Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by East Tennessee State University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what East Tennessee State University, its conference, the state of Tennessee 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 ETSU
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "Name, Image, and Likeness", an ETSU emergency policy effective 2021-07-26 (Responsible Office: University Counsel), which says ETSU faculty, staff and athletes "must follow all NCAA regulations, SoCon regulations, state laws, and federal laws" on NIL, bars pay "in exchange for athletic performance or attendance at ETSU", and says "ETSU Athletics and ETSU employees shall not compensate a Student-Athlete for a NIL Activity or for enrollment". ETSU Athletics' NIL information page, linked from the compliance page, summarizes the policy and the 2021 NCAA interim policy. No later ETSU NIL policy was found | ETSU Policies, Name, Image, and Likeness emergency policy (2021-07-26); ETSU Athletics, Compliance and NIL information page |
| 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). ETSU's policy: disclose NIL agreements "before engaging in the activities and before signing any NIL contracts", complete a form "within three (3) business days of securing a NIL Activity opportunity", give ETSU a copy of the contract before signing, report changes within three business days, use a separate form for each activity, and file an annual report "before April 1st each year". The athletics NIL page says reporting moved from ARMS to INFLCR in November 2021; the compliance page still links an ARMS NIL Disclosure Form. Tennessee law says disclosure "may be required" | ETSU emergency NIL policy; ETSU Athletics, NIL information page and Compliance; NCAA 2026-27 Division I Manual; /nil/college/tennessee |
| Banned categories | Tennessee law bars NIL activities that promote gambling, tobacco, THC products or derivatives, alcohol and adult entertainment, and lets a school bar activities that conflict with its values (T.C.A. 49-7-2802(g)). ETSU's policy bars agreements involving tobacco and nicotine products and retailers, alcoholic beverages, sellers or dispensaries of controlled substances including marijuana, adult entertainment, NCAA banned substances or performance enhancing drugs, casinos and gambling, anything that conflicts with ETSU values or an existing ETSU agreement, and any entity that "reflects adversely" on the team, the department or ETSU | ETSU emergency NIL policy; /nil/college/tennessee |
| School marks and group licensing | The policy bars ETSU uniforms, ETSU-issued apparel or gear, and ETSU logos, trademarks or other ETSU-owned material such as photos and videos in NIL activities, and bars ETSU marks on a product without a signed license with the Collegiate Licensing Company. The athletics NIL page says marks may be used "only with the express written permission of ETSU" and that athletes may request it. ETSU Athletics links three NIL merchandise stores (Influxer, Campus Ink's NIL Store and Athletes Thread); its 2024-03-08 release on the Campus Ink store says that store's merchandise "is officially licensed by East Tennessee State University". A group licensing program: Not published | ETSU emergency NIL policy; ETSU Athletics, NIL information page, Compliance page and release (2024-03-08) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and lists East Tennessee State University for 2026-27 (read 2026-10-24). ETSU Athletics said on 2025-05-14 that a new General Manager of Revenue Sports, David Blackburn, would "oversee Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements and revenue-sharing operations"; its 2026-03-24 release marked his departure. On 2026-10-22 Athletic Director Richard Sander said a jersey patch sponsorship "provides needed resources for revenue sharing". ETSU has not published a total or its division by sport. ETSU's 2021 policy, which bars ETSU and its employees from paying athletes for NIL or enrollment, has not been revised on the policy page | College Sports Commission; ETSU Athletics releases (2025-05-14, 2026-03-24, 2026-10-22); ETSU emergency NIL policy |
| Collective or NIL group | ETSU's university magazine, ETSU Today (Summer 2024), described Bucs For Good as "ETSU's NIL (name, image, likeness) entity established to assist ETSU's student-athletes" that provides "NIL compensation" and invited gifts. The ETSU Athletics compliance and NIL pages do not name it, and its own site refused access on 2026-10-24, so its status was not confirmed. In a Q&A posted by ETSU Athletics on 2025-02-01, Sander said Blackburn "engages with the collective", without naming it | ETSU Today, Summer 2024; ETSU Athletics, Lunch With Doc (2025-02-01) |
| Agents and representation | The policy lets athletes hire a third party to secure NIL activities and has them disclose the representative's name and contact information "within three (3) business days"; agents "must comply with state law", and representation and NIL contracts may not last past the athlete's participation at ETSU. The athletics NIL page says the NIL Agent/Advisor/Lawyer Registration form "MUST be completed before a student-athlete signs an agreement with an agent or lawyer", and that agents must be licensed in Tennessee. Tennessee law requires agent registration under Part 21 ($500, two years) | ETSU emergency NIL policy; ETSU Athletics, NIL information page; /nil/college/tennessee |
| Compliance contact | ETSU Athletics Compliance Office. Eric Baumgartner, Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for Administration and Compliance, baumgartnere@etsu.edu (named on the compliance page for NIL); Sheryll Hanks, Associate Director for Compliance, (423) 439-4204 | ETSU Athletics, Compliance page and Staff Directory (read 2026-10-24) |
| State law | In force. Tennessee's Part 28 (T.C.A. 49-7-2801 to 2804), rewritten in 2025, lets athletes be paid for NIL, enrollment and roster position and lets a four-year school and its affiliated foundations pay unless federal law, a valid court order or a qualifying association rule limits it. Coverage of ETSU is uncertain: the part excludes a school "governed by the board of regents of the state university and community college system", and the 2016 FOCUS Act lists East Tennessee State University among the "board of regents state universities" while vesting its "management and governance" in its own state university board (Public Chapter 869 of 2016). No court ruling or state statement on the point was found | /nil/college/tennessee; Public Chapter 869 of 2016 |
What is specific to ETSU
ETSU wrote its NIL rules as a university emergency policy rather than an athletics handout: the Office of University Counsel is the responsible office, the policy cites the FOCUS Act as its authority, and it sets up two committees an athlete can go to. If ETSU objects to an NIL activity, the athlete may ask the Senior Associate AD for Compliance for reconsideration within five business days, and a committee chaired by the Faculty Athletics Representative issues a written decision within 14 calendar days; a sanction under the policy can be appealed the same way, and the athlete may bring one representative to either hearing. The policy also requires an annual NIL report before April 1, says ETSU "will not provide legal advice" on NIL contracts, and limits booster deals to fair market value for work actually performed. For merchandise, ETSU Athletics links three separate NIL stores.
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 ETSU
Does ETSU pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists East Tennessee State University as participating in 2026-27 revenue sharing, with a cap of approximately $21.58 million per school. ETSU Athletics releases describe "revenue-sharing operations" (2025-05-14) and sponsorship money as "needed resources for revenue sharing" (2026-10-22), but ETSU has not published a total or how it divides the money. Its 2021 NIL policy, still posted, says ETSU and its employees do not pay athletes for NIL.
How do ETSU athletes report NIL deals?
ETSU's policy has athletes disclose NIL agreements before signing and before the activity, with a form within three business days of securing the opportunity and a copy of the contract, plus an annual report before April 1. The athletics NIL page says reporting is done in INFLCR. Third-party deals of $600 or more also go to NIL Go within five business days under NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2.
What NIL collective works with ETSU?
ETSU Today, the university's magazine, described Bucs For Good in Summer 2024 as ETSU's NIL entity that provides NIL compensation to athletes. ETSU Athletics' compliance and NIL pages do not name a collective, and Bucs For Good's current status was not confirmed on 2026-10-24.
Can an ETSU athlete appeal if the school blocks an NIL deal?
Yes, under the 2021 policy. An athlete may file a written request for reconsideration within five business days of a denial, and a committee chaired by the Faculty Athletics Representative issues a written decision within 14 calendar days. Sanctions under the policy have a separate appeal on the same timeline.
Does Tennessee's NIL law apply to ETSU?
It is not settled. Tennessee's law excludes schools governed by the state board of regents, and the 2016 FOCUS Act lists ETSU among the "board of regents state universities" while giving its governance to its own board of trustees. No court ruling or state statement on the point was found.
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