Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of Washington, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what University of Washington, its conference, the state of Washington 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 Washington
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | The "Name, Image & Likeness" policy of UW's Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA), printed in the 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook (posted 2026-09-25), which says updates to the ICA NIL Policy "will be made available to student-athletes in the ICA Student-Athlete Handbook". It covers third-party NIL only: it "does not apply to institutional name, image and likeness license agreements between a student-athlete and UW (including 'revenue sharing' agreements)". It sets disclosure on NIL Go, rules for University Marks, items provided by ICA, team activities, facilities, prohibited categories, optional ICA NIL services, professional service providers and agents, and enforcement | UW Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27 |
| 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). UW's policy says enrolled athletes "must disclose NIL Activity valued at $600 or more within five (5) business days of execution of a third-party NIL contract or agreement to payment terms" on NIL Go, by the athlete or a designated representative, with written documentation; incoming athletes disclose all NIL activity on enrollment and sign an attestation. If NIL Go denies an executed deal, the policy lists rescinding or revising it, appealing (including CSC neutral arbitration, at the athlete's cost for outside counsel) or returning the impermissible amount. No Washington statute requires disclosure to the school | UW Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/washington |
| Banned categories | UW's "Prohibited Categories" rule is written about University Marks: "Student-athletes shall not use, and no approval will be granted for use of, University Marks as determined in UW's sole discretion, including, without limitation, any use associated with NIL Activity in any of the following categories: (i) alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, marijuana (or marijuana-related product), or any other controlled substances (or related paraphernalia) or NCAA-banned supplements; (ii) adult entertainment; (iii) gambling, sports wagering, or other games of chance for stakes or wagers; (iv) associations with products, services, or activities that are deemed illegal or involve dishonest, deceptive, or unethical practices; ; or (v) any other category the Institution, in its reasonable discretion, determines will dilute or harm its reputation or the goodwill of the Institution or its intellectual property." The same policy says athletes "may engage in NIL Activity with third-parties without restriction, except as specified in this NIL Policy". No Washington statute bars any category | UW Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; /nil/college/washington |
| School marks and group licensing | Any use of University Marks in NIL activity is subject to approval by UW's University Marketing and Communications (UMAC) team; the policy lists "Washington", "Huskies", "Dawgs", "UW", "UDub", the block W, the Husky mascot marks, the football helmet, the seal, the fight song and "certain uses of the colors purple and gold". Athletes may make factual references to being a UW athlete without approval when no other marks are used. Unapproved use leads to required education from the ICA NIL Team and removal. Chun's 2025-06-06 letter says Dawgs Unleashed "connects valid business-purpose marketing opportunities to Husky student-athletes and UW marks and logos" | UW Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; Go BIG! For Washington letter (2025-06-06) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at approximately $21.58 million per school and lists the University of Washington as a participating school. Chun's letter of 2025-06-06 says "UW will distribute the maximum allowable revenue share to our student-athletes", that revenue sharing will be funded by conference distributions, sponsorships and ticket sales, not philanthropic gifts, and that the $20.5 million in revenue sharing combined with UW's half-share Big Ten distribution "places UW at a significant financial disadvantage compared to our peers". UW publishes no per-sport or per-athlete figure | UW Athletics, Go BIG! For Washington and House Settlement Updates (2025-06-06); College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | UW's own unit is Dawgs Unleashed, its internal NIL and influencer marketing unit launched in fall 2024, which UW says has worked with Learfield and Seattle businesses on deals and runs the Washington Huskies Exchange on Teamworks Influencer (replacing Opendorse, per a 2025-08-01 release). The handbook says athletes "are not required to accept institutional assistance or services and may choose to use outside representation". UW's 2024-09-19 release described Montlake Futures as "the Name, Image and Likeness collective that serves student-athletes at the University of Washington", focused on 501(c)(3) causes, and quoted Chun calling it one of "our official partners". That release is the only UW source used here for Montlake Futures, and its status after that date is not confirmed | UW Athletics, Dawgs Unleashed releases (2025-08-01, 2025-11-25); Redhook and Montlake Futures release (2024-09-19) |
| Agents and representation | UW's policy says athletes may agree with an athlete agent for services "solely related to securing NIL opportunities", and that "As required by Washington State law, a student-athlete and the agent must provide ICA notice of the agreement within 72 hours of entering into the agreement or before the student-athlete's next athletic competition, whichever is first", using the Agent Registration Form for NIL Activities. Services from providers or agents "must be paid for by the student-athlete", with no services or benefits "not normally provided to other members of the public". State law: Washington's Uniform Athlete Agents Act (chapter 19.225 RCW) has no agent registration but requires a signed disclosure form at first contact, covers agency contracts to negotiate endorsements, and requires notice to the athletic director before and after an agency contract (RCW 19.225.070) | UW Athletics, Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-27; /nil/college/washington |
| Compliance contact | University of Washington Intercollegiate Athletics Compliance, Graves Annex Building, 3rd Floor, Seattle, WA 98195; staff and phone numbers on the compliance contact page | UW Athletics, Compliance Contact |
| State law | Narrow law. Washington has no general college NIL statute; RCW 42.52.807 (2024) lets state university employees use public resources to advise, facilitate, acknowledge or educate athletes on NIL within national college sports rules, and agents follow chapter 19.225 RCW | /nil/college/washington |
What is specific to Washington
Washington runs NIL work inside its athletic department. RCW 42.52.807, added to the state ethics law in 2024, says state university employees may use public resources to advise and facilitate athletes' NIL, and UW built Dawgs Unleashed in fall 2024 as an internal NIL and influencer marketing unit that works with Learfield and Seattle companies; its 2025-11-25 release names Alaska Airlines, Boeing, T-Mobile, Starbucks and Microsoft's Blizzard among businesses that have done deals with Husky athletes. UW's handbook also sets a separate transfer rule for athletes with a Revenue Sharing Agreement: "If a student-athlete has signed a Revenue Sharing Agreement, ICA retains discretion regarding whether and when the student-athlete's name may be entered into the Transfer Portal, consistent with the agreement", while athletes without one file a Transfer Portal Form and are entered within two business days of the completed form or the NCAA module, whichever is later. UW's president, Robert J. Jones, co-signed a statement on 2026-01-13 with presidents from the other Power Four conferences that says "We encourage our fellow presidents to sign the Participant Agreement" of the College Sports Commission.
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 Washington
Does Washington pay its athletes?
Yes, through House settlement revenue sharing. Athletic Director Pat Chun wrote on 2025-06-06 that UW will distribute the maximum allowable revenue share to its athletes, funded by conference distributions, sponsorships and ticket sales. The College Sports Commission lists UW as a participating school for 2026-27, when the cap is approximately $21.58 million per school. UW publishes no per-athlete amounts.
What is Dawgs Unleashed?
Dawgs Unleashed is UW Athletics' internal NIL and influencer marketing unit, launched in fall 2024. UW says it connects marketing opportunities to Husky athletes and UW marks and logos, working with Learfield, and it runs the Washington Huskies Exchange on Teamworks Influencer. UW's handbook says athletes are not required to use its NIL services and may use outside representation instead.
What NIL collective works with Washington?
UW's 2024-09-19 release described Montlake Futures as the NIL collective serving UW athletes, focused on charitable causes, and called it an official partner. Its status after that release is not confirmed here. UW's own NIL work runs through Dawgs Unleashed.
How do Washington athletes report NIL deals?
UW's 2026-27 handbook says enrolled athletes disclose third-party NIL activity worth $600 or more on NIL Go within five business days of signing or agreeing to payment terms, with written documentation, as NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 require. Incoming athletes disclose all NIL activity on enrollment and sign an attestation. No Washington law requires reporting deals to the school.
Does Washington state have an NIL law?
Only a narrow one. RCW 42.52.807, in force since 2024-06-06, lets employees of state universities such as UW use public resources to advise, facilitate, acknowledge or educate athletes on NIL, following national college sports rules. Agents fall under Washington's Uniform Athlete Agents Act, which has no registration but requires a disclosure form at first contact and notice to the athletic director around an agency contract.
Be your own agent. Leave.
