Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Tulane University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Tulane University, its conference, the state of Louisiana 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 Tulane
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | The "Name, Image, and Likeness Policy" in Tulane Athletics' 2024-25 Student-Athlete Handbook (the latest handbook posted, 2024-08-28) lets athletes earn NIL pay "under Louisiana law", says "compensation must be commensurate with the market value", and says NIL activities "must not be based on a student-athlete's choice of school and must be for actual services rendered". Newer rules appear in two Tulane documents for 2026: "NIL FAQs" slides (posted 2026-04-01) and a "3rd Party NIL for Businesses FAQ" (posted 2026-04-02) | Tulane Athletics, 2024-25 Student-Athlete Handbook, NIL FAQs (2026) and 3rd Party NIL for Businesses FAQ (2026) |
| 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). Tulane's 2026 slides say athletes "must disclose each contract in NIL Go (NIL compliance system) within 5 business days of agreeing to a deal" and that no pay or deliverables happen "until the deal is approved in NIL Go"; the business FAQ says "within five days of agreeing to a deal". The 2024-25 handbook asked for disclosure to the athletics department "by the contract's first effective date or the first reasonable opportunity to disclose, whichever is earlier". Louisiana law requires disclosure of NIL contracts worth $600 or more in the manner the school designates (R.S. 17:3703(I)) | Tulane Athletics, NIL FAQs (2026), business FAQ (2026) and 2024-25 Handbook; NCAA 2026-27 Division I Manual; /nil/college/louisiana |
| Banned categories | Louisiana bars NIL pay for endorsing tobacco, alcohol, illegal substances or activities, banned athletic substances, and any form of gambling or gaming, including sports wagering (R.S. 17:3703(C)(2)). Tulane's handbook adds weapons, pornography and adult entertainment businesses, and its 2026 business FAQ lists gambling, alcohol, performance enhancing supplements, adult entertainment, pornography, controlled substances, marijuana and tobacco. Both bar NIL pay that violates the Tulane University Code of Student Conduct. The business FAQ also bars NIL pay during competitions, fan events or other activities sponsored or organized by Tulane Athletics | Tulane Athletics, 2024-25 Handbook and business FAQ (2026); /nil/college/louisiana |
| School marks and group licensing | The handbook bars Tulane's facilities, uniforms, trademarks, logos, marks and colors in NIL activity "without expressed written consent of Tulane Athletics" and sends requests to trademrk@tulane.edu "prior to signing any contracts". The 2026 business FAQ says a third-party deal "does NOT guarantee the use of Tulane University's Intellectual Property" and points to trademark licensing or Tulane Sports Properties. Tulane's NIL page links athlete merchandise from NIL stores including Campus Ink and Campus Connection | Tulane Athletics, 2024-25 Handbook, business FAQ (2026) and Green Wave NIL page |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission lists Tulane for 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-23). Athletic director David Harris wrote on 2025-05-01 that the Green Wave Club would "assume fundraising responsibility of the NIL/pool payment initiatives as of July 1, 2025", in a letter about Tulane's NIL "endeavors (often called revenue sharing or pool payments)". Tulane launched the Green Wave Talent Fund in May 2025 with a $3.5 million gift from Don and Lora Peters that also funds facility upgrades; the NIL page says the fund "generates the resources necessary to provide Tulane student-athletes with Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) support and other direct benefits from Tulane Athletics". Harris wrote on 2026-01-27 that Talent Fund gifts go toward recruiting and retaining athletes "in football, men's and women's basketball, and baseball", and a 2026-07-09 release says the fund exceeded its funding goals while "supporting department pool payments and NIL benefits". No per-sport amounts are published | College Sports Commission; Tulane Athletics, AD letters (2025-05-01, 2025-09-15, 2026-01-27), Talent Fund launch (2025-05-05), Justin Berger promotion release (2026-07-09) and Green Wave NIL page |
| Collective or NIL group | Fear the Wave Collective. Harris's letter of 2025-05-01 says Fear the Wave "has been supporting and operating the fundraising and activation for Tulane Athletics' NIL operation over the past few years", that NIL fundraising moved to the Green Wave Club on 2025-07-01, and that "Fear the Wave will continue as our partner and as a media company, producing behind-the-scenes content and exclusive fan experiences". Tulane now points supporters to the Green Wave Talent Fund, Tulane Sports Properties and the Wave Exchange, its NIL marketplace on INFLCR | Tulane Athletics, From the Desk of David Harris, NIL Update (2025-05-01) and Green Wave NIL page |
| Agents and representation | The handbook lets athletes use an athlete agent for NIL, who "must be registered with, and in compliance with, Louisiana and federal law", but not for a professional sports contract. The 2026 business FAQ says NIL agents or advisors "must be registered with the Louisiana Secretary of State". Tulane's compliance Agents page says all agents register with the Compliance Office and athletes notify the office "any time they have contact with an agent". Louisiana law since 2026-06-09 makes anyone paid to represent or advise an athlete on NIL an athlete agent who registers with the Department of Justice (R.S. 4:421, 4:422) | Tulane Athletics, 2024-25 Handbook, business FAQ (2026) and Compliance Agents page; /nil/college/louisiana |
| Compliance contact | Tulane Compliance Office, compliance@tulane.edu; Assistant Provost for NCAA Compliance Jason T. Gray, (504) 314-7210, jgray7@tulane.edu (Contact page). For NIL business questions, Tulane's NIL page lists Executive General Manager Nik Shah, nik.shah@altiussp.com | Tulane Athletics, Contacting the Tulane Compliance Staff and Green Wave NIL page |
| State law | Louisiana's NIL statute, which Tulane's handbook and business FAQ cite, lets a school pay for NIL when association rules, a court order or a settlement allows it, requires disclosure of NIL contracts worth $600 or more, bans five endorsement categories, and since 2026-06-09 registers paid NIL representatives with the Department of Justice; in force | /nil/college/louisiana |
What is specific to Tulane
Tulane staffs its NIL front office partly through a consulting firm. In September 2025 it named an Executive General Manager and an Athlete Marketing Manager who are employees of Altius Sports Partners, plus an Associate NIL Business Development Manager employed by Tulane Sports Properties, working inside Tulane Athletics with Tulane personnel "on all NIL and athlete revenue initiatives"; Tulane called the setup "first-of-its-kind". The money side moved inside the department too: the Fear the Wave Collective ran NIL fundraising until mid-2025, and from 2025-07-01 the Green Wave Club took over through the Green Wave Talent Fund, with gifts described as tax-deductible. Tulane's 2026 FAQ is stricter than the NCAA timing rule on one point: it says no pay or deliverables happen until a deal is approved in NIL Go. Tulane's athletes also have an in-house NIL education program, Wave Brand Works, which the handbook says the Student-Athlete Enhancement department helps oversee in partnership with the compliance department.
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 Tulane
Does Tulane pay its athletes?
Tulane is on the College Sports Commission's 2026-27 revenue-sharing list, where the cap is about $21.58 million per school. Tulane's athletic director calls these "pool payments" and has said since 2025 that the Green Wave Talent Fund pays for them, with recent gifts aimed at football, men's and women's basketball and baseball. No amounts per sport or athlete are published.
What happened to Tulane's NIL collective, Fear the Wave?
Tulane's athletic director wrote in May 2025 that the Green Wave Club would take over NIL fundraising on July 1, 2025, and that Fear the Wave would continue as a partner and media company producing content and fan experiences. NIL support now runs through the Green Wave Talent Fund.
How do Tulane athletes report NIL deals?
In NIL Go. Tulane's 2026 FAQ says each contract is disclosed within 5 business days of agreeing to a deal, and that no payment or deliverable happens until NIL Go approves the deal. Louisiana's NIL statute, which Tulane's handbook cites, also requires disclosure of NIL contracts worth $600 or more to the school.
Can a Tulane athlete endorse a casino or a sports betting app?
No under Tulane's own rules. Its handbook bars NIL pay for endorsing "any form of gambling (including sports wagering)", and its 2026 FAQs list gambling among prohibited promotions, along with alcohol and tobacco. The handbook also bars weapons, pornography and adult entertainment, and Louisiana's NIL statute bars gambling and gaming endorsements too.
Who can represent a Tulane athlete in NIL deals?
An agent or advisor for NIL only. Tulane's handbook says the agent must be registered under Louisiana and federal law, and its compliance page says agents register with the Compliance Office. Since June 2026 Louisiana requires paid NIL representatives to register with the state Department of Justice.
Be your own agent. Leave.
