Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of Maryland, College Park, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what University of Maryland, College Park, its conference, the state of Maryland 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 Maryland
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Maryland publishes its "Student-Athlete Name, Image, Likeness Guidelines" in two places. The 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook (posted 2026-09-14) says they apply to all Maryland athletes and to prospective high school and transfer athletes who may attend, and sets NIL Go reporting, facility use, trademark, academics, agent and international-student rules. The guidelines web page (address dated 2021-08-17, no revision date shown) carries the same facility, trademark, academics, agent and other rules without the NIL Go section. A separate NIL FAQ page (address dated 2024-10-01) answers athlete and donor questions | Maryland Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; Student-Athlete NIL Guidelines page; NIL FAQ |
| How deals are disclosed | NIL Go for third-party deals of $600 or more within five business days (NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). The 2026-27 handbook repeats this, counting the five business days from "(1) signing the NIL License Agreement, or (2) agreeing to the NIL License Agreement or payment terms", says "Maryland state law requires student-athletes to disclose all third-party NIL activities", and lists what a disclosure includes: the paying third party, business category, connected individuals and businesses, type of compensation and all verbal or written NIL agreements. Maryland's NIL FAQ page (address dated 2024-10-01, no revision date shown) still asks about the penalty for not disclosing "within 14 days of the NIL activity occurring"; the 2026-27 handbook (posted 2026-09-14) sets five business days. Maryland law has athletes disclose NIL contracts to a school-designated official, with no time set (Educ. § 15-131(e)(2)) | Maryland Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; NIL FAQ; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; Md. Code, Educ. § 15-131 |
| Banned categories | Maryland's NIL FAQ says athletes may not engage in NIL activities that conflict with institutional values and lists, as categories that "may include, but are not limited to", a tobacco company or brand, any seller or distributor of an NCAA banned substance, and any adult entertainment business. The same page answers "No" to endorsing a product that includes banned substances. Maryland's statute has no list of banned categories | Maryland Athletics, NIL FAQ; /nil/college/maryland |
| School marks and group licensing | The guidelines say use of University or Athletic Department registered trademarks and logos is prohibited without express written consent, including wearing University of Maryland apparel with trademarks and logos, and that photos or videos with athletic trademarks and logos may not be used for NIL activities; they name a contact for questions about University marks. The NIL FAQ points to the Office of Trademarks and Licensing. Maryland Athletics says all merchandise on the Maryland NIL Store, powered by Campus Ink, is officially licensed by the University, and its Fanatics player program pays participating athletes a percentage of each sale. Maryland law gives athletes no right to use school marks (Educ. § 15-131(f)) | Maryland Athletics, Student-Athlete NIL Guidelines; NIL FAQ; Ways to Support Student-Athletes page |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and lists the University of Maryland, College Park as a participating school. Maryland's 2026-27 handbook refers to "revenue share staff", and its transfer procedure for athletes "With a Valid NIL License Agreement" says "Revenue share staff sends the Mutual Release form to the student-athlete and he/she agrees to the terms of a buyout, if applicable, before entering the transfer portal". Maryland Athletics' staff directory lists a Revenue Share Management unit. Maryland has published no total, per-sport or per-athlete figure | College Sports Commission, Revenue Sharing and Participating Schools; Maryland Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; Staff Directory |
| Collective or NIL group | One Maryland Collective. Maryland Athletics announced on 2023-09-14 that community leaders had partnered with Blueprint Sports to unveil "the official NIL collective supporting more than 550 student-athletes across all 20 sports", uniting football's TBIA Foundation, men's basketball's Turtle NIL and men's lacrosse's Hard Shell Collective, and operated by Blueprint Sports. On 2026-10-21 One Maryland's own site calls itself "the official Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) program of the University of Maryland", "Powered by Blueprint Sports", and says general contributions "are used to compensate Maryland student-athletes". Maryland Athletics' NIL pages still link it | Maryland Athletics, One Maryland release (2023-09-14) and NIL page; One Maryland, What We Do (read 2026-10-21) |
| Agents and representation | The guidelines say athletes "may secure representation (agent or lawyer) for the purposes of NIL" and that the representation "must be for the intent of marketing/promoting your Name, Image and Likeness, and not for the purposes of athletic promotion". The NIL FAQ lists tax advisors, marketing consultants, NIL agents and brand managers as permitted service providers. State law: Maryland's Uniform Athlete Agents Act requires a license from the Secretary of Labor to act as an athlete agent, and it reaches anyone who negotiates an endorsement contract; family members are excluded (Bus. Reg. §§ 4-401 to 4-421) | Maryland Athletics, Student-Athlete NIL Guidelines; NIL FAQ; /nil/college/maryland |
| Compliance contact | Maryland Athletics Office of Compliance, 2601 XFINITY Center; phone 301-314-1349 (2026-27 handbook). Maryland Athletics' staff directory lists the compliance staff, by sport, under a Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, Governance & Revenue Share Management | Maryland Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; Staff Directory; Compliance Corner |
| State law | Maryland's college NIL law, Educ. § 15-131 (in force since 2023-07-01), is in force: it covers University System of Maryland schools and Morgan State, bars rules against NIL pay or representation, has athletes disclose NIL contracts to a school official and bars NIL pay to prospective athletes, and says nothing about schools paying enrolled athletes | /nil/college/maryland |
What is specific to Maryland
Maryland ties revenue sharing to the transfer process in writing. Its 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook gives two transfer procedures: athletes without a valid NIL License Agreement ask the Athletics Compliance Office to enter them in the national transfer database, while for athletes with one, the office first informs the head coach, "revenue share staff" and the sport supervisor, and revenue share staff send a Mutual Release form under which the athlete "agrees to the terms of a buyout, if applicable, before entering the transfer portal"; if the new school plans to pay the buyout, the form "will be amended at a future date". On the NIL side, Maryland runs a department program called Momentum, an Opendorse marketplace and a Fanatics player program, and on 2025-02-17 announced a pilot with the Robert H. Smith School of Business pairing 13 Strategic Design Fellows with eight athletes on social media strategy and content, with Smith faculty covering financial literacy, branding and contract negotiation. Its named collective, One Maryland, was announced in 2023 as operated by Blueprint Sports and now calls itself "Powered by Blueprint Sports", and on 2024-10-22 Maryland Athletics announced Under Armour "Terrapin Throwback" merchandise available only to new One Maryland members.
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 Maryland
Does Maryland pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists the University of Maryland, College Park as a participating school for 2026-27, when the revenue-sharing cap is approximately $21.58 million per school. Maryland's 2026-27 handbook refers to "revenue share staff" and to athletes with a "Valid NIL License Agreement". Maryland has not published how much it pays in total, by sport or per athlete.
What NIL collective works with Maryland?
One Maryland Collective. Maryland Athletics announced on 2023-09-14 that it was the official collective for all Maryland athletes, operated by Blueprint Sports and combining earlier groups for football, men's basketball and men's lacrosse. On 2026-10-21 One Maryland's site calls itself the official NIL program of the University of Maryland, powered by Blueprint Sports, and Maryland Athletics' NIL pages still link it.
How do Maryland athletes report NIL deals?
Maryland's 2026-27 handbook says third-party deals go to NIL Go within five business days of signing or agreeing to terms, as NCAA Bylaw 22.2.2.2 requires for deals of $600 or more, and that Maryland Athletics encourages athletes to disclose every third-party NIL activity on NIL Go regardless of value; Maryland law (Educ. § 15-131(e)(2)) has athletes disclose NIL contracts to a school-designated official. Maryland's NIL FAQ page (address dated 2024-10-01) still asks about not disclosing "within 14 days of the NIL activity occurring"; the handbook (posted 2026-09-14) is the newer document.
What happens to a Maryland athlete's revenue-share deal if they transfer?
Maryland's 2026-27 handbook says that for an athlete with a valid NIL License Agreement, revenue share staff send a Mutual Release form, and the athlete agrees to the terms of a buyout, if applicable, before entering the transfer portal. If the athlete's new school plans to pay the buyout, the form is amended later. Athletes without such an agreement follow the standard request to the Athletics Compliance Office.
Can Maryland athletes use the Terrapins logo in NIL deals?
Not without express written consent, according to Maryland's NIL guidelines, which also cover wearing University of Maryland apparel with marks and using photos or videos showing athletic logos. Maryland Athletics also lists the Maryland NIL Store, whose merchandise it says is officially licensed by the University, and a Fanatics player program for athletes who agree to take part. Maryland law gives athletes no right to use school marks (Educ. § 15-131(f)).
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