Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mississippi State University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Mississippi State University, its conference, the state of Mississippi 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 Mississippi State
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Not published as a policy document. Mississippi State's NIL page (hailstate.com/nil) answers questions in an FAQ and links two documents under "Policies and Laws": Mississippi Senate Bill 2417 (2024) and a two-page "NIL Dos and Don'ts" graphic created 2024-08-29. The FAQ says athletes may not take part in NIL activities that "Interfere with any mandatory MSU events such as academic obligations including class, exams, meetings, mentoring or tutoring", that "Generates compensation tied to their sport performance", or that "Are inconsistent with university values and policy, NCAA rules or Mississippi state law". The compliance pages carry no NIL policy | Mississippi State Athletics, NIL page; NIL Dos and Don'ts (2024) |
| 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). Mississippi State's NIL Dos and Don'ts (2024) lists "Disclose activity details via Opendorse" among NIL activities; no deadline is published. Mississippi law lets a school require an athlete to disclose a third-party agreement or its terms to a designated official before entering it and before any pay is provided (Miss. Code 37-97-105(4)) | NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; Mississippi State NIL Dos and Don'ts (2024); Miss. Code 37-97-105(4) |
| Banned categories | Mississippi law bars enrolled athletes from deals endorsing or promoting gambling, sports betting, controlled substances, marijuana, tobacco, alternative or electronic nicotine products, alcohol or adult entertainment, or anything a school considers inconsistent with its values or mission (Miss. Code 37-97-107(7)). Mississippi State's NIL FAQ and Dos and Don'ts list NIL activities that "Involve any illegal drug, tobacco product, gambling or alcohol (for students that have not reached the age of 21), or any activity that might be reasonably described as adult content", and activities inconsistent with university values and policy, NCAA rules or Mississippi law | Mississippi State NIL page and NIL Dos and Don'ts (2024); Miss. Code 37-97-107(7) |
| School marks and group licensing | Mississippi State's NIL FAQ says Mississippi State marks and logos may be used in NIL activity only with "a contracted sponsorship with Bulldog Sports Properties" or a license from campus officials, and its facilities only with a Bulldog Sports Properties sponsorship. The NIL page says that through Bulldog Sports Properties, its exclusive multimedia rights provider, athletes can do NIL deals with corporate partners in which brands and athletes use Mississippi State marks and logos, produce content in its athletic facilities and promote it on official Mississippi State media channels. The Dos and Don'ts lists, as not allowed, giving a third party permission to use Mississippi State marks, such as a photo in uniform for a brand's social media, and, as allowed, a factual reference to being a Mississippi State student or team member. The NIL page links athlete merchandise on Athlete's Thread, NIL Store and Fanatics. No group licensing program is published | Mississippi State NIL page; NIL Dos and Don'ts (2024) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and lists Mississippi State as a participating school for 2026-27. Selmon's letter of 2025-01-23 says that in the first year "we will be distributing up to $20.5 million to our student-athletes" and that "This is a new budget line item". On 2025-08-13 Mississippi State said Deputy AD and CFO Mitch Moser's leadership "will be central to Mississippi State's revenue-sharing strategy, budget structure, cap management and long-term capital funding efforts". No 2026-27 figure is published. Mississippi law bars using State General Fund appropriations for revenue sharing or NIL pay (Miss. Code 37-97-107(9)) | Mississippi State Athletics, "Our Path To New Heights" (2025-01-23) and release of 2025-08-13; College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | The Bulldog Initiative. Mississippi State Athletics announced on 2023-08-31 that The Bulldog Initiative, founded by alumnus Charlie Winfield, had been named "the Official Collective of Mississippi State Athletics" through a sponsorship executed by Learfield's Bulldog Sports Properties. Its site, run by The Bulldog Initiative, LLC of Starkville, was live on 2026-10-21 with memberships and corporate partnerships. Separately, Mississippi State said on 2025-08-13 that a Director of Business Partnerships within the Bulldog Club would "focus on developing third-party NIL and business development opportunities for student-athletes", and its NIL page links an Opendorse marketplace by sport | Mississippi State Athletics releases (2023-08-31, 2025-08-13); NIL page; The Bulldog Initiative site |
| Agents and representation | Mississippi State's compliance Agents page asks anyone who wishes to contact an athlete to notify the compliance office in writing first, naming the athlete and everyone in the organization who may make contact, and says "State law requires this notification PRIOR TO ANY CONTACT with a student-athlete in the State of Mississippi". It says its office then checks that each person seeking to speak with an athlete about future representation is registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State, and that once cleared, the athlete and family receive that person's contact information. The NIL Dos and Don'ts lists having "staff or faculty act as your NIL agent or provide you with legal advice" as not allowed. State law: Mississippi's Uniform Athlete Agents Act covers agency contracts for publicity rights, requires Secretary of State registration, caps the agent at 20% of the agency contract, requires notice to the athletic director within 72 hours or before the next athletic event, and gives a 14-day right to cancel (Miss. Code 73-42) | Mississippi State Compliance, Agents; NIL Dos and Don'ts (2024); Miss. Code Title 73, Chapter 42 |
| Compliance contact | Mississippi State Office of Athletic Compliance, main office 662-325-5891 (Compliance contact page). The NIL page lists Deputy AD and General Manager for Student-Athlete Brand Services and Business Development Terry Prentice, tprentice@athletics.msstate.edu, (662) 325-8881, and Senior Associate AD for Compliance Steve Smith, ssmith@athletics.msstate.edu, (662) 325-8731 | Mississippi State Compliance, Contact Info; NIL page |
| State law | Mississippi's college NIL law (Miss. Code 37-97-101 to 37-97-109) is in force: since 2025-07-01 a school may share athletics revenue with athletes or pay them for publicity rights, but not from State General Fund appropriations; the statute bans categories such as gambling, alcohol and tobacco; and anyone who pays or promises pay to induce an athlete at a Mississippi school to transfer, before notice of intent to transfer, is liable to that school for three times the amount | /nil/college/mississippi |
What is specific to Mississippi State
Mississippi State built its NIL work around its sponsorship business and a talent office. Its NIL page leads with Bulldog Sports Properties, Learfield's local team, as the path for deals that use Mississippi State marks, facilities and official media channels, and lists adidas and the financial education company Scout as partners. Selmon wrote in January 2025 that the department had launched a Bulldog Athlete Services unit "made up of staff dedicated to brand building and NIL activations", and on 2025-08-13 Mississippi State announced a newly created Talent Management Services division, led by Deputy AD Greg Phillips, to "lead all aspects of student-athlete acquisition, brand development, NIL integration, contracting and related budgetary and compliance operations". Its NIL Dos and Don'ts graphic lists, as allowed, starting a company, camps and lessons, a GoFundMe for charitable purposes or catastrophic events, and a podcast, and, as not allowed, pay tied to sport performance "or just for being a member of a MSU sports team". Mississippi State's own wording on alcohol, barred "for students that have not reached the age of 21", is narrower than the state statute, which bars alcohol deals for all enrolled athletes.
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 Mississippi State
Does Mississippi State pay its athletes?
Mississippi State's athletics director wrote on 2025-01-23 that in the first year of revenue sharing "we will be distributing up to $20.5 million to our student-athletes". The College Sports Commission lists Mississippi State as a participating school for 2026-27, when the cap is approximately $21.58 million per school. Mississippi law lets schools share athletics revenue with athletes but bars using State General Fund appropriations for it (Miss. Code 37-97-105(1), 37-97-107(9)). Mississippi State publishes no per-athlete amounts.
What NIL collective works with Mississippi State?
The Bulldog Initiative, named "the Official Collective of Mississippi State Athletics" in an announcement on 2023-08-31, with the sponsorship executed through Learfield's Bulldog Sports Properties. Its site was live on 2026-10-21 with memberships and corporate partnerships. Mississippi State also lists an Opendorse marketplace by sport and, since 2025, a Bulldog Club director who develops third-party NIL opportunities.
How do Mississippi State athletes report NIL deals?
Third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days (NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). Mississippi State's NIL Dos and Don'ts also lists disclosing activity details via Opendorse, without a published deadline. Mississippi law lets a school require disclosure before an athlete signs a deal (Miss. Code 37-97-105(4)).
Can Mississippi State athletes use the school's logo in NIL deals?
According to Mississippi State's NIL FAQ, only with a contracted sponsorship with Bulldog Sports Properties or a license from campus officials, and the same goes for using its facilities. Its Dos and Don'ts lists giving a brand a photo in uniform to post as not allowed, and a factual reference to being a Mississippi State athlete as allowed.
Can another school's supporters pay a Mississippi State athlete to transfer?
Mississippi law says any person or entity, wherever based, that gives or promises revenue share or NIL pay to an athlete enrolled at or signed with a Mississippi school to induce a transfer, before the athlete has given notice of intent to transfer under association or conference rules, is liable to that school for three times the amount, in a Mississippi state court (Miss. Code 37-97-109(3)).
Be your own agent. Leave.
