and CSU rules, including that CSU "cannot participate in the procurement, management, or execution of NIL activities" for athletes and that "neither an institution nor an athletic association (conference) shall provide compensation". The 2024-25 CSU Parents' Guide to NCAA Compliance (posted 2024-10-02) repeats the CSU rules in shorter form: no CSU marks unless licensed through CLC, no NIL activity "while representing the institution" (practice, conditioning, competition, team travel and CSU promotional activities), and facilities only when rented "at normal and customary rates". CSU's NIL page lists the Opendorse marketplace, brand partnerships through Rams Sports Properties and group licensing with The Brandr Group | Colorado State Athletics, NIL Guidelines (2021-07-01), Parents' Guide 2024-25 and NIL at Colorado State page |
| How deals are disclosed | NIL Go for third-party deals of $600 or more within five business days (NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). The 2024-25 Parents' Guide says "NIL disclosure form must be submitted through Opendorse whenever a student-athlete receives compensation for his or her NIL, regardless of whether a contract is signed", and lists under Colorado law that athletes "must disclose through Opendorse information regarding any contract". The Guide predates H.B. 25-1041, which repealed Colorado's 72-hour disclosure rule on 2025-03-28, so state law no longer requires disclosure to the school | Colorado State Athletics, Parents' Guide 2024-25; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/colorado |
| Banned categories | Colorado's statute lists none. A CSU list of banned product categories is not published. CSU's 2021 guidelines say an NIL deal with a direct competitor of a CSU sponsor is allowed but is not carried out while representing CSU (team-issued apparel stays on at practice), and that endorsed products may not contain substances on the NCAA banned list. A CSU release dated 2026-08-04 names adidas the official footwear, uniform, apparel and sideline partner and says the deal "unlocks NIL opportunities for Rams student-athletes"; CSU has not published whether it limits deals with competing brands | Colorado State Athletics, NIL Guidelines (2021-07-01) and adidas release (2026-08-04); /nil/college/colorado |
| School marks and group licensing | No CSU trademarks or logos in NIL activity "unless properly licensed through CLC", CSU's licensing agent (Parents' Guide 2024-25; Licensing and Trademarks page). Group licensing: CSU and The Brandr Group announced a program on 2022-04-12 covering all 16 sports, which athletes join voluntarily and which "does not limit individual NIL rights", for products such as trading cards, video games and name-and-number jerseys. The athletics site links a Colorado State NIL Store (nil.store) and Athletes Thread custom apparel | Colorado State Athletics, Brandr Group release (2022-04-12), Licensing and Trademarks, NIL at Colorado State |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and lists Colorado State University as participating in 2026-27. Director of Athletics John Weber wrote on 2025-06-07 that CSU would opt in and "participate in revenue-sharing with student-athletes", wrote on 2025-07-08 that CSU had "strengthened partnerships with Opendorse and Altius Partners" after the House settlement, and said in a CSU Athletics story of 2025-08-06 that the goal is to "become the first non-A4 school to get to that rev-share cap". CSU's 2024-12-05 Opendorse agreement covers "Rev-Share Ready" consulting, "Opendorse Budgets" for cap management and "Opendorse Payments" for contract fulfillment. CSU has not published a 2026-27 total or how it divides the money among sports | College Sports Commission; Colorado State Athletics releases and letters (2024-12-05, 2025-06-07, 2025-07-08, 2025-08-06) |
| Collective or NIL group | A CSU Athletics release of 2024-03-12 calls The Green and Gold Guard "the official collective of Colorado State Athletics", led by Executive Director Chris Schmidt, with contributions that "directly benefit Colorado State student-athletes Name, Image, and Likeness activities". The website that release names returned a domain-error page on 2026-10-22, and no later CSU source naming the Guard was found, so its status on that date is not confirmed. CSU's current NIL page refers to "a robust and committed collective" without naming one and lists an Opendorse-powered NIL Marketplace and brand NIL partnerships through Rams Sports Properties (listed as "Rams Sports Properties - LEARFIELD" in the staff directory) | Colorado State Athletics, Green and Gold Guard release (2024-03-12), NIL at Colorado State and Staff Directory |
| Agents and representation | CSU's Agent Guide (June 2016, still linked from the compliance pages), written for people "interested in representing" CSU athletes "in professional sports negotiations", says agents "MUST register with the CSU PRIOR TO contacting student-athletes", must update and verify their registration "EVERY TWO YEARS", and may not have in-person, off-campus contact without Compliance Office permission; the registration form is linked from the Boosters, Alumni, Supporters and Agents page. The 2024-25 Parents' Guide says an athlete may not agree to agent representation for marketing athletic ability "except for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities". Colorado law: athletes may use an athlete advisor or attorney, legal representation comes from a licensed attorney, a parent or guardian represents an athlete under 18 in negotiations, and agent registration ended in 2010 | Colorado State Athletics, Agent Guide (2016), Boosters Alumni Supporters and Agents page, Parents' Guide 2024-25; /nil/college/colorado |
| Compliance contact | Colorado State Athletics NCAA Compliance (csurams.com compliance pages). The athletics staff directory (read 2026-10-22) lists Kyle Siemer, Associate A.D. for Compliance; Jared Velasquez, Director of Compliance; and Alex Edelberg, Compliance Coordinator, and under Name, Image, and Likeness, Grayson Wagner, Senior Director, NIL and Revenue Share Operations | Colorado State Athletics, Compliance and Staff Directory |
| State law | In force. H.B. 25-1041 (2025-03-28) amended C.R.S. § 23-16-301 to let Colorado colleges pay athletes for NIL and repealed its 72-hour disclosure and team-contract rules, and added an open-records exemption for personal information in NIL agreements (C.R.S. § 24-72-204(3)(a)(XXV)) | /nil/college/colorado |
What is specific to Colorado State
Colorado State's published NIL and revenue-sharing setup leans on a vendor partnership. A CSU Athletics release of 2024-12-05 announced a "long-term partnership" with Opendorse giving CSU leadership "the full suite of Opendorse products and services", from Rev-Share Ready consulting and Opendorse Budgets "for data-backed cap management" to Opendorse Payments "for streamlined contract fulfillment" and a no-fee marketplace, and said Opendorse would hire a Director of NIL and Rev-Share Operations "working on campus in Fort Collins as the primary point of contact and strategist for NIL and Rev-Share matters". CSU's 2024-25 Parents' Guide moved NIL disclosure onto the same platform ("through Opendorse"). Director of Athletics John Weber has described the aim in public: in a 2025-08-06 CSU story he said "Our goal that we openly talk about is how do we become the first non-A4 school to get to that rev-share cap", naming sponsorships, naming rights, ticket sales and donors as the sources. CSU's NIL page also lists business and branding NIL education in collaboration with the CSU College of Business, alongside its RAM Life program for life after sports. CSU joined the Pac-12 on 2026-07-01.
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 Colorado State
Does Colorado State pay its athletes?
Colorado State is a revenue-sharing school. Director of Athletics John Weber wrote on 2025-06-07 that CSU would opt in to the House settlement and "participate in revenue-sharing with student-athletes", and the College Sports Commission lists CSU as participating in 2026-27, with a cap of approximately $21.58 million per school. CSU has not published a 2026-27 total or how it divides the money among sports. Colorado law has allowed schools to pay athletes for NIL since 2025-03-28.
How do Colorado State athletes report NIL deals?
Two ways are published. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 call for reporting third-party deals of $600 or more to NIL Go within five business days. CSU's 2024-25 Parents' Guide says an NIL disclosure form is submitted "through Opendorse whenever a student-athlete receives compensation for his or her NIL, regardless of whether a contract is signed". Colorado's old 72-hour state disclosure rule was repealed in 2025.
What NIL collective works with Colorado State?
A CSU Athletics release of 2024-03-12 called The Green and Gold Guard "the official collective of Colorado State Athletics". The Guard's website named in that release returned an error page on 2026-10-22, and no newer CSU source names it, so its current status is not confirmed. CSU's NIL page refers to "a robust and committed collective" without naming it and lists an Opendorse NIL Marketplace and brand partnerships through Rams Sports Properties.
Can Colorado State athletes use CSU logos in NIL deals?
Only through licensing. CSU's 2024-25 Parents' Guide says athletes "may not wear or use any CSU trademarks/logos when engaged in NIL activities unless properly licensed through CLC", CSU's licensing agent. CSU's group licensing program with The Brandr Group, announced 2022-04-12, lets athletes who opt in appear on co-branded products such as jerseys and trading cards.
Do agents have to register with Colorado State?
CSU's Agent Guide (June 2016), written for agents in professional sports negotiations, says agents "MUST register with the CSU PRIOR TO contacting student-athletes" and update and verify their registration every two years; it does not say whether the rule reaches NIL-only representatives. Colorado itself has had no athlete agent registration since 2010; state law does require that legal representation come from a licensed attorney and that a parent or guardian represent an athlete under 18 in negotiations.
Be your own agent. Leave.
