Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Southern Methodist University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Southern Methodist University, its conference, the state of Texas 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 SMU
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | The "Name, Image, and Likeness" section of SMU's "2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook", posted 2026-08-23 and reposted 2026-10-20, lists permitted and barred activities and repeats the Texas banned categories and the first-year financial literacy requirement. No standalone SMU NIL policy was found on smumustangs.com, and the address smumustangs.com/nil redirected to SMU's Student-Athlete Benefit Fund giving page on 2026-10-21 | SMU Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook |
| How deals are disclosed | SMU's handbook lists disclosure of "any proposed third-party NIL activities through NILgo.com within five business days of execution of the NIL contract or otherwise agreement to the contract or payment terms". Texas law: each proposed contract is disclosed to the school "before entering into the contract, in the manner prescribed by the institution" (§ 51.9246(g)(1)). NCAA: noninstitutional deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2) | SMU Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9246; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27 |
| Banned categories | Texas law bars pay for athletic performance and for endorsing alcohol, tobacco products, e-cigarettes or other nicotine delivery devices, anabolic steroids, sports betting, casino gambling, a firearm the athlete cannot legally buy, or a sexually oriented business (§ 51.9246(g)(2)(B)). SMU's handbook repeats that list and bars any NIL contract with a provision that violates team rules, an institutional contract, athletics department policy or the University honor code; no SMU-only categories are listed | Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9246; SMU Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook |
| School marks and group licensing | Texas law lets a school permit its marks only under its licensing requirements and at market rates (§ 51.9246(g)(5), (g-2)). SMU's handbook says athletes are personally liable for copyright violations on social media, "This includes the use of the trademarks of SMU". In December 2025 SMU added its first full-time Director of Trademarks and Licensing within Mustang Partners "to maximize licensing and co-branding opportunities in the retail space". No athlete group licensing program is described on the pages reviewed | SMU Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; Mustang Partners launch (2025-12-09) |
| Revenue sharing | SMU's Student-Athlete Benefit Fund page says that after House v. NCAA "SMU Athletics is now permitted to provide direct revenue-sharing payments to student-athletes" and that scholarships, revenue sharing and NIL support together "will require nearly $25 million in new annual funding". On 2026-02-20 SMU announced a $50 million gift from four families to that fund for "scholarships, NIL advancement and revenue sharing". The College Sports Commission lists SMU for 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" | SMU, Student-Athlete Benefit Fund; SMU Athletics, $50 million gift (2026-02-20); College Sports Commission, Revenue Sharing and Participating Schools |
| Collective or NIL group | The Boulevard Collective's site, read 2026-10-21, calls it "the official NIL Collective of SMU Athletics"; its 2022-08-08 launch announcement, still on that site, said the collective "is not affiliated with SMU". The site now says SMU "has directly taken on the responsibility for revenue-sharing" and points supporters to SMU's Student-Athlete Benefit Fund. A 2024-11-29 SMU release gave Mustang Club priority points for gifts to the Boulevard Collective, and said gifts to Pony Sports DTX would no longer earn them. On 2025-12-09 SMU launched Mustang Partners, whose "Mustang NIL" strategy covers commercial NIL deals for athletes; on 2026-05-29 it announced a Krida partnership that "includes a significant NIL component for SMU student-athletes" | Boulevard Collective site (read 2026-10-21); SMU Athletics releases (2024-11-29, 2025-12-09, 2026-05-29) |
| Agents and representation | SMU's handbook: athletes "may obtain professional representation (e.g., attorney) for contracts or other legal matters related to NIL", with the note "Texas Athlete Agent laws remain in effect". SMU's compliance page says all agents register with the Compliance Office, and its Athlete Agent Policy requires registration with SMU compliance and the Texas Secretary of State before contacting athletes or their families. Texas law bars a school from preventing professional representation, including a Texas-licensed attorney (§ 51.9246(c)(2)) | SMU Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook, Compliance page and Athlete Agent Policy; Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9246 |
| Compliance contact | SMU Athletics Compliance Office, whose page lists its staff and a form to report a violation | SMU Athletics, Compliance |
| State law | Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9246 reaches athletes at private or independent institutions as defined in § 61.003, so its disclosure before signing, banned categories, 10-day conflict rule, school marks rule and first-year financial literacy course apply at SMU, and since HB 126 (2025-06-05) it allows what an athletic association, conference or final court order authorizes; its confidentiality rule (l) is written as an exception to the Public Information Act, and the Texas page does not address how that applies to a private university; in force | /nil/college/texas |
What is specific to SMU
SMU, an ACC member since July 1, 2024, raises the money for revenue sharing through the university itself. Its Student-Athlete Benefit Fund page on smu.edu explains revenue sharing to donors, puts the new cost at nearly $25 million a year, and is where smumustangs.com/nil now leads; a $50 million gift in February 2026 went to that fund, and the Boulevard Collective's own site now sends supporters there. Commercial NIL, licensing and sponsorship moved into Mustang Partners, a 60-person athletics unit launched in December 2025. For athletes, the handbook's NIL rules mirror Texas law closely, and SMU meets the state's education rule with a two-credit course, UNIV 1270 Financial Management and Personal Branding, taken in the first year.
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 SMU
Does SMU pay its athletes?
Yes, according to SMU. Its Student-Athlete Benefit Fund page says SMU Athletics is now permitted to make direct revenue-sharing payments to athletes after the House settlement, and the College Sports Commission lists SMU for 2026-27, with a cap of about $21.58 million per school. SMU has not published how the money is divided.
How do SMU athletes report NIL deals?
SMU's 2026-27 handbook names NIL Go (NILgo.com) and a window of five business days after a contract is signed or terms are agreed. Texas law says proposed contracts are disclosed to the school before signing, and NCAA rules set a five-business-day NIL Go report for third-party deals of $600 or more.
What NIL collective works with SMU?
The Boulevard Collective calls itself SMU Athletics' official NIL collective, and SMU gave priority points for gifts to it in 2024. Its site now directs supporters to SMU's Student-Athlete Benefit Fund. SMU's own Mustang Partners unit handles commercial NIL deals.
Is there an NIL class at SMU?
Yes. SMU's handbook says every athlete takes UNIV 1270, Financial Management and Personal Branding, a two-credit course from the Simmons School, before the start of the second year; SMU says it satisfies the Texas education requirement.
Does Texas NIL law apply at SMU even though it is private?
Yes. Education Code § 51.9246 covers athletes at private or independent institutions of higher education, so its disclosure, banned-category and conflict rules reach SMU athletes. Its confidentiality rule is written as an exception to the Public Information Act; the Texas page on this site does not address how that rule works at a private university.
Be your own agent. Leave.
