Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of Detroit Mercy, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what University of Detroit Mercy, its conference, the state of Michigan 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 Detroit Mercy
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Detroit Mercy Athletics Name, Image and Likeness Policy (released 2021-08-06; no later version found). It allows pay that is not for athletic performance, is not a recruiting inducement and is "commensurate with market value"; bars staff from arranging or providing pay; keeps NIL off required classes and organized team activities; lets Detroit Mercy prohibit an opportunity that "conflicts with an existing institutional sponsorship agreement or contract or disparages the mission or values of Detroit Mercy"; and says athletic aid will not be revoked or reduced because of permissible NIL earnings. Enforcement is "a three-strike policy": education, suspension from competition, then loss of scholarship. The policy gives athletes free access to NOCAP Sports for NIL education | Detroit Mercy Athletics, NIL Policy (2021) |
| 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 2021 policy says that "On August 30, 2021 and going forward, consistent with Michigan House Bill 5217", athletes "must disclose any name, image and likeness activities at least seven (7) calendar days prior to entering into an agreement for the proposed activity", reviewed case by case with legal counsel as needed. Michigan law: disclose to the school's designated official "at least 7 days prior to committing to the opportunity or contract" (MCL 390.1737(1)) | Detroit Mercy Athletics, NIL Policy (2021); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/michigan |
| Banned categories | The policy lists "Prohibited Endorsements": tobacco, alcohol, illegal substances or activities, banned athletic substances and gambling, and bars selling or trading equipment, apparel, awards or complimentary admissions from the athletic department. Detroit Mercy "shall have the discretion to determine what constitutes an endorsement of a prohibited area". Michigan's statute lists no categories | Detroit Mercy Athletics, NIL Policy (2021); /nil/college/michigan |
| School marks and group licensing | The policy bars use of Detroit Mercy's facilities, uniforms, registered trademarks, copyrighted products and official logos, marks and colors "without the express written permission of the institution" and says no license request is guaranteed. A 2025-10-15 release says Nexus Licensing Group entered an exclusive partnership agreement to "serve as its domestic licensing agent of record". A group licensing program for athletes: Not published | Detroit Mercy Athletics, NIL Policy (2021) and Nexus release (2025-10-15) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission's 2026-27 table lists the University of Detroit Mercy as a participating school, and the commission puts the 2026-27 cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-24). A Horizon League release dated 2025-03-10, posted by Detroit Mercy Athletics, says "The Horizon League's 11 member institutions have declared their intent to opt in" to the House settlement, and that the NCAA asked for that intent "while acknowledging that this is merely an intent, and not binding". No Detroit Mercy amounts or allocation were found. The 2021 policy still says NIL pay may not be provided by Detroit Mercy or "an entity whose purpose includes supporting or benefitting such institution or its intercollegiate athletics program". Michigan law bars a school from paying a prospective athlete for NIL (MCL 390.1733(a)) and does not address pay to enrolled athletes | College Sports Commission; Horizon League release (2025-03-10); Detroit Mercy Athletics, NIL Policy (2021); /nil/college/michigan |
| Collective or NIL group | The Shield NIL Collective. Detroit Mercy Athletics' site menu links to it (read 2026-10-24). Its own site says The Shield NIL, LLC "is an independently owned and operated limited liability company" and "is not part of the University of Detroit Mercy", says "We do not operate a pay-for-play business", and says "we help fulfill any compliance disclosures required by UDM" and can assist athletes with accounting and taxation issues | Detroit Mercy Athletics site menu; The Shield NIL Collective |
| Agents and representation | The policy says Detroit Mercy may not prevent or restrict an athlete from obtaining an agent or attorney for NIL matters; NIL representation by an agent "shall be from an individual registered as a with the State of Michigan" (the policy's wording), and an attorney provides a letter of good standing kept on file with the compliance office. Representation and NIL contracts may not extend beyond the athlete's participation at Detroit Mercy. Michigan law: representation "must be provided by persons licensed in this state, as applicable"; the state page found no Michigan athlete-agent registration statute | Detroit Mercy Athletics, NIL Policy (2021); /nil/college/michigan |
| Compliance contact | Detroit Mercy Athletics NCAA Compliance office; the compliance page lists Amy Gasahl, Director of NCAA Compliance | Detroit Mercy Athletics, NCAA Compliance |
| State law | In force. Michigan's 2020 PA 366 (MCL 390.1731 to 390.1741), in force since 2022-12-31, covers public and private Michigan colleges that receive "state or federal funding of any kind", has athletes disclose a deal at least 7 days before committing, and bars schools paying prospective athletes for NIL | /nil/college/michigan |
What is specific to Detroit Mercy
Detroit Mercy is a private Catholic university, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and the Society of Jesus (as its athletics releases describe it), with no football team. Michigan's NIL statute reaches private Michigan colleges that receive state or federal funding of any kind; Detroit Mercy's own 2021 policy cites Michigan House Bill 5217, uses the same seven-day disclosure rule, and defines a covered school as one that "receives or disburses student financial assistance". That policy sets a three-strike enforcement rule ending in loss of scholarship and offers free NIL education through NOCAP Sports. Its athletics site links an outside collective, The Shield NIL Collective, which describes itself as independent and built around the university's Jesuit traditions. Detroit Mercy has also hired outside firms around its brand: Nexus Licensing Group for trademark licensing (2025) and Dietz Sports and Entertainment as its "exclusive sports marketing agency" (2026-05-01), which matters to athletes because the policy lets the school prohibit deals that conflict with an existing sponsorship agreement or contract.
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 Detroit Mercy
Does Detroit Mercy pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission's 2026-27 table lists Detroit Mercy as participating in revenue sharing, and the commission puts the 2026-27 cap at about $21.58 million per school. Detroit Mercy has not published amounts or how it divides the money, and its 2021 NIL policy, which says NIL pay may not come from the school, is the version still posted on its site.
How do Detroit Mercy athletes report NIL deals?
The school's policy asks for disclosure at least seven calendar days before entering into an agreement, and Michigan's law asks for disclosure at least seven days before committing to a deal. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 also call for reporting third-party deals of $600 or more to NIL Go within five business days.
What NIL collective works with Detroit Mercy athletes?
Detroit Mercy Athletics' site links The Shield NIL Collective. The collective's site says it is an independently owned LLC that is not part of the university and that it helps fulfill the compliance disclosures the school requires.
Does Michigan's NIL law apply to a private school like Detroit Mercy?
Michigan's 2020 PA 366 covers public or private Michigan colleges that receive "state or federal funding of any kind". Detroit Mercy's policy cites the Michigan bill and uses the same seven-day disclosure rule, but its own definition of a covered school is worded differently, and the school has not published a statement on the funding test.
What happens if a Detroit Mercy athlete breaks the NIL policy?
The 2021 policy sets a three-strike sequence: education, then suspension from competition, then loss of scholarship.
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