Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of Denver, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what University of Denver, its conference, the state of Colorado 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 Denver
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Two versions are posted. The "University of Denver Name, Image and Likeness Policy" link on DU's NIL and compliance pages opens the policy revised 8/2024, which says DU "is not permitted to be directly involved" in NIL activities and that "Per Colorado law" disclosure is due within 72 hours. A newer policy, posted on 2026-06-10 as the file "DU NIL Policy (Athletics) (2026.06.10)_-Final", says DU "does not prevent" NIL pay subject to federal and state law and the rules of the NCAA, College Sports Commission and conferences; NIL deals "are not pay-for-play arrangements" and third-party pay must serve "a valid business purpose as defined by the College Sports Commission"; DU and its employees "may identify, create, solicit, facilitate and otherwise enable" NIL opportunities and report a solicitation to the athlete within 72 hours | DU Athletics, Name, Image and Likeness Policy (revised 8/2024) and DU NIL Policy (Athletics) (2026-06-10) |
| How deals are disclosed | 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. DU's 2026 policy says athletes "must report" such deals (including deals with the same payer that add up to $600) to the College Sports Commission at NILGo.com "within five days of executing the contract", registering with their DU email, and "should not accept compensation or engage in any activities" until the deal is cleared. It also says athletes "should disclose to DU any executed NIL deal within seventy-two hours of execution, or before the next scheduled athletic event", whichever comes first. The 2026 policy lists a "Name, Image, and Likeness Disclosure" form without naming a platform; the 8/2024 policy says disclosures are reported on the athlete's INFLCR account. Colorado repealed its own 72-hour disclosure rule on 2025-03-28 | DU NIL Policy (Athletics) (2026-06-10); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/colorado |
| Banned categories | Colorado's statute lists no banned categories. DU's 2026 policy bars third-party deals that endorse services or products that "would violate or conflict with NCAA or Conference rules". The 8/2024 policy adds that athletes may not contract with an organization that conflicts with current DU corporate sponsors "or are not in line with DU's core values", and DU "currently recommends not engaging in NIL activities that conflict with NCAA rules (e.g., sports wagering, tobacco, banned substances)" | DU NIL Policy (Athletics) (2026-06-10) and (revised 8/2024); /nil/college/colorado |
| School marks and group licensing | Without DU's written permission, athletes may not use DU's logos, trademarks, slogans or other intellectual property, or DU facilities or images of its athletic facilities, in a third-party NIL deal (2026 policy, repeated in the 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook). Photos the athletics communications office shares with athletes may not be used in NIL deals without prior written approval from the communications staff (handbook). DU and The Brandr Group announced a voluntary group licensing program covering all 18 varsity sports on 2021-12-21; the compliance page (last updated January 2024) says it is not open to international students because of possible visa effects. The Denver NIL Store, powered by Campus Ink, sells merchandise "officially licensed by the University of Denver" (2026-04-22) | DU NIL Policy (2026-06-10); DU Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; DU Athletics releases (2021-12-21, 2026-04-22); Compliance, Current Student-Athletes |
| Revenue sharing | DU announced on 2025-02-26 its decision "to opt-in to the proposed terms of the House v NCAA Settlement". The College Sports Commission lists the University of Denver as participating in 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school". DU's 2026 policy says DU "may, at its discretion, enter into agreements with a Student-Athlete to share revenue" in exchange for a license of NIL rights. DU has published no breakdown of its revenue sharing | DU Athletics (2025-02-26); DU NIL Policy (2026-06-10); College Sports Commission (read 2026-10-23) |
| Collective or NIL group | Not published. No DU Athletics page read for this guide names a collective. DU's published NIL channels are the INFLCR app with its Pioneer Exchange Market for local businesses (compliance page, last updated January 2024), The Brandr Group for group licensing and the Denver NIL Store. In August 2025 DU hired Peter Mannino as Assistant Athletic Director for NIL, described as the administrator "responsible for contracts" in the NIL space | DU Athletics, Compliance pages; DU Athletics release (2025-08-19) |
| Agents and representation | DU's 2026 policy allows professional representation, including "athlete agents or legal representation", "from persons licensed by the state", at "the going rate"; no DU employee or affiliate may act as a professional service provider; and letting a provider market athletic ability to secure a professional opportunity "is strictly prohibited". The older policy manual page (ATHL 1.10.010, effective 2021-07-01) asked for an Agent Disclosure form in ARMS within 10 days of signing. Under Colorado law a school may not stop an athlete from hiring an athlete advisor or attorney, the state has required no agent registration since 2010, and an athlete under 18 is represented in negotiations by a parent or guardian | DU NIL Policy (2026-06-10); DU Policy Manual, NIL (ATHL 1.10.010); /nil/college/colorado |
| Compliance contact | DU Athletics Compliance; Associate Athletic Director of Compliance Jason Kesner, jason.kesner@du.edu, 303-871-4637 | DU Athletics, Compliance website and Current Student-Athletes page |
| State law | C.R.S. § 23-16-301 covers public and private Colorado colleges, so it reaches DU; since 2025-03-28 a Colorado school may pay athletes for NIL, the state 72-hour disclosure rule is repealed and personal details in NIL agreements are withheld from open-records requests. In force | /nil/college/colorado |
What is specific to Denver
Denver is a private university without football whose teams now play in several conferences. On 2026-07-01 it left the Summit League for the West Coast Conference in nine sports (men's and women's basketball, soccer, golf and tennis, and women's volleyball), while hockey stays in the NCHC, women's gymnastics in the Big 12, lacrosse in the BIG EAST and skiing in the RMISA, according to DU's own release. Its NIL setup changed in the same stretch: DU's June 2026 policy file lets DU find and arrange deals and share revenue through NIL licenses, while the 2024 text still linked from its NIL page kept the university out of NIL, and the August 2025 hire of former Pioneer goalie Peter Mannino as Assistant Athletic Director for NIL came with plans for an NIL academic program built with DU's Daniels College of Business and Sturm College of Law.
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 Denver
Does the University of Denver pay its athletes?
DU announced on 2025-02-26 that it would opt in under the House settlement, and the College Sports Commission lists it as a 2026-27 revenue-sharing school, with a cap of about $21.58 million per school. DU's 2026 NIL policy says DU may share revenue with an athlete in exchange for a license of the athlete's NIL rights. DU has not published how that money is divided.
How do Denver Pioneers athletes report NIL deals?
DU's 2026 policy points athletes to NILGo.com for third-party deals of $600 or more, within five days of signing, using their DU email, and says athletes should not take payment or start work until the deal is cleared. It also says athletes should tell DU about a signed deal within 72 hours or before their next event. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 set the NIL Go rule at five business days.
Is there a Denver Pioneers NIL collective?
DU Athletics does not name one. Its published NIL channels are the INFLCR app and its Pioneer Exchange Market, a group licensing program with The Brandr Group and the Denver NIL Store, plus an Assistant Athletic Director for NIL on staff since August 2025.
Can Denver athletes use DU logos in NIL deals?
Only with DU's written permission, under the 2026 policy and the 2026-27 handbook; the same rule covers DU facilities and photos of its athletic facilities. The Brandr Group's voluntary group licensing program pairs athlete NIL with DU marks, and the Denver NIL Store sells licensed athlete merchandise.
What conference is the University of Denver in now?
The West Coast Conference, since 2026-07-01, for nine sports. The WCC lists 10 competing members for 2026-27. Denver hockey stays in the NCHC, gymnastics in the Big 12 and lacrosse in the BIG EAST. The College Sports Commission table still shows Denver under the Summit League.
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