Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Georgia Southern University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Georgia Southern University, its conference, the state of Georgia 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 Georgia Southern
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | No standalone policy is posted. The 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook (posted 2026-09-24) has an NIL section, and its grant-in-aid terms say a prospect who agrees to them is "also subject to Georgia Southern's Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy", which is not posted. The athletics site still carries "Name, Image and Likeness Guidance and FAQ" marked "As of Sept. 3, 2021", written when Georgia's now-repealed NIL statute was in force | Georgia Southern Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; NIL Guidance and FAQ (2021-09-03) |
| 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). The 2026-27 handbook says athletes "shall report all third-party NIL deals through NILGo.com". Its next sentence reads, exactly as printed: "Student-Athletes MAY NOT receive any payment from a particular third-party NIL deal it is approved in NIL Go." The 2021 guidance had athletes disclose through ARMS or Opendorse "within the time frame specified in the team contract" | Georgia Southern Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; NIL Guidance and FAQ (2021) |
| Banned categories | No Georgia statute lists NIL categories. Georgia Southern's 2021 guidance bars NIL deals "tied to the endorsement of illegal substances or activities, banned athletic substances, adult establishments, or any form of gambling", and deals that conflict with university policy or a university sponsor contract during official activities. The 2026-27 handbook does not restate a list | Georgia Southern Athletics, NIL Guidance and FAQ (2021); /nil/college/georgia |
| School marks and group licensing | The 2026-27 handbook says athletes may sign NIL licensing agreements with Georgia Southern after the House settlement. The 2021 guidance says athletes may not use Georgia Southern trademarks, logos or designs without obtaining the rights, and points to university licensing. Georgia Southern runs an officially licensed NIL Store with Campus Ink (2024). Announcing its Learfield renewal on 2026-07-21, Georgia Southern said Georgia Southern Sports Properties "is committed to providing additional resources to support business development and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collaborations" | Georgia Southern Athletics, 2026-27 Handbook, NIL Guidance (2021), NIL Store release (2024-02-09) and Learfield release (2026-07-21) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission lists Georgia Southern as participating in 2026-27 and puts the cap at approximately $21.58 million per school. Director of Athletics Chris Davis said on 2025-06-25: "We have developed a meaningful framework allowing us to shape how we support our student-athletes via avenues such as revenue sharing, additional scholarships and enhanced financial benefits." In the State of Eagle Nation 2026 interview (2026-07-01) Davis said: "We want to do everything we can to drive resources in the revenue sharing area because it helps us compete at a greater level." No Georgia Southern figure is published | College Sports Commission; Georgia Southern Athletics, State of Eagle Nation 2025 (2025-06-25) and 2026 (2026-07-01) |
| Collective or NIL group | Eagle Nation Collective, an LLC announced on 2023-07-18 as "the Official Collective of Georgia Southern Athletics" while "not directly affiliated" with it. Davis said on 2025-06-25 that the collective "laid the essential groundwork that will transition into the Eagle Nation Fund", which "will reside within the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation and will enable direct, tax-deductible support". The Eagle Victory Perch Plan release of 2025-06-30 says donations to the Eagle Nation Fund, "which are tax-deductible, will provide expanded licensing (NIL) opportunities to Eagle student-athletes" | Georgia Southern Athletics (2023-07-18, 2024-08-29, 2025-06-25, 2025-06-30) |
| Agents and representation | The 2026-27 handbook says "Agents are allowed to assist Student-Athletes in NIL dealings", asks athletes to consult the compliance office "prior to signing any agreement", and says an athlete "CAN have an agent that represents your Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) interests". It also says Georgia Southern "cannot represent you as legal counsel in any NIL negotiations". Georgia's athlete agent law is O.C.G.A. ch. 43-4A; its reach to NIL-only work is not confirmed | Georgia Southern Athletics, 2026-27 Handbook; /nil/college/georgia |
| Compliance contact | Georgia Southern Athletics Compliance Office (NCAA Compliance page); the handbook directs NIL and NIL Go questions to the Office of Compliance | Georgia Southern Athletics, NCAA Compliance and 2026-27 Handbook |
| State law | Repealed. Georgia has had no college NIL statute since SB 153 repealed O.C.G.A. §§ 20-3-680 to 20-3-683 effective 2025-07-01; whether the Governor's 2024 executive order on NIL pay is still in effect could not be confirmed | /nil/college/georgia |
What is specific to Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern said in 2025 that its collective would become a fund inside its own foundation. The Eagle Nation Collective launched in July 2023 as an LLC with a Learfield media-rights deal that let it use Georgia Southern marks, and from August 2024 its gifts could be made through the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation for lifetime giving credit, though the 2024 release said they "do not qualify as charitable donations". In June 2025 the athletic director said the collective would become the Eagle Nation Fund inside the foundation, one of five funds that support "revenue-sharing models and NIL support structures". The 2026-27 handbook reflects the new model: athletes may sign NIL licensing agreements with the university itself, and third-party deals go through NIL Go. In September 2026 Davis wrote that the department was following the Protect College Sports Act, saying a national framework matters for a school that "operates in a very different financial environment than the nation's largest athletics programs".
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 Georgia Southern
Does Georgia Southern pay its athletes?
Georgia Southern is on the College Sports Commission's revenue-sharing list for 2026-27, with a cap of about $21.58 million per school, and its 2026-27 handbook says athletes may sign NIL licensing agreements with the university after the House settlement. The athletic director described a framework of "revenue sharing, additional scholarships and enhanced financial benefits" in 2025. No figure is published.
What happened to the Eagle Nation Collective?
Georgia Southern's athletic director said in June 2025 that the Eagle Nation Collective would transition into the Eagle Nation Fund, which sits within the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation and takes tax-deductible gifts. A 2025-06-30 release says those gifts "will provide expanded licensing (NIL) opportunities to Eagle student-athletes".
How do Georgia Southern athletes report NIL deals?
The 2026-27 handbook says athletes "shall report all third-party NIL deals through NILGo.com", and the NCAA rule is reporting deals of $600 or more within five business days. The handbook says athletes without an NIL Go account can visit the Office of Compliance for help setting one up.
Can Georgia Southern athletes have an NIL agent?
Yes. The 2026-27 handbook says an athlete can have an agent for NIL interests and asks athletes to consult the compliance office before signing any agreement. An agent for a professional sports career is a separate matter under NCAA rules.
Does Georgia have an NIL law for Georgia Southern athletes?
Not now. Georgia's college NIL statute was repealed effective 2025-07-01. Georgia Southern's 2021 NIL guidance, still on its site, was written under that repealed law.
Be your own agent. Leave.
