Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, its conference, the state of Tennessee 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 Tennessee
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "Tennessee Athletics Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Information & Guidance" (page address dated 2021-06-30; its disclosure section refers to NIL Go and pay received after 2025-06-06; read 2026-10-21). It says NIL pay has to match the fair market value of the authorized use and may take any form; lists as prohibited under the NCAA interim policy deals without quid pro quo, pay contingent on enrollment at a particular school, and pay for athletic participation or achievement; says NIL activity should not conflict with academic or team obligations; and says regular employment or pay directly from the university is not required to be disclosed. The page still says "this policy and the institutional policies and procedures contained herein remain applicable until such time that either federal legislation or new NCAA rules are adopted" | Tennessee Athletics, NIL Information and Guidance |
| How deals are disclosed | NIL Go (NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). UT's page: report pay from a third party (not UT) totaling $600 or more, including separate payments from the same party that add up to $600; returning athletes submit written documentation of deal terms within five business days of execution or agreement to payment terms; incoming athletes disclose all such deals within 14 days of enrollment or before competing, whichever is sooner; proposed deals may also be submitted; and "the penalty for failure to report an NIL deal is ineligibility". State law says disclosure to the school "may be required" (T.C.A. 49-7-2802(d)) | Tennessee Athletics, NIL Information and Guidance; NCAA 2026-27 Division I Manual |
| Banned categories | T.C.A. 49-7-2802(g) bars athletes from NIL that promotes gambling, tobacco, THC products or derivatives, alcohol and adult entertainment, and lets a school bar activity reasonably considered in conflict with its values. UT's page lists gambling, tobacco, alcohol and adult entertainment, plus activities "reasonably considered to be in conflict with UT values"; it does not list THC, which the statute added in 2025 | Tennessee Athletics, NIL Information and Guidance; T.C.A. 49-7-2802(g) |
| School marks and group licensing | UT's page: marks and logos only with UT's express written permission, requested through the athletics external operations office or the Chief NIL Officer; athletes may not sell institutionally issued apparel, equipment or awards until their eligibility is exhausted (NCAA Bylaw 16.11.2.4); athletic facilities for NIL activity are requested through UT's Facility Rentals form | Tennessee Athletics, NIL Information and Guidance |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and says every SEC member participates in 2026-27. No UT revenue-sharing figure was found on utsports.com. Under T.C.A. 49-7-2802(b)(1) a school and its affiliated foundations may pay athletes, and under 49-7-2802(m) NIL records are confidential, with only annualized, aggregated amounts released on a public records request, until 2032-07-01 | College Sports Commission; /nil/college/tennessee |
| Collective or NIL group | UT's NIL page names no collective. UT's release of 2025-07-25 announced "the establishment of a new NIL Operations Office", overseen by the Executive Associate Athletics Director for NIL and Legal Affairs, and businesses use UT's "Partner with a Vol or Lady Vol" NIL interest form, which says "Completing this form does not guarantee NIL activities" | Tennessee Athletics, release (2025-07-25) and NIL pages |
| Agents and representation | UT's page: athletes may be represented by a third party, including an athlete agent, who has to be a fiduciary; agents securing NIL pay must be licensed in Tennessee, and attorneys active and in good standing where licensed. UT's Agents and Advisors page says an agent notifies the Director of Athletics before meeting or speaking with an athlete (T.C.A. 49-7-2111) and, if the athlete makes first contact, applies for Tennessee registration within 7 days (49-7-2104). State law: 49-7-2802(h) and the Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act, registration with the Secretary of State | Tennessee Athletics, NIL Information and Guidance and Agents and Advisors |
| Compliance contact | University of Tennessee Athletics Compliance Office, Brenda Lawson Athletic Center, 1551 Lake Loudoun Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37996, (865) 974-3871, utcompliance@utk.edu. NIL questions: nil@utk.edu | Tennessee Athletics, Contact Compliance; NIL Information and Guidance |
| State law | In force. T.C.A. 49-7-2801 to 49-7-2804, rewritten by Public Chapter 300 of 2025, lets athletes be paid for NIL, enrollment and roster position and lets schools and affiliated foundations pay unless federal law, a valid court order or a qualifying association rule expressly limits it | /nil/college/tennessee |
What is specific to Tennessee
Tennessee has moved NIL into its own office. On 2025-07-25 Director of Athletics Danny White announced new staff roles "in light of the recent changes resulting from the House settlement", including "the establishment of a new NIL Operations Office" overseen by the Executive Associate Athletics Director for NIL and Legal Affairs, whom UT's NIL page also calls Chief NIL Officer. UT's page also spells out the window for incoming athletes (14 days from enrollment or before competing, whichever is sooner) and states that an unreported deal means ineligibility. For education, UT names Altius Sports Partners and an Entrepreneurship minor in the Haslam College of Business. Its apparel deal also carries NIL: UT's 2025-08-13 release says that once the 10-year adidas partnership begins (effective 2026-07-01), "every Tennessee student-athlete will be eligible to participate in adidas' wide-sweeping NIL Ambassador Network", and that adidas was "working to land NIL deals with Tennessee student-athletes during the 2025-2026 school 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 Tennessee
Does Tennessee pay its athletes?
Tennessee law allows it: T.C.A. 49-7-2802(b)(1) lets a school and its affiliated foundations pay athletes for NIL, enrollment and roster position unless federal law, a valid court order or a qualifying association rule limits it. The College Sports Commission lists every SEC member as participating in revenue sharing for 2026-27, with a cap of approximately $21.58 million per school. No UT revenue-sharing figure was found on utsports.com, and state law keeps NIL records confidential except for annual aggregate totals until 2032-07-01.
What NIL collective works with Tennessee?
UT's NIL page names none. UT announced a new NIL Operations Office on 2025-07-25 and takes business inquiries through its "Partner with a Vol or Lady Vol" NIL interest form. General NIL questions go to nil@utk.edu, according to UT's NIL page.
How do Tennessee athletes report NIL deals?
On NIL Go. UT's page says third-party pay totaling $600 or more, including separate payments from the same party, is reported; returning athletes submit deal terms within five business days of execution or agreement to payment terms, and incoming athletes within 14 days of enrollment or before competing, whichever is sooner. Pay directly from UT is not reported there. The page says failing to report means ineligibility.
What NIL deals are banned for Tennessee athletes?
State law bars NIL that promotes gambling, tobacco, THC products or derivatives, alcohol and adult entertainment (T.C.A. 49-7-2802(g)). UT's page lists gambling, tobacco, alcohol and adult entertainment, plus activities reasonably considered in conflict with UT values. Using UT marks requires UT's written permission.
Do Tennessee athletes get NIL deals from adidas?
UT's 2025-08-13 release says the 10-year adidas partnership is effective 2026-07-01 and that "once the partnership begins, every Tennessee student-athlete will be eligible to participate in adidas' wide-sweeping NIL Ambassador Network, which gives all student-athletes at adidas-partnered Division I schools the chance to benefit from their Name, Image and Likeness." It also says adidas was "working to land NIL deals with Tennessee student-athletes during the 2025-2026 school year". Terms for individual athletes are not published.
Be your own agent. Leave.
