Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Canyon University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Grand Canyon University, its conference, the state of Arizona 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 Grand Canyon
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Grand Canyon University Policies and Standards, "Student-Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness Policy" (Athletics), original version 2021-07-23, "Amended with House criteria" on 2025-08-19, header effective date 2025-08-15. It sets a third-party summary (deals in writing, disclosed in Opendorse before execution or payment), GCU NIL License Agreements, a list of impermissible activities, an approval process, rules on marks and facilities, and rules on agents and attorneys. It says third-party NIL pay "will not affect the student-athlete's grant-in-aid or athletics eligibility" | GCU Athletics, Student-Athlete NIL Policy (amended 2025-08-19) |
| How deals are disclosed | GCU's policy: disclose the potential third-party engagement to the Office of Athletics Compliance "via Opendorse, at least five (5) business days prior to the performance of the activity or the effective date of the NIL agreement", including the name of any agent or attorney involved, and agreements must be "approved by GCU prior to the effective date". Deals with a total value of $600 or more "must also be reported through NIL Go for review and be Cleared prior to any compensation". NCAA: third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). Arizona law: an athlete may not sign an NIL contract before disclosing the proposed contract to the school | GCU Athletics, NIL Policy and 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/arizona |
| Banned categories | Arizona's statute lists none as a list but bars contracts that conflict with the school's athletic department policy or honor code. GCU's policy bars endorsing products or services that do not align with GCU Community Standards, "including but not limited to: gambling, sports betting, controlled substances, cannabis, tobacco or alcohol company, alternative or electronic nicotine product or delivery system, performance-enhancing supplements, weapons of any kind, adult entertainment of any type, or any brand that is reasonably considered to be inconsistent with the values or mission of GCU", and deals that conflict with GCU vendor, sponsor or partner contracts | GCU Athletics, NIL Policy; /nil/college/arizona |
| School marks and group licensing | Athletes may use images with official GCU marks, uniforms or GCU-issued apparel in third-party NIL activity only with "prior written approval from the GCU Licensing Department, which approval can be denied at the discretion of GCU"; requests go in the Opendorse disclosure. Facilities need prior written approval from University Communications and Event Services. GCU's 2025 NIL resources flyer lists Opendorse gear stores and media assets from GCU's creative team. A group licensing program is not published | GCU Athletics, NIL Policy and NIL Resources Flyer (2025-04-01) |
| Revenue sharing | GCU announced on 2025-03-03 that it submitted its notice of intent to opt in to the House settlement and said the added athletics investment "will be sourced from both existing and new streams of athletic-related revenue and will not be passed along to its students". Its NIL policy (2025-08-19) says a GCU NIL License Agreement requires meeting NCAA progress-toward-degree rules and "is at the discretion of the head coach". The College Sports Commission lists GCU for 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-23) | GCU Athletics, opt-in release (2025-03-03) and NIL Policy; College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | GCU's NIL resources flyer (dated 2025-04-01 on the athletics site) names HEARTOFALOPE.COM as the "NIL OFFICIAL COLLECTIVE OF GCU", and the GCU athletics home page, read 2026-10-23, still links to Heart of a Lope in its NIL feature. Heart of a Lope's own site could not be read on 2026-10-23; an archived copy dated 2025-08-31 calls it "The NIL Collective for Grand Canyon University" and sells fan memberships. No GCU release or policy from 2025-26 or 2026-27 describes the collective, so its current status was not confirmed. GCU's official NIL Marketplace runs on Opendorse | GCU Athletics, NIL Resources Flyer (2025-04-01) and home page (read 2026-10-23); Heart of a Lope (archived 2025-08-31) |
| Agents and representation | GCU's policy allows a talent agent or other marketing help disclosed in the NIL Disclosure Form, but not a sports agent for athletic performance or future professional contracts; NIL agents are to be "in good standing with appropriate regulatory bodies and comply with the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act", attorneys in good standing with a bar, and representation contracts cannot run past the athlete's time on a GCU team. The 2025-26 handbook's Agent Policy refers to registration with GCU and with Arizona under the Uniform Athlete Agents Act. Arizona's agents act requires a signed agency contract, a printed warning and 72-hour notice to the athletic director; Arizona repealed agent registration in 2017 | GCU Athletics, NIL Policy and 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook; /nil/college/arizona |
| Compliance contact | GCU Office of Athletics Compliance; the NIL policy directs questions to the Compliance Office at Anthony.Martinez2@gcu.edu, the address the About Compliance page lists for the Senior Associate Athletic Director, Student Services; that page also lists the Director of Compliance and an Athletics Compliance Coordinator | GCU Athletics, About Compliance and NIL Policy |
| State law | Arizona's A.R.S. § 15-1892, rewritten in 2025, lets Arizona Board of Regents universities and licensed private degree-granting colleges pay athletes for NIL, requires disclosure of a proposed contract before signing and keeps NIL contract records out of the public records law; in force | /nil/college/arizona |
What is specific to Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon is the largest private Division I university in the country by its own account, and it moved to the Mountain West on 2025-07-08 as a full member without football after 12 years at the Division I level as a WAC member. Its NIL policy spells out a step-by-step process: it asks for disclosure at least five business days before the activity or the agreement's effective date, requires GCU approval before an agreement takes effect, treats a NIL Go "Not Cleared" or "Needs Info" result as something to fix before any payment, and caps any NIL or representation contract at the athlete's time on a GCU team. It also ties NIL to GCU's Community Standards and mission, with a long banned list that reaches cannabis, sports betting and "any brand that is reasonably considered to be inconsistent with the values or mission of GCU". The 2025 NIL resources flyer points athletes to campus assets beyond the athletics department: an audio recording studio, a photo and video studio, a business incubator and entrepreneurship coursework.
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 Grand Canyon
Does Grand Canyon pay its athletes?
GCU announced on 2025-03-03 that it had submitted its notice of intent to opt in to the House settlement, and its NIL policy describes direct GCU NIL License Agreements offered at each head coach's discretion to athletes meeting NCAA progress-toward-degree rules. The College Sports Commission lists GCU for 2026-27 and puts the cap at about $21.58 million per school. No breakdown is published.
How do GCU athletes report NIL deals?
Through Opendorse, at least five business days before the activity or the agreement's effective date, under GCU's policy. Deals worth $600 or more also go to NIL Go, and GCU's policy says they are to be "Cleared" there before any payment.
What NIL deals are not allowed at Grand Canyon?
GCU's policy lists pay for athletic performance, pay without work, and endorsements of gambling, sports betting, controlled substances, cannabis, tobacco, alcohol, vaping products, performance-enhancing supplements, weapons and adult entertainment, plus any brand GCU considers inconsistent with its mission and deals that conflict with GCU sponsor contracts.
What NIL collective works with Grand Canyon athletes?
GCU's 2025 NIL resources flyer names Heart of a Lope (heartofalope.com) as the "NIL official collective of GCU", and the GCU athletics home page still linked to it on 2026-10-23. No newer GCU release or policy describes the collective, so its current status was not confirmed. GCU's official marketplace is on Opendorse.
Can GCU athletes wear their Lopes uniform in an NIL deal?
Only with prior written approval from the GCU Licensing Department, requested through the Opendorse disclosure, under GCU's policy. Using campus facilities takes separate written approval and may involve a rental fee.
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