Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Western Kentucky University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Western Kentucky University, its conference, the state of Kentucky 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 WKU
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "WKU Athletics Name, Image, & Likeness Policy for Student-Athletes" dated 2021-07-01, written under Governor Beshear's executive order of 2021-06-24, which it says remains in effect "until superseded by state or federal law". It requires pay "commensurate with the market value" and bars pay from the university, boosters or anyone acting for it, or for athletic performance or attendance. No newer WKU NIL policy was found, and WKU's policy library lists no athletics policies ("There are currently no policies for this unit") | WKU Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01); WKU Policies, 11 Athletics |
| How deals are disclosed | 2021 policy: a proposed contract is disclosed "7 days prior to the proposed activity" in INFLCR Verified, and "Until the Athletics Compliance Office reviews and approves, the student-athlete may not engage in the proposed activity"; failure to disclose may cost eligibility. Deals made in the Hilltopper Local Exchange "automate a disclosure to the WKU Compliance Office". NCAA: third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). Kentucky law gives the school up to three business days to review a submitted agreement | WKU Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01) and CLIMB Program page; NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/kentucky |
| Banned categories | Kentucky law bars third-party NIL deals for sports betting, controlled substances, substances the athlete's association bans, adult entertainment, and products or services illegal for the athlete (KRS 164.6945(4)). WKU's 2021 list: lotteries, casinos, sports wagering and online equivalents; products marketed only to people 18 or older; adult entertainment; tobacco, marijuana and nicotine vapor products; alcoholic beverages; firearms and firearms dealers; apparel, sportswear and footwear during all team activities; and other colleges and universities, health care and related services | /nil/college/kentucky; WKU Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01) |
| School marks and group licensing | 2021 policy: athletes may not use university facilities, and may not use WKU's trademarks, logos, word marks, colors or copyrighted content "unless an applicable agreement is secured granting the right to use such intellectual property consistent with the University's current licensing program". The WKU NIL Store by Campus Ink (2023) is WKU Athletics' "official NIL merchandise provider" with officially licensed apparel and jerseys. A group licensing program is not published | WKU Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01) and NIL Store release (2023-08-04) |
| Revenue sharing | WKU's TOPS Fund (Together: Opportunity, Potential, Success), announced 2025-07-15 through the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation, is an unrestricted, tax-deductible fund for NIL and revenue sharing; its FAQ says "WKU is now permitted to directly compensate current athletes, and must do so to remain competitive". WKU's staff directory lists a Director of Revenue Share/Operations Analyst. The College Sports Commission lists Western Kentucky University as participating in 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-23). No WKU total or allocation is published | WKU Athletics, TOPS Fund release (2025-07-15) and Staff Directory; College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | Red Towel Trust, called "The official collective of WKU Athletics" in WKU's 2025-07-15 release, which says it "will be absorbed by the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation" and its funds rolled into the TOPS Fund, with sport-designated gifts moved to that sport's enhancement fund. WKU also runs the Hilltopper Local Exchange, an INFLCR registry where approved businesses, collectives and donors can contact athletes and pay them | WKU Athletics, TOPS Fund release (2025-07-15) and CLIMB Program page |
| Agents and representation | 2021 policy: athletes may use an athlete agent "solely for purposes of assisting with contracts for compensation", under KRS 164.6901 to .6935 and the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act, and "Any individual involved in assisting with promotional activities for student-athletes should be registered with the WKU Athletics Compliance office and the Commonwealth of Kentucky". Kentucky law counts an agreement to negotiate NIL deals as an agency contract: agents register with the Department of Professional Licensing and notify the athletic director within 72 hours, and the athlete may cancel within 14 days | WKU Athletics, NIL Policy (2021-07-01); /nil/college/kentucky |
| Compliance contact | WKU Athletics Compliance. Chandler DeRieux, Senior Associate Athletic Director (Compliance and Academic Affairs), (270) 745-3235, chandler.derieux@wku.edu | WKU Athletics, Staff Directory (read 2026-10-23) |
| State law | In force. Kentucky's KRS 164.6941 to 164.6951, rewritten in 2025, lets a school or its affiliated corporation pay athletes under written institutional agreements, gives the school up to three business days to review outside deals, bars five categories of deals and keeps submitted agreements out of the Open Records Act | /nil/college/kentucky |
What is specific to WKU
WKU was early to NIL tools and has since pulled NIL money inside its own foundation. It partnered with INFLCR when NCAA NIL rules changed in July 2021, branded its program CLIMB, and in April 2022 opened the Hilltopper Local Exchange, where businesses and later individuals message athletes, negotiate and pay through the app, with one tax form a year. Its 18-month recap (January 2023) says every sport with an eligible athlete had completed at least one deal. In July 2025, with the House settlement in place, WKU and the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation created the TOPS Fund and said the Red Towel Trust collective "will be absorbed" by the foundation; TOPS gifts are tax-deductible and earn foundation priority points. The athlete-facing rules have not caught up: the NIL policy posted on the compliance site is still the July 2021 version written under the governor's executive order.
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 WKU
Does WKU pay its athletes?
WKU shares revenue. Its TOPS Fund, created in July 2025 through the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation, supports athletes through NIL and revenue sharing, and the College Sports Commission lists WKU for 2026-27 with a cap of about $21.58 million per school. WKU has not published how much it pays.
What happened to the Red Towel Trust?
WKU's July 2025 release says the Red Towel Trust, the official collective of WKU Athletics, would be absorbed by the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation, with its funds rolled into the TOPS Fund for NIL and revenue sharing.
How do WKU athletes report NIL deals?
WKU's 2021 policy has athletes disclose proposed deals in INFLCR seven days before the activity and wait for compliance approval; deals made in the Hilltopper Local Exchange are disclosed automatically. Deals of $600 or more also go to NIL Go within five business days (NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2).
Can WKU athletes do NIL deals with an apparel brand or a hospital?
WKU's 2021 policy bars apparel, sportswear and footwear deals during all team activities, and bars deals with other colleges and universities, health care and related services. Kentucky law separately bars sports betting, controlled substances and adult entertainment deals.
Does an NIL agent have to register in Kentucky?
Yes. Kentucky treats an agreement to negotiate NIL deals as an agency contract, so the agent registers with the Department of Professional Licensing and notifies the athletic director within 72 hours. WKU's policy also asks anyone helping athletes with promotional activities to register with WKU Athletics Compliance.
Be your own agent. Leave.
