Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of California, Davis, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what University of California, Davis, its conference, the state of California 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 UC Davis
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | UC Davis Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA) Policy and Procedure Manual, Chapter 26, Section 1, "Student-Athlete Name, Image and Likeness", dated 2026-05-08 and superseding the 2025-07-18 version (which superseded 2021-11-11). ICA "reserves the right to restrict the ability of a student-athlete to enter into a NIL agreement" consistent with the policy, College Sports Commission and NCAA rules, and law. Athletes may not take third-party NIL pay for work not performed, for participating in a sport or athletic performance "except where permitted by the NCAA rules", for anything other than "a valid business purpose", or above fair market value | UC Davis Athletics, NIL Policy (2026-05-08) |
| How deals are disclosed | The policy says the College Sports Commission "requires that all Division 1 student-athletes submit written documentation of third-party NIL deals with compensation of $600 or above into NIL Go (NILGo.com) within five (5) business days of execution or agreement to payment terms", that deals with the same party are added together, that goods and services such as car leases or gym memberships count, and that "The penalty for failure to report an NIL deal is loss of NCAA eligibility for the student-athlete (NCAA Bylaw 22.2)". Bylaw 22.2.2.2 itself says a missed report "may result in disciplinary action by the CSC, which may include rendering the student-athlete ineligible". The 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook gives the earlier wording ("within five (5) business days of executing an agreement. Failure to do so may lead to penalties, including the loss of NCAA eligibility"). California law requires each NIL contract to be disclosed to an official the school designates (Educ. Code § 67456(e)(2)) | UC Davis Athletics, NIL Policy (2026-05-08) and 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/california |
| Banned categories | California's statute lists none. UC Davis's policy lists as "Prohibited Categories" endorsements of "illegal gambling, pornography, performance enhancing drugs, or adult entertainment establishments", bars using UC Davis marks in endorsements involving alcohol or other drugs, professional sports teams or organizations, or assault weapons and other firearms, and bars deals that conflict with an ICA sponsor contract, naming "Adidas, Pepsi, UC Davis Health, University Credit Union, etc." | UC Davis Athletics, NIL Policy (2026-05-08); /nil/college/california |
| School marks and group licensing | Marks and logos, including the university's name, nicknames, team names, mascot name, slogans and colors, need prior approval from UC Davis Licensing; facility use goes through Conference and Event Services, and commercial photography or filming on campus needs approval from Strategic Communications. The UC Davis NIL Store, powered by Campus Ink, opened on 2023-09-21 with "officially licensed NIL merchandise" for every athlete; the 2025-26 handbook says the store costs the athlete nothing and that athletes earn 15% on every item sold. A 2026-09-09 football release lists "Student-Athlete NIL gear sites such as Campus Ink, Athletes Thread, Athletic Solutions and INFLUXER" | UC Davis Athletics, NIL Policy (2026-05-08), NIL Store opening (2023-09-21), 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook and football fan color schedule (2026-09-09) |
| Revenue sharing | UC Davis Athletics announced on 2026-03-31 that UC Davis "will opt into the House v. NCAA settlement beginning with the 2026–27 academic year" after nine months of planning with campus leadership, legal counsel and the Chancellor's Office; Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca said UC Davis is "implementing revenue-sharing through a UC Davis-specific approach". The College Sports Commission lists UC Davis for 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-23). No UC Davis breakdown was found | UC Davis Athletics, opt-in announcement (2026-03-31); College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | UC Davis announced Aggie Edge, powered by Student Athlete NIL (SANIL), on 2024-07-09 as "the official NIL Collective for Aggie Student-Athletes"; that release says SANIL "is not officially affiliated with UC Davis Athletics but is acknowledged by the athletics department". The 2025-07-18 policy and the 2025-26 handbook name "Aggie Edge or NIL opportunities through SANIL" as associated entities; the 2026-05-08 policy no longer names them, and the web address given in the 2024 release led to an unrelated site on 2026-10-23, so its status was not confirmed. The 2026-03-31 announcement says UC Davis Athletics "is launching a comprehensive NIL program" and that the Champion Aggies Club "will continue to serve as a primary vehicle for philanthropic support, including scholarships and NIL initiatives". The handbook describes a UC Davis NIL Exchange in the Teamworks Influencer app | UC Davis Athletics, Aggie Edge announcement (2024-07-09), NIL Policy (2025-07-18 and 2026-05-08), opt-in announcement (2026-03-31) and 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook |
| Agents and representation | The policy lets athletes retain professional representation, including athlete agents and attorneys, "to assist with securing opportunities for NIL compensation"; subject to NCAA exceptions, it "must be for NIL opportunities only and not for future professional contract negotiations". Representatives must be licensed by the appropriate California authority, agents registered and compliant with the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act, and legal representatives licensed attorneys. The handbook lists association with an agent among things that can cost eligibility, adding "(NIL agents are permissible)". California's Miller-Ayala Act requires athlete agents to file with the Secretary of State | UC Davis Athletics, NIL Policy (2026-05-08) and 2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook; /nil/college/california |
| Compliance contact | ICA Compliance Services, first floor of the Cowell building; the Compliance Services page lists the department's main phone, (530) 752-1111, and a compliance fax, (530) 752-9340. The NIL policy directs questions to ICA Compliance and the ICA NIL Director | UC Davis Athletics, Compliance Services and NIL Policy (2026-05-08) |
| State law | California Education Code § 67456 (Fair Pay to Play Act), in force since 2021-09-01, protects NIL pay and representation, requires each NIL contract to be disclosed to the school and lists no banned categories; in force | /nil/college/california |
What is specific to UC Davis
UC Davis changed two things at once for 2026-27. On 2026-07-01 it joined the Mountain West as a full member in 16 sports while its football team stayed in the Big Sky, and it began revenue sharing in the same academic year after announcing the opt-in on 2026-03-31. Its NIL rules sit in a formal chapter of the ICA Policy and Procedure Manual, first issued in 2021 and revised in July 2025 and May 2026; the May 2026 version adds a plain explanation of the College Sports Commission and NIL Go, and where the 2025 text said a missed report "may lead to penalties, including the loss of NCAA eligibility", it now says the penalty "is loss of NCAA eligibility". The policy also says what other schools often leave out: NIL pay may affect Pell grants and need-based aid but "will not otherwise affect" athletic or merit scholarships, NIL income is taxable and ICA gives no tax advice, and international athletes are pointed to an immigration attorney before signing. UC Davis names its sponsors whose categories are off limits (Adidas, Pepsi, UC Davis Health and University Credit Union) and offers an 80-minute NIL Quickstart course with a 40-page workbook.
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 UC Davis
Does UC Davis pay its athletes?
UC Davis opted into the House settlement beginning with 2026-27 and says it is implementing revenue sharing through "a UC Davis-specific approach". The College Sports Commission lists UC Davis for 2026-27 and puts the cap at about $21.58 million per school. No breakdown by sport or athlete is published.
Is UC Davis football in the Mountain West?
No. UC Davis joined the Mountain West on 2026-07-01 in 16 sports, but UC Davis Athletics says its football team continues to compete in the Big Sky Conference. Its 2026-06-30 release describes UC Davis as one of the Mountain West's "all-sport members outside of football".
How do UC Davis athletes report NIL deals?
In NIL Go. UC Davis's May 2026 policy says third-party deals worth $600 or more, counting multiple deals with the same party together and including goods and services, go into NIL Go within five business days "of execution or agreement to payment terms", and it states that the penalty for not reporting is loss of NCAA eligibility. The NCAA bylaw says a missed report may lead to discipline by the College Sports Commission, which may include ineligibility.
What NIL collective works with UC Davis?
UC Davis announced Aggie Edge, powered by Student Athlete NIL, as its official NIL collective in July 2024, but its May 2026 policy no longer names it and its current status was not confirmed. Since March 2026 UC Davis points supporters to its own NIL program and the Champion Aggies Club.
What can't UC Davis athletes endorse?
UC Davis's policy lists illegal gambling, pornography, performance enhancing drugs and adult entertainment establishments, bars use of UC Davis marks with alcohol or drugs, professional sports teams or firearms, and bars deals that conflict with sponsors such as Adidas, Pepsi, UC Davis Health and University Credit Union. California law lists no banned categories.
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