Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Iowa State University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Iowa State University, its conference, the state of Iowa 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 Iowa State
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Not published. Iowa State's athletics site has no NIL policy document: the compliance office's NIL page (web address dated 2022-12-16) carries only links, and the 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook (posted 2025-08-19) mentions NIL only as an area of education. No 2026-27 handbook was posted on cyclones.com as of 2026-10-21 | Iowa State Athletics, Compliance NIL page; Student-Athlete Handbook 2025-26 (read 2026-10-21) |
| 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). Iowa State's compliance NIL page, under "Submit NIL Deal", links two places: "ISU NIL Team" (an Iowa State online form) and "NIL-GO" (the NIL Go login), plus a "Questions?" email link to the ISU NIL team (nilteam@iastate.edu). The page also links the Cyclone Exchange, which Iowa State's 2022-07-01 release says "will assist all groups in fulfilling NIL reporting requirements". Iowa has no NIL disclosure statute | Iowa State Athletics, Compliance NIL page and Cyclone Exchange release (2022-07-01); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27 |
| Banned categories | Not published. No Iowa statute lists NIL categories, and Iowa State publishes no category list. Iowa State's 2025-06-18 release announced a multi-year partnership in which select athletes "will receive NIL opportunities to make appearances at Elite Casino Resorts events and appear in promotional content for the resort group" through the We Will Collective | Iowa State Athletics release (2025-06-18); /nil/college/iowa |
| School marks and group licensing | A rule on athletes' use of Iowa State marks in NIL: Not published. Campus Ink announced Iowa State as "an official NIL licensee" on 2022-09-07, and the Iowa State NIL Store powered by Campus Ink opened on 2023-01-26 with "custom and co-licensed merchandise"; Iowa State's NIL page links the NIL Store for "officially licensed NIL merchandise". Cyclone Sports Properties, Learfield's local team and Iowa State's exclusive multimedia rights holder, "does not represent student-athletes, but on behalf of ISU Athletics, is actively engaged with brands to maximize their sponsorships when paired with student-athlete NIL". Iowa State's 2026-03-04 release names Gameday Spirit Fanstore its official licensed merchandise partner from 2026-03-05 and says it "will bring new opportunities to Cyclone student-athletes to help maximize their NIL impact" | Iowa State Athletics releases (2022-09-07, 2023-01-26, 2025-06-18, 2026-03-04); NIL page |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission lists Iowa State as participating in 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school". Iowa State's 2025-06-26 release says "Iowa State Athletics will provide the maximum revenue-sharing amount allowed, currently projected to be $20.5M for the 2025-26 fiscal year". Athletic Director Jamie Pollard's letter of 2025-01-01 said department costs would rise about $20 million in 2025, partly from sharing revenue, and announced a 20% increase in Cyclone Club giving levels, state sales tax added to ticket sales from fall 2025, and higher women's basketball season ticket prices to "help fund the costs of sharing revenues with our women's basketball student-athletes". No 2026-27 Iowa State figure is published | College Sports Commission; Iowa State Athletics, releases (2025-01-01, 2025-06-26) |
| Collective or NIL group | The We Will Fund, at the ISU Foundation. Iowa State's 2025-06-26 release said "The We Will Collective will begin transitioning its members to the We Will Fund that will be housed within the ISU Foundation next month", and named Brent Blum, then the collective's executive director, as Director of NIL Development for Learfield's Cyclone Sports Properties. Iowa State's release dated 2026-08-17 says funds from the fourth annual We Will Women's Basketball Golf Outing support athletes "via the We Will Fund". Iowa State's NIL page lists Cyclone Sports Properties NIL staff for businesses, and on 2025-10-09 Iowa State and Learfield extended their partnership through 2038 with Learfield Impact NIL services | Iowa State Athletics releases (2025-06-18, 2025-06-26, 2025-10-09, 2026-08-17); NIL page |
| Agents and representation | Iowa State's compliance agents page links Iowa Code chapter 9A, an ISU Agent Registration Form (2022-10-20 version), the Iowa Secretary of State's athlete agent registration application and its list of registered agents, and NCAA agent certification. Iowa law: athlete agents, including those negotiating endorsement contracts, register with the Secretary of State; the agent and athlete notify the athletic director within 72 hours after signing or before the next event, whichever is first; and the athlete may cancel within 14 days (Iowa Code 9A.104, 9A.111, 9A.112) | Iowa State Athletics, Compliance Agents page; /nil/college/iowa |
| Compliance contact | Iowa State Athletics Compliance Office, Jacobson Athletic Building, Level 2, Ames. Adam Soles, Associate Athletics Director, Compliance, (515) 294-4633 | Iowa State Athletics, Athletics Compliance |
| State law | No statute. Iowa has passed no college NIL law; its Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act (Iowa Code chapter 9A) covers agents who negotiate endorsement contracts | /nil/college/iowa |
What is specific to Iowa State
Iowa State's NIL arrangements are built around its sponsorship partner rather than a written policy. Its public NIL page is run for businesses by Cyclone Sports Properties, Learfield's local team, which Iowa State says does not represent athletes but pairs sponsorships with athlete NIL, and which hired the We Will Collective's executive director as director of NIL development in June 2025. In the same announcement Iowa State said it would pay the maximum revenue share and that nearly every Cyclone athlete would receive a payment for NIL rights, and that the We Will Collective would begin moving its members to a We Will Fund at the ISU Foundation. Earlier that month the collective and Cyclone Sports Properties announced a multi-year partnership with Elite Casino Resorts that includes NIL appearances by select athletes. Jamie Pollard, athletics director through these changes, announced on 2026-07-10 that he would retire, and on 2026-10-16 Iowa State named Jared Benko, Auburn's executive deputy athletic director, whose Auburn duties it says included NIL and revenue sharing, as its next director of athletics, to start on 2026-10-30 pending approval by the Iowa Board of Regents.
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 Iowa State
Does Iowa State pay its athletes?
Yes. Iowa State said on 2025-06-26 that it would provide the maximum revenue-sharing amount allowed, then projected at $20.5 million for 2025-26, and that nearly every Cyclone athlete would receive a payment from the university for NIL rights. The College Sports Commission lists Iowa State as participating in 2026-27, when the cap is about $21.58 million per school. Iowa State publishes no per-athlete amounts.
What NIL collective works with Iowa State?
The We Will Collective was to begin moving its members in July 2025 to the We Will Fund, housed in the ISU Foundation, according to Iowa State's 2025-06-26 release. A 2026-08-17 Iowa State release says funds raised at its September 2026 women's basketball golf outing support athletes "via the We Will Fund". For business deals, Iowa State's NIL page sends companies to Cyclone Sports Properties, Learfield's local team.
How do Iowa State athletes report NIL deals?
Iowa State's compliance NIL page, under "Submit NIL Deal", links an ISU NIL team form and NIL Go. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 require third-party deals of $600 or more to be reported to NIL Go within five business days. Iowa has no state disclosure law for NIL.
Is there an Iowa NIL law that applies to Iowa State?
No. Iowa has passed no college NIL statute; every bill filed from 2021 to 2026 died. Iowa Code chapter 9A, the athlete agent act, still covers agents who negotiate endorsement contracts and requires notice to the athletic director after an agency contract is signed.
Can Iowa State athletes do casino or sports betting deals?
Iowa State publishes no list of barred categories, and Iowa has no statute listing them. Iowa State's 2025-06-18 release announced NIL appearances and promotional content for Elite Casino Resorts through the We Will Collective. NCAA sports wagering rules apply to athletes separately.
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