Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Oakland University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Oakland University, its conference, the state of Michigan and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 24, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Oakland
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "Oakland University, Athletics Departments, Name, Image, Likeness Policy", linked from the compliance page as "Name, Image, and Likeness Policy" (file named "Updated V.2", posted 2023-11-28; footer "Effective July 1, 2021"). It cites Michigan's 2020 PA 366 and says NIL pay does not affect scholarship eligibility or renewal, Oakland will not pay a prospective athlete for NIL, a team contract may not stop NIL pay outside official team activities, and an apparel deal may not require displaying a sponsor's apparel during official team activities if it conflicts with Oakland's team contract | Oakland Athletics, Name, Image, and Likeness Policy (2023) |
| 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). Oakland's policy: an athlete who intends to enter a verbal or written NIL opportunity or contract "shall disclose the proposed opportunity or contract to the Oakland University Athletics Compliance Office, the student-athlete's Sport Administrator, and the Athletic Director, at least 7 days prior to committing", by "completing the Name Image and Likeness Approval form via the ARMS software". If a conflict with an Oakland agreement is found, the athlete may negotiate a revision, which is reviewed again. The policy does not mention NIL Go | Oakland NIL Policy (2023); NCAA 2026-27 Division I Manual; /nil/college/michigan |
| Banned categories | Not published. Oakland's NIL policy lists no product categories, and Michigan's statute lists none; the policy keeps Oakland's academic, conduct, team and disciplinary rules in place and bars apparel deals that conflict with Oakland's team contract during official team activities | Oakland NIL Policy (2023); /nil/college/michigan |
| School marks and group licensing | Oakland's policy "does not establish or bestow the right of a student-athlete to use the name, trademarks, service marks, logos, symbols, or any other intellectual property, of Oakland University" for NIL "without prior approval". Group licensing: Not published | Oakland NIL Policy (2023) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and lists Oakland as participating in 2026-27. Athletics Director Steve Waterfield gave Oakland's Board of Trustees a "House Settlement Update" on 2025-06-27 summarizing the settlement (direct compensation, roster caps, NIL Go review, College Sports Commission oversight); no Oakland amount or allocation was found | College Sports Commission; Oakland University Board of Trustees, President's Report (2025-06-27) |
| Collective or NIL group | Not published. No Oakland page names a collective. Oakland's own NIL program is Gold Standard with Opendorse: an NIL readiness program announced 2021-10-27 and the Gold Standard Marketplace announced 2022-11-01, where fans and businesses can "browse, pitch, book and compensate" athletes from all of Oakland's varsity programs | Oakland Athletics releases (2021-10-27, 2022-11-01) |
| Agents and representation | The policy says Oakland will not stop a Michigan-resident athlete from obtaining representation for NIL contracts or legal matters, "including, but not limited to, representation provided by an athlete agent or legal representation provided by an attorney". Oakland's agents page asks any agent, runner, financial planner, sports marketing representative, sports public relations firm manager or brand manager to register with the Athletic Compliance Office before contacting an athlete with remaining eligibility or the athlete's family (form updated 2023-11-16). Michigan law: NIL representation "must be provided by persons licensed in this state, as applicable" (MCL 390.1735(3)); no Michigan agent registration statute was found. The registration form has an agent agree to be bound by "the laws of the State of Michigan, most notably Michigan Compiled Law 750.411e", a section the fact-checked Michigan page reports 2020 PA 367 repealed, effective 2021-01-04 | Oakland NIL Policy (2023); Oakland Athletics, Agents and Sports Agent Registration form; /nil/college/michigan |
| Compliance contact | Oakland University Athletic Compliance Office (goldengrizzlies.com compliance page, which lists an Athletic Eligibility Coordinator and Academic Advisor at (248) 370-3977). Oakland announced a new Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance on 2026-09-01 | Oakland Athletics, Compliance page; release (2026-09-01) |
| State law | In force. Michigan's 2020 PA 366 (MCL 390.1731 to 390.1741), effective 2022-12-31, has athletes disclose a deal 7 days before committing, bars schools paying prospective athletes for NIL and says representation comes from persons licensed in Michigan, as applicable | /nil/college/michigan |
What is specific to Oakland
Oakland is Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, not a school in Oakland, California. Its NIL work is branded Gold Standard: in 2021 it partnered with Opendorse on an NIL readiness program (Opendorse Ready and Social) through which Oakland delivers digital content, "particularly photography", directly to athletes, and in November 2022 Athletics Director Steve Waterfield launched the Gold Standard Marketplace, which the athletics site's menu still links. Oakland's written policy reads closely to Michigan's statute, down to the 7-day disclosure before committing, and adds a caution for international athletes: "Absent clarification from the Department of Homeland Security, we cannot advise nor give permission to international student-athletes to engage in compensated NIL arrangements in the U.S. (or abroad, for that matter)", with a pointer to an immigration lawyer directory. On 2026-06-06 Oakland announced a multi-year contract with adidas, with BSN Sports as exclusive supplier of uniforms, apparel and footwear for its varsity programs; the policy's apparel clause bars NIL apparel deals that conflict with Oakland's team contract during official team activities.
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 Oakland
Does Oakland University pay its athletes?
Oakland is on the College Sports Commission's list of schools sharing revenue in 2026-27, when the cap is approximately $21.58 million per school. Oakland has not published an amount or how it is divided. Michigan law bars schools from paying prospective athletes for NIL and does not address pay to enrolled athletes.
How far ahead do Oakland athletes have to report an NIL deal?
Oakland's policy requires disclosure at least 7 days before committing to the deal, to the Compliance Office, the sport administrator and the athletic director, through the NIL Approval form in ARMS. That matches Michigan's 7-day rule. Deals of $600 or more with third parties also go to NIL Go within five business days.
Can Oakland Golden Grizzlies use Oakland logos in an NIL deal?
Not without approval. Oakland's NIL policy says it does not give athletes the right to use Oakland's name, trademarks, logos, symbols or other intellectual property for NIL "without prior approval".
What is Oakland's Gold Standard Marketplace?
An Opendorse-powered marketplace Oakland launched on 2022-11-01. Athletes from every Oakland varsity program can keep a profile there, and fans and businesses can browse, pitch, book and pay them for NIL work. It grew out of Oakland's 2021 Gold Standard readiness program with Opendorse.
Can international athletes at Oakland do NIL deals?
Oakland's policy says that, absent clarification from the Department of Homeland Security, it cannot advise or give permission for international athletes to do compensated NIL deals, and it points them to an experienced immigration attorney.
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