Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Virginia Commonwealth University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Virginia Commonwealth University, its conference, the state of Virginia 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 VCU
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "VCU Athletics Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) Policy", effective 2025-08-01 (last updated 2025-09-22). The Board of Visitors' Intercollegiate Athletics Committee voted on 2025-11-20 to recommend it, and the full Board approved it on its consent agenda on 2025-11-21. Both records are minutes posted marked DRAFT; the committee's minutes of 2026-02-26 and the Board's minutes of 2026-02-27, also marked DRAFT, record approval of those November minutes. It says VCU athletes may be paid "from University donors or sponsors if the compensation is for the NIL activity and is not pay-for-play", that VCU may identify NIL opportunities and facilitate deals for athletes who disclose, and that "Effective July 1, 2024, Virginia law permits VCU to directly compensate student-athletes for the use of their NIL" | VCU Athletics Compliance, NIL Policy (2025); VCU Board of Visitors, draft minutes of 2025-11-20, 2025-11-21, 2026-02-26 and 2026-02-27 |
| How deals are disclosed | The policy: NIL activities "valued at $600 or greater" are disclosed in the athlete's Influencer (INFLCR) and NIL Go accounts; "Virginia law requires the disclosure to be submitted prior to the execution of the agreement and the activity occurring"; VCU reviews within two business days; changes are updated within seven days; the disclosure lists the parties, terms, any professional service provider and that provider's fee. NIL Go review can clear, not clear or flag a deal, and the policy says athletes "must not accept compensation until the activity has been cleared by NIL Go". Incoming athletes disclose pre-enrollment NIL activity within 30 days of enrollment to receive VCU's NIL assistance. NCAA: NIL Go for third-party deals of $600 or more within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2) | VCU Athletics Compliance, NIL Policy (2025) and NIL page; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/virginia |
| Banned categories | Virginia law bars NIL pay connected with alcohol, adult entertainment, cannabis (not hemp), controlled substances, performance enhancing drugs, drug paraphernalia, tobacco and nicotine products, weapons, and casinos or gambling including sports betting (§ 23.1-408.1(F)). VCU's policy lists the same categories and adds "substances banned by the NCAA" and "products or services that are illegal"; VCU "retains the right to disapprove any activity deemed to suggest an endorsement by VCU or that reflects unfavorably upon VCU", and deals may not conflict with an existing VCU agreement. NIL activity is barred during team activities, including practices, competitions, promotional activities and community service | VCU Athletics Compliance, NIL Policy (2025); /nil/college/virginia |
| School marks and group licensing | Athletes may not use VCU uniforms, trademarks, logos or symbols to endorse a third party or product "without the prior written approval of VCU's Office of Trademarks and Licensing", sought through a "Name, Image, Likeness Limited Logo Use Request Form"; wearing gear with a registered VCU logo and posting social content showing one are named as uses that need approval. Athletes may autograph and sell officially licensed memorabilia and may repost VCU-created content when not paid for it. The policy names Athlete's Thread among VCU's NIL resources; no group licensing program is otherwise described | VCU Athletics Compliance, NIL Policy (2025) and NIL FAQ |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" and lists Virginia Commonwealth University as participating in 2026-27 (read 2026-10-23). The athletic director's presentation to the Board's athletics committee on 2025-09-11 (draft minutes) says "Basketball-powered schools in different boat", "MBB/WBB will participate in rev share" and "Olympic sports will not increase scholarships". The NIL policy adds that NCAA rules have allowed direct pay "through passive licensing and endorsement royalty opportunities" since 2025-07-01, "on a case-by-case basis". No amounts are published | College Sports Commission; VCU Board of Visitors, Intercollegiate Athletics Committee minutes (2025-09-11); VCU Athletics Compliance, NIL Policy (2025) |
| Collective or NIL group | Havoc Unlimited Collective (havocunltd.com), which describes itself as "an organization established to empower student-athletes at Virginia Commonwealth University" through NIL and sells annual subscriptions; it says contributions "are not currently tax deductible". A VCU Athletics story of 2024-05-03 asked fans to "consider supporting the Havoc Unlimited Collective and VCU's other NIL efforts". VCU's "NIL Collective Best Practices" (updated 2024-06-25) says VCU may act as a "match-maker" but "may not directly or indirectly provide financial support or assets to NIL entities". VCU's own platform is the VCU Exchange (INFLCR), launched 2022-04-13, and under a Learfield multimedia-rights extension announced 2025-06-10, VCU Sports Properties brings "NIL opportunities" into its sponsorship work | Havoc Unlimited Collective, site (read 2026-10-23); VCU Athletics, Virginia NIL legislation story (2024-05-03), INFLCR release (2022-04-13) and Learfield extension (2025-06-10); VCU Athletics Compliance, NIL Collective Best Practices (2024-06-25) |
| Agents and representation | The policy lets athletes use professional service providers ("marketing agent, brand manager, tax advisor, financial advisor, licensed attorney") for NIL activities, says that engagement "may not be used to secure opportunities as professional athletes", and requires agents who want to contact athletes or families to file the VCU Agent Registration Form and get it approved first. The agents page bars sport agents and financial advisors from contact without Compliance's written consent until eligibility ends, and requires a copy of the agent's Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation certificate. Virginia law: NIL representatives register with DPOR, and an athlete may cancel an agency contract within 14 days | VCU Athletics Compliance, NIL Policy (2025) and Agents and Advisors; /nil/college/virginia |
| Compliance contact | VCU Athletics Compliance Office, Sports Medicine Building, 1300 W. Broad St., Box 842003, Richmond, VA 23284-2003; (804) 828-7526. The compliance staff directory lists Noah Strebler, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student Services and NIL (nstrebler@vcu.edu), and Ashley Chiera-Davis, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance (chieraaf@vcu.edu) | VCU Athletics Compliance, home page and Staff Directory (read 2026-10-23) |
| State law | Va. Code § 23.1-408.1 (2022, expanded in 2024) protects athletes' NIL pay and representation, bans nine deal categories, requires disclosure before signing, bars associations and conferences from stopping a Virginia school paying its athletes for NIL, and requires NIL compensation policies approved by the school's board with no student fees used; since 2026-07-01, § 23.1-408.2 limits use of athletes' biometric data. In force | /nil/college/virginia |
What is specific to VCU
VCU is a public university without football, and its Board of Visitors records show what that means for revenue sharing. In December 2024 the athletics committee's draft minutes record Vice President and Director of Athletics Ed McLaughlin saying the impact on VCU's revenue share "will be significantly lower due to the university's lack of a football program", and his September 2025 slides put it plainly: "MBB/WBB will participate in rev share" and "Olympic sports will not increase scholarships". VCU then took its athletics NIL policy to the Board, which approved it on 2025-11-21 according to the Board's draft minutes, the board approval Virginia's 2024 amendments call for. The athletics committee's charter, approved on 2026-09-10, lists "Review name, image, and likeness activity" among its duties. The policy is detailed on disclosure: it asks for the agent's fee terms, gives VCU two business days to review, and ties VCU's NIL assistance to full disclosure, including deals with non-disclosure clauses. VCU's 2024-05-03 story on Virginia's law said VCU would "continue to evaluate the feasibility of direct payments" with University Counsel and noted that "Student fees are explicitly prohibited" from funding them.
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 VCU
Does VCU pay its athletes?
VCU is on the College Sports Commission's list of revenue-sharing schools for 2026-27, with a cap of approximately $21.58 million per school. Slides shown to VCU's Board of Visitors athletics committee in September 2025 say men's and women's basketball "will participate in rev share" and Olympic sports will not add scholarships. VCU has not published amounts.
How do VCU athletes report NIL deals?
VCU's 2025 policy has athletes disclose NIL activity of $600 or more in INFLCR and NIL Go before the agreement is signed, as Virginia law requires disclosure before execution; VCU reviews within two business days, and the policy says not to accept pay until NIL Go clears the deal. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 set the five-business-day NIL Go window.
What NIL collective works with VCU?
Havoc Unlimited Collective describes itself on its site as established to support VCU athletes through NIL, and a VCU Athletics story of 2024-05-03 asked fans to support it. VCU's own guidance says the school may connect donors and collectives with athletes but may not give NIL entities money or assets.
What NIL deals can't VCU athletes do?
VCU's policy bars casinos and gambling including sports betting, alcohol, tobacco and vaping products, cannabis (not hemp), drug paraphernalia, adult entertainment, performance-enhancing drugs, weapons, NCAA-banned substances and illegal products, which tracks Virginia law. It also bars deals that conflict with VCU's own agreements and NIL activity during team activities.
Can a VCU athlete use VCU logos in an NIL deal?
Only with prior written approval from VCU's Office of Trademarks and Licensing, through a Limited Logo Use Request Form, according to the 2025 policy. Signing and selling officially licensed memorabilia does not need that form.
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