Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Duke University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Duke University, its conference, the state of North Carolina and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 21, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Duke
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "Duke University Policy Regarding Name, Image and Likeness", an Interim Policy that Duke "may need to amend or replace" as rules change, posted as Athletics_NILPolicy_2526.pdf (file created 2025-07-15) and linked as "View Duke NIL Policy" from Duke's NIL site. It covers commercial and noncommercial NIL activity, bars payment terms that are not for a valid business purpose or not "commensurate with compensation paid to similarly situated individuals with comparable NIL value who are not prospective student-athletes or student-athletes at Duke", bars pay contingent on specific athletic performance or achievement, and says Duke will not reduce aid or eligibility for NIL pay or for obtaining professional representation unless a law, bylaw or policy is violated. The 2021 policy linked from Duke's 2021-07-01 announcement now returns "Page Not Found (404)" | Duke Athletics, Duke NIL Policy (2025-26); Duke NIL site; Duke Athletics news (2021-07-01) |
| How deals are disclosed | NIL Go for noninstitutional deals of $600 or more, in total, within five business days (NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2); Duke's policy repeats the $600 rule and the aggregation of several payments from one source. Duke's compliance page for businesses also says athletes "are required to disclose all NIL activities to the Compliance Office", and all representation is disclosed to Duke as the Department of Athletics prescribes. Deals made through the Blue Devil Exchange (INFLCR) generate a compliance report to Duke | Duke Athletics, Duke NIL Policy (2025-26), Compliance Office page and NIL site; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27 |
| Banned categories | North Carolina law lists none. Duke's policy bars NIL activity that promotes products or services related to gambling or to performance-enhancing supplements on the NCAA's banned drug list, and any NIL activity that conflicts with a term of a Duke University contract. Duke's compliance page adds that NIL arrangements align with Duke's code of conduct | Duke Athletics, Duke NIL Policy (2025-26) and Compliance Office page; /nil/college/north-carolina |
| School marks and group licensing | Duke's name, symbols, logos, trademarks, facilities and images are used only with advance approval under the Duke Trademark Licensing policy; logo requests go through ARMS, and facility requests list the facility, event, date and insurance. A photo of an athlete in a Duke uniform counts as use of Duke marks, and athletes do not wear Duke uniforms or logos at paid autograph signings. Gear received through athletics may not be sold. No group licensing program or athlete merchandise store is described on the pages reviewed | Duke Athletics, Duke NIL Policy (2025-26), NIL site and Compliance Office page |
| Revenue sharing | Duke is on the College Sports Commission's list of schools participating in revenue sharing for 2026-27, where the cap is "approximately $21.58 million" per school. No Duke statement on how much it shares or how it funds it was found on the goduke.com pages reviewed | College Sports Commission, Participating Schools and About (2026) |
| Collective or NIL group | Duke's NIL site describes two collectives: the One Vision Futures Fund (OVFF), which supports basketball, and the Durham Devils Club (DDC), which supports football and Olympic sports, and links the Durham Devils Club site. Listed on Duke's NIL site as of 2026-10-21 | Duke Athletics, NIL site ("NIL Support at Duke") |
| Agents and representation | The policy says an agent, attorney or financial advisor engaged for NIL "must be registered with Duke University, and, to the extent required by North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 78, by the state of North Carolina", and must comply with the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act "as applicable"; Duke's Agent Registration Application (2022) asks for the agent's North Carolina Certificate of Registration. North Carolina's athlete agent law is G.S. Chapter 78C, Article 9: as amended in 2025, an NIL agency contract is an agency contract, the agent registers with the Secretary of State, the athlete may cancel within 14 days, and an agent who worked for or contracted with Duke within the prior two years may not sign Duke athletes to NIL agency contracts | Duke Athletics, Duke NIL Policy (2025-26) and Agent Registration Application; /nil/college/north-carolina |
| Compliance contact | Duke Athletics Compliance Office, whose page carries the line "Ask Before You Act!" and links forms on the ARMS Workflow Launchpad; Duke's NIL site gives duaa-compliance@duke.edu under "Contact Duke Compliance" and also lists an NIL Strategy Team contact | Duke Athletics, Compliance Office page and NIL site |
| State law | North Carolina has no general college NIL statute. G.S. 78C (as amended by S.L. 2025-46) regulates NIL agents of student-athletes, with no exception for private schools. G.S. 132-1.2(11), which says nothing in the Public Records Act requires or authorizes "a public agency or its subdivision" to disclose records related to an athlete's NIL contract, sits in a chapter whose records are those of "any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions" (G.S. 132-1); Duke is a private university; narrow law | /nil/college/north-carolina |
What is specific to Duke
Duke is a private university in a state with no general college NIL statute. The banned categories, the rule against conflicts with Duke contracts and the protection of aid and eligibility for athletes who earn NIL pay or hire a representative all come from Duke's own Interim Policy. What North Carolina law adds is aimed at agents: registration, a 14-day right to cancel and a two-year bar on agents with recent ties to the school. Duke's NIL site, "The Duke Difference", pairs the rules with campus programs: the Blue Devil Exchange marketplace run with INFLCR, education from Altius Sports, Duke Innovation and Entrepreneurship courses and mentoring for athletes building a business, and alumni events run by Alumni Engagement and Development. The NIL site says international athletes "may face restrictions due to visa requirements" and points them to Duke Visa Services before engaging in NIL activities.
What North Carolina law says, at a private university
North Carolina has no statute setting NIL rules for colleges; Governor Cooper's 2021 executive order was rescinded in 2024. Two pieces of state law touch NIL.
The Uniform Athlete Agents Act (G.S. 78C, Article 9), as amended by S.L. 2025-46, is written around the student-athlete and the agent. An agent negotiating NIL deals registers with the Secretary of State, the contract carries the state's NIL warning, the athlete can cancel within 14 days, and an agent employed by or under contract with an educational institution in the prior two years cannot sign that institution's athletes to an NIL agency contract. Duke's own policy asks representatives to register with the state "to the extent required by North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 78".
The records rule (G.S. 132-1.2(11)) is part of the Public Records Act, whose public records are those made or received "in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions" (G.S. 132-1). It says nothing in the act requires or authorizes "a public agency or its subdivision" to disclose records related to a student-athlete's NIL contract. Duke is a private university; this page draws no further conclusion about Duke records.
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 Duke
Does Duke pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists Duke University among the schools sharing revenue with athletes in 2026-27, under a cap of about $21.58 million per school. Duke has not published how much it shares or how the money is divided.
What NIL collective works with Duke?
Duke's NIL site names two: the One Vision Futures Fund, which supports basketball, and the Durham Devils Club, which supports football and Olympic sports.
What NIL deals can't Duke athletes do?
Duke's policy bars deals promoting gambling or supplements on the NCAA's banned drug list, deals that conflict with a Duke University contract, and pay tied to athletic performance, such as a bonus per point scored. Use of Duke logos, uniforms or facilities needs advance approval.
Does an NIL agent need to register to work with Duke athletes?
Duke's policy says agents, attorneys and financial advisors on NIL register with Duke and, "to the extent required by North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 78", with the state. North Carolina's agent law (G.S. 78C) requires NIL agents to register with the Secretary of State. An in-state lawyer representing no more than two athletes without advertising is exempt from state registration, but not from the two-year bar on agents recently tied to the school.
Are Duke athletes' NIL contracts public records?
North Carolina's Public Records Act defines public records as material made or received "in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions" (G.S. 132-1), and its 2025 NIL rule (G.S. 132-1.2(11)) speaks to what "a public agency or its subdivision" must disclose. Duke is a private university, and Duke publishes no NIL contracts. How the act could reach a record about a Duke athlete held by a public body is not addressed here.
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