Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, its conference, the state of Hawaii 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 Hawai‘i
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | A standalone UH NIL policy is not published. The 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook has a Name, Image, and Likeness section on NIL Go disclosure, and the athletics site posts a 'Bows NIL page (2025-11-26) and an NIL Info Sheet (2026-03-05) that separate institutional NIL (agreements with UH) from non-institutional NIL (third-party deals) | Hawai‘i Athletics, 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook, 'Bows NIL page and NIL Info Sheet |
| 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). Three UH documents say different things about deals under $600. The 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook (posted 2025-10-01) requires NIL Go disclosure of deals of $600 or more, including non-cash pay and multiple smaller deals with the same parties that add up to $600, and says "Unless otherwise noted, a student-athlete shall not be required to disclose name, image and likeness activities valued at less than $600". The 'Bows NIL page (at an address dated 2025-11-26, read 2026-10-23) says "Deals for less than $600 must be reported to UH. Deals that are $600 or more must also be reported by the student-athlete to NIL Go". The NIL Info Sheet (posted 2026-03-05) says a deal under $600 "Does not need to be reported" unless the athlete knows it will eventually exceed $600, and that a deal over $600 is reported to NIL Go within five business days and approved there before payment or activation. No Hawaii statute sets a disclosure rule | Hawai‘i Athletics, 2025-26 Handbook, 'Bows NIL page and NIL Info Sheet (2026-03-05); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/hawaii |
| Banned categories | Hawaii has no NIL statute and no state list. A UH list of banned NIL categories is not published | /nil/college/hawaii |
| School marks and group licensing | The NIL Info Sheet says athletes in individual deals through the 'Bows Exchange "Can use your NIL, but cannot use H trademarks or logos"; corporate sponsors working through Learfield may use "H" marks "based on Corporate Sponsors level". Group licensing runs through One Team Partners, which athletes opt in to with their hawaii.edu email for royalties from NIL merchandise and apparel. UH's earlier group licensing partner, announced 2022-08-11, was The Brandr Group | Hawai‘i Athletics, NIL Info Sheet (2026-03-05), 'Bows NIL page and NIL partnerships release (2022-08-11) |
| Revenue sharing | The 'Bows NIL page says that "As of July 1, 2025, UH Athletics is participating in the new NCAA system" from the House settlement, that institutional NIL contracts are mainly meant to "RECRUIT and RETAIN elite student-athletes", and that UH "must create a pool of funds that coaches can use at their discretion to build their rosters". A 2026-06-29 release says UH added Teamworks General Manager and Wallet to manage NIL and "athletic revenue sharing operations" and deliver payments. The College Sports Commission lists the University of Hawaii, Manoa for 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-23). No breakdown by sport is published | Hawai‘i Athletics, 'Bows NIL page and Teamworks release (2026-06-29); College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | No outside collective is named by UH. Institutional NIL is funded through the Boost the 'Bows Fund at the UH Foundation, described as tax-deductible and "philanthropic", with team sub-accounts; UH announced a $5 million commitment over five years from five donors on 2026-06-10, a $300,000 football gift from the Downtown Athletic Club of Hawai‘i (2025-12-16) and a $1.5 million Kuʻupau Endowment for NIL from the Kānaka Foundation (2026-10-11). Third-party deals run through the 'Bows Exchange on INFLCR (Teamworks Influencer) | Hawai‘i Athletics, 'Bows NIL page and releases of 2025-12-01, 2025-12-16, 2026-06-10 and 2026-10-11 |
| Agents and representation | A UH rule on NIL agents is not published; the handbook's amateurism section still says not to agree to be represented by an agent to market athletic skills. Hawaii law (HRS chapter 481Z) requires anyone acting as an athlete agent, including for an endorsement contract, to register with the director of commerce and consumer affairs, and gives the athlete 14 days to cancel an agency contract | Hawai‘i Athletics, 2025-26 Handbook; /nil/college/hawaii |
| Compliance contact | UH Athletics Compliance Office: Compliance Coordinator, (808) 956-4509, tavarez@hawaii.edu (Compliance Resource Center page). NIL questions: Director of Development and NIL, hunter.niswander@uhfoundation.org (NIL Info Sheet) | Hawai‘i Athletics, Compliance Resource Center and NIL Info Sheet |
| State law | Hawaii has no college NIL statute; S.B. 3263 failed final reading in the Senate on 2026-05-08, and the athlete agents act (HRS chapter 481Z) requires agent registration; no statute | /nil/college/hawaii |
What is specific to Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i is building its NIL program in the open, with the university and its foundation rather than an outside collective at the center. The athletic director's 2025-12-01 message set out four channels: an operations fund, the Boost the 'Bows Fund for institutional NIL, third-party NIL through INFLCR, and events. Donors then put money behind it: a $1 million-a-year, five-year commitment announced 2026-06-10 that the release says will provide "equitable, Title IX-compliant opportunities across sports", a $300,000 football gift and a $1.5 million endowment named Kuʻupau ("go all in"). The UH release on the five-donor gift says university leaders estimate UH needs about $5 million a year in NIL support to compete in the Mountain West. UH also took its case to the Legislature in 2026, where athletes and coaches testified in support of NIL bills; the endowment bill, S.B. 3263, later failed in the Senate. For international athletes, UH's NIL Info Sheet says institutional NIL is permitted while active NIL work in the United States is not.
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 Hawai‘i
Does Hawai‘i pay its athletes?
UH says it has taken part in the NCAA's post-settlement system since 2025-07-01 and makes institutional NIL agreements directly with athletes, supported by donations to the Boost the 'Bows Fund and used at coaches' discretion. The College Sports Commission lists UH Mānoa for 2026-27, with a cap of about $21.58 million per school.
How do UH athletes report NIL deals?
Deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days under NCAA rules, and UH's 2025-26 handbook adds non-cash deals and related smaller deals that add up to $600. For deals under $600, UH's documents differ: the handbook (posted 2025-10-01) says they need not be disclosed "Unless otherwise noted", the 'Bows NIL page says they "must be reported to UH", and the NIL Info Sheet (posted 2026-03-05) says they do not need to be reported unless the athlete knows the deal will eventually exceed $600.
Is there a Hawaii NIL law?
No. S.B. 3263, which would have created a UH NIL endowment and rules for UH athletes, failed in the Senate on 2026-05-08. Hawaii's athlete agents act still requires agents, including for endorsement contracts, to register.
Can international athletes at Hawai‘i do NIL deals?
UH's NIL Info Sheet says institutional NIL is permitted for international athletes and group licensing is passive, but any promotion or active NIL work in the United States is not permitted; home-country and passive opportunities may be.
Can UH athletes use the "H" logo in NIL deals?
Not in individual deals through the 'Bows Exchange, per UH's NIL Info Sheet. Deals arranged through Learfield with corporate sponsors may use the marks depending on the sponsor's level, and group licensing goes through One Team Partners.
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