Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of Richmond, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what University of Richmond, its conference, the state of Virginia and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 23, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Richmond
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "Student-Athlete Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Policy", effective 2021-07-01, linked as "Interim NIL Policy" in the athletics site menu (read 2026-10-23). It says athletes "may receive compensation from a third party (but not from the University)" for NIL in exchange for services actually provided and "NOT provided in exchange for athletic performance". No newer NIL policy is posted on richmondspiders.com, and the University's policy library (policy.richmond.edu) lists no NIL policy; its "Oversight of Intercollegiate Athletics" policy requires a University login | University of Richmond Athletics, Interim NIL Policy (effective 2021-07-01); University of Richmond, Policy Library |
| 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). Richmond's 2021 policy: athletes "must disclose any NIL Activity to the University that results in compensation within seven (7) days of either the receipt of the compensation or the execution of an agreement for future compensation, whichever occurs first", through INFLCR. Richmond's 2022 NIL release says athletes may use INFLCR Verified "to disclose NIL deals, as required by Virginia state law", and its 2025-12-05 Opendorse release says additional services "will ensure that NIL agreements are automatically reported to the NCAA when required". Virginia law: disclosure to the school before executing an NIL agreement, in a manner the school designates (§ 23.1-408.1(I)) | University of Richmond Athletics, Interim NIL Policy (2021), Spider NIL Initiative release (2022-10-19) and Opendorse release (2025-12-05); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/virginia |
| Banned categories | Virginia law bars NIL pay connected with alcohol, adult entertainment, cannabis (not hemp), controlled substances, performance enhancing drugs, drug paraphernalia, tobacco and nicotine products, weapons, and casinos or gambling including sports betting (§ 23.1-408.1(F)). Richmond's 2021 policy lists "Tobacco products, alcohol and drugs"; "Gambling of any sort (including fantasy leagues or fantasy sports websites, but excluding state-authorized lotteries)"; "Educational Entities in direct competition with the University of Richmond"; advertising unsuitable for young people or derogatory of any person or group; and anything "inconsistent with the University of Richmond's public image". It also bars NIL activity that causes an athlete to miss class or required team activities | University of Richmond Athletics, Interim NIL Policy (2021); /nil/college/virginia |
| School marks and group licensing | The 2021 policy lets athletes say they play a sport "at the University of Richmond" but bars any other use of the University's name, logos, marks "including those on team uniforms" or other University intellectual property in noninstitutional NIL activity. It allows deals with University sponsors and their competitors except in footwear and apparel, since athletes "are required to wear Adidas" when training or competing. Group licensing: a 2024-09-19 release announced Athlete's Thread stores where athletes who opt into an agreement sell "officially licensed apparel" with "the official logos and marks of Richmond Athletics" | University of Richmond Athletics, Interim NIL Policy (2021) and Athlete's Thread release (2024-09-19) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" and lists the University of Richmond as participating in 2026-27 (read 2026-10-23). Richmond's own release (2025-02-28) limits direct payments to men's and women's basketball, funded by "philanthropy and additional Athletics revenues", and says opting in "also requires UR to abide by new roster limits". No amounts are published | University of Richmond Athletics, opt-in release and explainer (2025-02-28); College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | The Spiders' Collective (spidersnil.com). Its site says it "is a third-party entity that is unaffiliated with the University of Richmond", is "a registered LLC" whose contributions "are not tax deductible", pays athletes through Opendorse and does not contact prospects until they sign or put down a deposit. Richmond's 2024-09-19 release calls it "an independent group that is working to recruit, retain, and reward" athletes, and the athletic director's letter of 2024-11-22 says support for it is "not a gift to the university". Richmond's own channels are the Opendorse-powered Richmond Spiders NIL Marketplace (2022-11-17) and Athlete's Thread | The Spiders' Collective, site (read 2026-10-23); University of Richmond Athletics, releases of 2022-11-17, 2024-09-19 and 2024-11-22 |
| Agents and representation | Richmond's agents page says "All agents must be registered with the Commonwealth of Virginia, and we must have proof of registration on file", that agent correspondence goes first through the Office of Athletics Compliance Services, and that an athlete "can enter into an agreement with a professional service provider" for NIL if it "is in no way related to future representation as a professional sports agent". The 2021 policy says a professional service provider for NIL "may not also serve as the student-athlete's agent". Virginia law: NIL representatives are athlete agents who register with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, and an athlete may cancel an agency contract within 14 days | University of Richmond Athletics, Agents and Advisors and Interim NIL Policy (2021); /nil/college/virginia |
| Compliance contact | University of Richmond Office of Athletics Compliance Services (Richmond Athletics, Robins Center, 365 College Road, Richmond, VA 23173). The staff directory lists Kelley Flint, Associate Athletics Director of Compliance (kelley.flint@richmond.edu), and Sadie Simmons, Compliance Recruiting Coordinator (ssimmons@richmond.edu). A 2026-09-29 release names Mark Stanton, Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Chief of Staff (mstanton@richmond.edu), as chief compliance officer with oversight of NIL initiatives, and Flint as his successor in compliance | University of Richmond Athletics, Athletics Compliance, Staff Directory (read 2026-10-23) and leadership release (2026-09-29) |
| State law | Va. Code § 23.1-408.1 (2022, expanded in 2024) covers private as well as public colleges: it protects athletes' NIL pay and representation, bans nine deal categories, requires disclosure before signing, bars associations and conferences from stopping a Virginia school paying its athletes for NIL, and requires NIL compensation policies approved by the school's governing board; since 2026-07-01, § 23.1-408.2 limits use of athletes' biometric data. In force | /nil/college/virginia |
What is specific to Richmond
Richmond is a private university that chose to pay only some of its athletes. Its opt-in release of 2025-02-28 says direct NIL payments for 2025-26 go to men's and women's basketball, quoting Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hardt that opting in is "essential to maintaining Richmond's status as a top-tier men's and women's basketball program in the Atlantic 10", while athletes in every other sport rely on outside NIL income with the department's support. The NIL education Richmond describes is built on its own schools: the Spider NIL Initiative, announced 2021-11-15 with the Robins School of Business and the University of Richmond School of Law, offers programming on negotiation, brand management, intellectual property, contract law and the right of publicity, and the 2022 version added NIL office hours, financial literacy and tax sessions and an Adidas brand-ambassador program open to every eligible athlete. In December 2025 Richmond expanded its Opendorse partnership to the full suite of tools, including on-demand education on financial planning, tax preparation and contract negotiation. The written policy it links has not caught up: it is still the 2021 interim policy, which says athletes are paid by third parties "but NOT from the University".
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 Richmond
Does Richmond pay its athletes?
Some of them. Richmond opted in to the House settlement and said on 2025-02-28 that, starting in 2025-26, it would make direct NIL payments to men's and women's basketball players, funded by philanthropy and athletics revenue. Athletes in other sports earn from outside NIL deals. The College Sports Commission lists Richmond for 2026-27, with a cap of approximately $21.58 million per school; Richmond publishes no amounts.
What NIL collective works with Richmond Spiders athletes?
The Spiders' Collective, which says on its site that it is "a third-party entity that is unaffiliated with the University of Richmond" and pays athletes through Opendorse. Richmond's own releases call it an independent group. Richmond also runs the Opendorse-powered Richmond Spiders NIL Marketplace and Athlete's Thread apparel stores.
How do Richmond athletes report NIL deals?
Three layers apply. NIL Go takes third-party deals of $600 or more within five business days under NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2. Virginia law requires disclosure to the school before an NIL agreement is signed. Richmond's posted 2021 policy sets a seven-day disclosure window through INFLCR, and its 2025 Opendorse release says Opendorse services report agreements to the NCAA automatically when required.
Does Virginia's NIL law apply to a private school like Richmond?
Yes. Va. Code § 23.1-408.1 defines "institution" to include private colleges, so its banned categories, disclosure-before-signing rule, agent rules and the requirement for board-approved NIL compensation policies reach Richmond. No board-approved Richmond NIL compensation policy was found published on 2026-10-23.
Can a Richmond athlete wear Spiders gear in an NIL ad?
Richmond's posted policy says athletes may state that they play a sport at the University of Richmond but may not use its logos or marks, including those on team uniforms, in noninstitutional NIL activity. Licensed apparel with Richmond marks is sold through Athlete's Thread stores for athletes who opt into that program.
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