Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Purdue University Fort Wayne, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Purdue University Fort Wayne, its conference, the state of Indiana 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 Purdue Fort Wayne
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Three documents. The athletics menu links "NIL Policy" to a file named for 2024-07-11 (posted 2024-08-01), which returned an empty (0-byte) file on 2026-10-24 from the site, its download address and its storage address, with a browser user-agent, and could not be read. The address the handbook gives for the "most up-to-date" policy, gomastodons.com/NIL, redirects to the "Purdue Fort Wayne Athletics Name, Image & Likeness Policy" (effective 2021-07-01, revised 2021-08-06). The 2025 Student-Athlete Handbook (posted 2025-07-31) has an NIL section with disclosure, marks, facilities, prohibited activities and a three-step violation structure | PFW Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-08-06); Student-Athlete Handbook (2025); NIL Policy link (2024-07-11 file) |
| How deals are disclosed | The 2025 handbook: "Student-athletes MUST disclose any third party NIL activity with a total value of $600 or more to NIL Go for review within five business days of execution of the contract or agreement to payment terms", with multiple payments from the same third party added together over the period of eligibility (as NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 provide). The 2021 policy had athletes disclose any proposed NIL activity to PFW Athletics before committing, through forms in JumpForward, with PFW to flag conflicts "within at least three business days". The handbook also says agents and other professional service providers used for NIL "must be disclosed to Compliance" | PFW Student-Athlete Handbook (2025); PFW NIL Policy (2021-08-06) |
| Banned categories | Indiana has no NIL statute listing categories. PFW's 2025 handbook prohibits NIL activities involving gambling or sports wagering; performance enhancing drugs; alcohol, tobacco and nicotine (including e-smoking devices), CBD products, marijuana and other controlled substances; adult entertainment; and crowdfunding platforms or payment apps used to accept funds from outside individuals, except for permissible charitable fundraising or as payment for personal services. NIL activity during any PFW Athletics activity, including practice or competition, is also prohibited | PFW Student-Athlete Handbook (2025); /nil/college/indiana |
| School marks and group licensing | The handbook: athletes "may NOT use PFW trademarks, logos or uniforms for NIL activities without PRIOR written consent of PFW", including game action photos, highlights and other content published on gomastodons.com or PFW Athletics social media; requests go to the Senior Associate Athletic Director. Use of university facilities for NIL is approved at least seven days ahead. PFW's athletics shop menu links an Athlete's Thread store; PFW announced on 2023-10-22 an NIL licensed merchandise program with Athlete's Thread "for every Mastodon sport" | PFW Student-Athlete Handbook (2025); PFW Athletics release (2023-10-22) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and lists Purdue University Fort Wayne as participating in 2026-27. PFW has published no revenue sharing statement or allocation on its athletics site | College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | Not published. No PFW page names a collective. The NIL merchandise program with Athlete's Thread (2023-10-22) is the only NIL partner PFW has announced | PFW Athletics release (2023-10-22) |
| Agents and representation | The handbook lets athletes use agents and other professional service providers for NIL, with the relationships disclosed to Compliance, and says athlete agents who plan to contact athletes in Indiana "must first register with the Indiana Attorney General". The handbook also says that "At least 10 days before" an agency contract the agent gives "the notice required by IC 35-46-4-4" to the athletic director, and that inducements are "a Class D felony per Indiana law". The fact-checked Indiana page reads IC 25-5.2 differently: the agent and the athlete each notify the athletic director within 72 hours or before the next athletic event, and inducements are Level 6 felonies. The 2021 policy says any agent "must be registered with the State of Indiana under the Indiana Uniform Athlete Agents Act". IC 25-5.2 also covers endorsement contracts and gives the athlete 14 days to cancel | PFW Student-Athlete Handbook (2025); PFW NIL Policy (2021-08-06); /nil/college/indiana |
| Compliance contact | PFW Athletics Compliance: Director of Compliance, (260) 481-6661, brian.bienz@pfw.edu | PFW Athletics, Staff Directory |
| State law | No statute. Indiana has passed no college NIL law, so NCAA and PFW rules apply; Indiana's athlete agent act (IC 25-5.2) covers agents for endorsement deals, with registration through the attorney general | /nil/college/indiana |
What is specific to Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue Fort Wayne is a separate Division I program from Purdue University in West Lafayette, and its NIL rules are its own. The most detailed current text sits in the 2025 Student-Athlete Handbook, which sets a graduated violation structure: a first violation (for example, failing to disclose an NIL activity or a professional service provider) brings a meeting and possible extra NIL education or audits with no effect on team membership or scholarship; a second can bring "permanent loss of use of PFW trademarks and/or facilities for NIL activities" and benching or suspension; a third can bring dismissal and loss of the athletic scholarship. The handbook bars using crowdfunding sites or payment apps to collect money from the public except for charity or personal services, and it is specific about photos: game action and other content from gomastodons.com or PFW social media counts as PFW material that needs written consent.
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 Purdue Fort Wayne
Is Purdue Fort Wayne the same as Purdue for NIL?
No. Purdue University Fort Wayne competes in the Horizon League and publishes its own NIL rules and handbook on gomastodons.com; Purdue in West Lafayette is a Big Ten school with separate rules. Both are on the College Sports Commission's 2026-27 list of revenue-sharing schools.
How do Purdue Fort Wayne athletes report NIL deals?
PFW's 2025 handbook has athletes report any third-party NIL activity with a total value of $600 or more to NIL Go within five business days of signing or agreeing to payment terms, counting repeat payments from the same third party together. Agents and other professional service providers are disclosed to PFW Compliance.
What happens if a PFW athlete breaks the NIL policy?
The handbook lists three steps. A first violation leads to a meeting and possible NIL education or extra disclosure, with no effect on team membership or scholarship. A second can bring permanent loss of use of PFW marks or facilities for NIL and benching or suspension. A third can bring dismissal from the team and loss of the athletic scholarship.
Can Mastodons athletes use game photos in NIL posts?
Only with PFW's prior written consent. The handbook counts game action photos, highlights and other content published on gomastodons.com or PFW Athletics social media as PFW material, along with PFW trademarks, logos and uniforms.
Does Purdue Fort Wayne pay its athletes?
PFW is on the College Sports Commission's 2026-27 list of schools participating in revenue sharing, with a cap of approximately $21.58 million per school. PFW has not published how much it shares or how it is divided, and Indiana has no statute on school pay.
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