Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by California State University, Sacramento, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what California State University, Sacramento, its conference, the state of California 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 Sacramento State
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Sacramento State University Athletic Compliance Office, "Name, Image, and Likeness Policy", each page marked "Updated 5/10/2024" and linked from the compliance page as "Name, Image, Likeness Guidelines". It says NIL "is NOT pay for play", that pay may not be conditioned on athletic performance or attendance at Sacramento State, that athletes "should not miss class" for NIL, and that the school may authorize exceptions. Written before the House settlement, it says Sacramento State, its staff and boosters "may not compensate a current or prospective athlete for their NIL". No California State University system-wide NIL policy was found; the 2023-24 Student-Athlete Handbook still links an earlier 2023 version | Sacramento State Athletics, NIL Policy (updated 2024-05-10) and Compliance page |
| 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 school's policy says "All agreements for NIL activities must be disclosed to Sacramento State", recommends submitting through INFLCR software while accepting other disclosures such as vendor contracts, asks that activities be submitted "prior to entering into an agreement", and notes that California law "requires disclosure regardless of dollar amount". It still describes the older NCAA rule of disclosure within 30 days of signing, with seven days to cure before school NIL assistance stops. It adds that disclosure "is NOT an approval process" and that no Sacramento State employee may give legal, financial or business advice on NIL. California requires each NIL contract to be disclosed to an official the school designates (Educ. Code § 67456(e)(2)) | Sacramento State Athletics, NIL Policy (updated 2024-05-10); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/california |
| Banned categories | California's statute lists none. The school's policy bars NIL activities "that conflict with NCAA rules (e.g., sports wagering, tobacco, banned substances, etc.)" and contracts with a provision that conflicts with the team's contract, and bars deals during official team activities when they amount to pay for participation or conflict with institutional agreements. No list of school sponsors was published | Sacramento State Athletics, NIL Policy (updated 2024-05-10); /nil/college/california |
| School marks and group licensing | The policy says "We are currently recommending not to use Sacramento State's logos/marks for any NIL activities" and that an athlete who does is responsible for obtaining permissions or licenses. Campus facilities may be used for NIL only through the regular rental process with Space Management, and athletes "should NOT use their status as a student-athlete" to gain access. No group licensing program or NIL store was published | Sacramento State Athletics, NIL Policy (updated 2024-05-10) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission lists "California State University, Sacramento" among 2026-27 participating schools, filed in the table under "Big Sky Conference", and puts the 2026-27 cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-24). No Sacramento State statement on how it shares revenue was found on its athletics site | College Sports Commission, Participating Schools and Revenue Sharing |
| Collective or NIL group | Not published. The athletics site names no collective. The policy says Sacramento State may help athletes identify NIL opportunities and facilitate deals with third parties, provided the athlete keeps "independent authority" over the agreement and is not required to accept the help | Sacramento State Athletics, NIL Policy (updated 2024-05-10) |
| Agents and representation | The policy lets athletes obtain professional representation, including athlete agents and attorneys, says representation "shall be from persons licensed by the state", that representatives are "expected to register" with the compliance office, and that athletes pay "the going rate". Using a representative to market athletic ability for a professional career "may jeopardize your NCAA eligibility". The Agent Information page links an agent application form, agent policy and the Miller-Ayala Act, which requires athlete agents to file with the California Secretary of State | Sacramento State Athletics, NIL Policy (updated 2024-05-10) and Agent Information page; /nil/college/california |
| Compliance contact | Sacramento State Athletics Compliance; the compliance page lists Adam Schobinger, Associate A.D./Compliance (adam.schobinger@csus.edu), with sport assignments for the Director and Assistant Director of Compliance | Sacramento State Athletics, Compliance page |
| State law | California Education Code § 67456 (Fair Pay to Play Act), operative since 2021-09-01, covers California State University campuses, protects NIL pay and representation, requires each NIL contract to be disclosed to an official the school designates and lists no banned categories; in force | /nil/college/california |
What is specific to Sacramento State
Sacramento State changed conferences twice on 2026-07-01. Sixteen of its sports joined the Big West, which it had played in as an affiliate in men's soccer since 2012 and beach volleyball since 2015, and its football team joined the Mid-American Conference as a football-only member as the program moves up to the FBS. In the MAC announcement, President Luke Wood called it "a historic moment for Sacramento State" and "a bold leap into the future". Its written NIL rules have not caught up with those moves: the policy posted on the compliance page is dated May 2024, still describes the pre-NIL Go 30-day disclosure rule and the old bar on school payments, and refers athletes to INFLCR software. The policy also lists what an NIL contract should contain "As a best practice": a description of the work, payment structure, duration, statements that pay is for work and not for athletics participation or recruiting, a termination clause, the athlete's right to end the contract when eligibility ends, and permission to disclose the contract to the NCAA, conference or school.
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 Sacramento State
Does Sacramento State pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists Sacramento State among schools participating in revenue sharing for 2026-27, with a 2026-27 cap of about $21.58 million per school. Sacramento State has not published how it shares revenue, and its posted NIL policy, dated May 2024, still says the school may not pay athletes for their NIL.
Is Sacramento State football in the Big West?
No. The Big West does not sponsor football. Sacramento State's other sports joined the Big West on 2026-07-01, and the Mid-American Conference announced Sacramento State as a football-only member from the same date as the program moves to the FBS. The MAC has also added Sacramento State women's rowing as an affiliate member from the 2027 season (Sacramento State Athletics, 2026-09-23).
How do Sacramento State athletes report NIL deals?
Third-party deals of $600 or more go into NIL Go within five business days under NCAA rules. Sacramento State's own policy says all NIL agreements must be disclosed to the school, recommends INFLCR software, and says disclosure is not an approval process. California law also requires each NIL contract to be disclosed to the school.
Can Sacramento State athletes use school logos in NIL deals?
The policy says the school currently recommends not using Sacramento State's logos or marks for NIL and that an athlete who does is responsible for getting permission or a license. Campus facilities can be rented for NIL through the normal Space Management process.
Is Sacramento State the same as UC Davis?
No. Sacramento State is a California State University campus in the Big West (football in the MAC). UC Davis, nearby, is a University of California campus whose sports other than football joined the Mountain West on 2026-07-01.
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