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School–Athlete Affiliation Agreement

Version 1.0.0 · Effective Date: 2026-05-15 · Last Updated: May 12, 2026

School-Athlete Affiliation Agreement

NextName, Inc. Version 1.0.0 Effective Date: March 1, 2026

This School-Athlete Affiliation Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into between the institutional account holder (“School”) and the athlete account holder (“Athlete”) on the NextName platform operated by NextName, Inc. (“NextName,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), with its principal website at nextname.io. By completing the affiliation process on the NextName platform, both the School and the Athlete agree to the terms set forth below.

This Agreement is supplemental to, and does not replace, the NextName Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Athlete Agreement, or School Agreement, each of which remains in full force and effect.

Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the NextName Terms of Service, Section 1 (Definitions).

1. Purpose

This Agreement governs the relationship between an Athlete and a School when the Athlete affiliates with the School on the NextName platform. Affiliation enables the following:

1.1. The Athlete joins the School’s NextName ecosystem, appearing on the School’s roster, team pages, and institutional profiles within the platform.

1.2. The School gains the ability to create and manage content featuring the Athlete within school-managed channels, subject to the terms of this Agreement.

1.3. The Athlete gains visibility within the School’s fan community, including exposure to the School’s subscribers and followers.

1.4. Both parties benefit from a structured, compliant framework for content creation and revenue generation within the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) landscape.

1.5. Affiliation does not create an employment relationship, agency relationship, or partnership between the School and the Athlete. Both parties remain independent account holders on the NextName platform.

2. School Responsibilities

The School agrees to the following responsibilities during the term of the affiliation:

2.1. Roster Accuracy. The School shall maintain accurate and up-to-date rosters on the platform. This includes promptly adding new team members, removing departed athletes, and updating athlete information (team assignment, sport, position) as changes occur. Roster inaccuracies that materially misrepresent an Athlete’s status must be corrected within five (5) business days of the School becoming aware of the inaccuracy.

2.2. Channel Management. The School is responsible for managing all school-managed channels in accordance with NextName’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. This includes ensuring that content posted in school-managed channels complies with applicable laws, NCAA/CSC regulations, conference rules, and institutional policies. The School shall designate at least one content manager with authority to publish, edit, and remove content from school-managed channels.

2.3. Athlete Support. The School shall provide reasonable support to affiliated Athletes in navigating the platform, including guidance on content policies, intellectual property restrictions, and NIL compliance requirements. The School shall not impede or discourage Athletes from maintaining and monetizing their own athlete-owned channels, provided such channels comply with the terms of this Agreement and the NextName Terms of Service.

2.4. Timely Processing of Affiliation Requests. When an Athlete submits an affiliation request through the platform, the School shall review and approve or deny the request within ten (10) business days. If the School requires additional time or information, it shall communicate the reason for the delay to the Athlete through the platform. Unreasonable or unexplained delays in processing affiliation requests may be escalated to NextName for review.

2.5. Compliance Obligations. The School shall ensure that its use of the platform, including all content published in school-managed channels, complies with applicable federal and state laws, NCAA and College Sports Commission (“CSC”) rules, conference regulations, and institutional NIL policies. The School is solely responsible for its own compliance and that of its authorized staff.

2.6. Notification of Athlete Status Changes. The School shall promptly notify NextName and the affected Athlete when an Athlete’s enrollment status, eligibility, or team membership changes in a manner that affects the affiliation (e.g., transfer, dismissal, graduation, leave of absence).

3. Athlete Responsibilities

The Athlete agrees to the following responsibilities during the term of the affiliation:

3.1. Compliance with School Content Policies. The Athlete shall comply with the School’s reasonable content policies as communicated through the platform or otherwise made available by the School. This includes any institutional social media policies, NIL disclosure requirements, and brand guidelines that apply to affiliated athletes. The Athlete acknowledges that the School may require review or approval of content that references the School or its programs, as permitted under applicable law.

3.2. Institutional Intellectual Property Restrictions. The Athlete acknowledges that the School owns certain intellectual property, including but not limited to logos, mascots, trademarks, trade dress, uniforms, facility imagery, and branded materials (“School IP”). The Athlete shall not use School IP in athlete-owned channels without the prior written permission of the School. The specific restrictions on School IP usage in athlete-owned channels are set forth in Section 5 of this Agreement.

3.3. Accurate Profile Information. The Athlete shall maintain accurate and current profile information on the platform, including name, sport, team assignment, class year, and any other information relevant to the affiliation. Material inaccuracies must be corrected promptly upon discovery.

3.4. NIL Compliance. The Athlete shall comply with all applicable federal and state NIL laws, NCAA and CSC regulations, and conference rules. The Athlete is solely responsible for any NIL disclosure requirements, including reporting NIL activity through NIL Go or other required channels within the timelines mandated by applicable regulations.

3.5. Professionalism. The Athlete shall conduct themselves professionally in all interactions on the platform, including in school-managed channels. Content or behavior that violates NextName’s Community Guidelines, the Terms of Service, or applicable law may result in enforcement action independent of this Agreement.

4. Content Ownership in School-Managed Channels

4.1. School Control of School-Managed Channels. The School retains full editorial and administrative control over all school-managed channels. This includes the right to create, publish, edit, archive, and remove content within those channels. The School determines the access tier (Public, Subscription, or Premium) for each school-managed channel.

4.2. Limited Likeness Rights Grant. By affiliating with the School on the NextName platform, the Athlete grants the School a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use the Athlete’s name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) in content published within school-managed channels on the NextName platform. This license is subject to the following conditions:

  1. Scope. The license is limited to content published within school-managed channels on the NextName platform. It does not extend to use of the Athlete’s NIL outside the NextName platform, in advertising or promotional materials for third parties, or in any context unrelated to the School’s NextName presence.

  2. Nature of Content. Content featuring the Athlete’s NIL may include but is not limited to: game highlights, practice footage, team events, behind-the-scenes content, athlete spotlights, interviews, and team promotions. All such content must be created in good faith for the purpose of fan engagement and must not be misleading, defamatory, or injurious to the Athlete’s reputation.

  3. No Implied Endorsement. The School shall not use the Athlete’s NIL in a manner that implies the Athlete endorses any specific product, service, brand, or commercial entity without the Athlete’s separate written consent.

  4. Athlete Review. The Athlete may request that specific content featuring their NIL be reviewed and, if the content materially misrepresents the Athlete or causes demonstrable harm to the Athlete’s reputation, the Athlete may request removal of such content. The School shall consider such requests in good faith and respond within five (5) business days. Disputes regarding content removal are subject to the dispute resolution process in Section 9.

  5. Revocability. The Athlete may revoke the likeness rights grant by terminating the affiliation in accordance with Section 8. Upon termination, the School shall cease creating new content featuring the Athlete’s NIL within thirty (30) days. Existing content that was published prior to termination may remain accessible to subscribers for the duration of any active subscription period, after which it shall be archived or removed at the School’s discretion.

4.3. School Content Ownership. Content created by the School and published in school-managed channels is the intellectual property of the School (or its licensors). The Athlete does not acquire any ownership interest in school-managed channel content by virtue of appearing in or contributing to such content, except as separately agreed in writing.

4.4. Co-Licensing Arrangements. If the School participates in a co-licensing arrangement (e.g., through The Brandr Group or a similar organization) that grants athletes broader rights to use School IP, the terms of such co-licensing arrangement shall supplement this Section 4 to the extent applicable. The School shall:

  1. Notify the Athlete in writing of any co-licensing arrangement that affects the Athlete’s rights under this Agreement within ten (10) business days of the arrangement taking effect;

  2. Provide the Athlete with a copy of the relevant terms of the co-licensing arrangement, or a summary thereof, that describes the Athlete’s rights and obligations;

  3. Ensure that any co-licensing arrangement does not diminish the Athlete’s rights under this Agreement without the Athlete’s written consent; and

  4. Notify the Athlete in writing if the co-licensing arrangement is terminated or materially modified.

5. Content Restrictions in Athlete-Owned Channels

5.1. No Unauthorized Use of School IP. The Athlete shall not use the following School intellectual property in content published in athlete-owned channels without the prior written permission of the School:

  1. School logos, wordmarks, and official marks;

  2. Conference logos and marks (e.g., SEC, Big Ten, ACC);

  3. School mascots, mascot imagery, and mascot likenesses;

  4. Team uniforms, jerseys, and university-issued apparel bearing School marks;

  5. Images, video, or audio recorded in branded school facilities (stadiums, arenas, practice fields, weight rooms, locker rooms, and other facilities displaying School IP or sponsor signage);

  6. Game footage, broadcast footage, official highlights, and school-produced media;

5.1.1 Broadcast and Game Footage Clarification. For the avoidance of doubt:

  1. Broadcast footage (television broadcasts, conference network footage, streaming platform recordings) is typically owned by conferences, broadcasters, or their licensees, not by the School or the Athlete. Neither party may use broadcast footage on the Platform without written permission from the rights holder;

  2. School-produced highlights (footage recorded by School’s media staff, athletic department photographers, or school-contracted videographers) are owned by the School. Athletes may not use school-produced highlights in athlete-owned channels without the School’s written permission; and

  3. Personal recordings by the Athlete of their own activities in non-school settings (personal training, off-campus activities) are owned by the Athlete and may be freely used in athlete-owned channels, provided such recordings do not contain School IP.

  4. Practice film, recruiting videos, official photographs, and other media produced by the School or its staff;

  5. Any other trademarked, copyrighted, or proprietary materials owned by the School or its licensors.

5.2. Rationale. These restrictions exist because:

  1. Use of School IP in commercial content without a license constitutes trademark infringement;

  2. Visible School branding in paid content may create a false impression of School endorsement;

  3. Fair use is generally not a viable defense for commercial subscription or premium content;

  4. School facilities may contain sponsor signage with exclusivity clauses that could be violated by unauthorized athlete monetization;

  5. Unauthorized use of institutional IP in NIL activity may trigger NCAA/CSC scrutiny.

5.3. Permitted Athlete Content. Athletes may freely create and monetize content in their athlete-owned channels that features their own NIL in settings free of School IP. This includes but is not limited to:

  1. Personal-to-camera content (talking head videos, Q&A sessions, AMAs, personal commentary);

  2. Personal training and workouts filmed at home, public gyms, or non-school-branded locations;

  3. Lifestyle content (meals, routines, hobbies, travel, off-campus activities);

  4. Reactions, reflections, and commentary on games, practices, and sports topics;

  5. Original instructional and tutorial content filmed in neutral environments;

  6. Personal appearances from non-school events, camps, and clinics.

5.4. Written Permission Process. If the Athlete wishes to use School IP in athlete-owned channel content, the Athlete must submit a written request to the School through the platform or via email. The School shall respond within ten (10) business days. Approval may be granted, denied, or granted with conditions, at the School’s sole discretion. Any approval shall be documented in writing and retained by both parties.

6. Revenue Attribution

6.1. School Channel Revenue. All revenue generated through school-managed channels (including subscriptions, premium content purchases, and tips received on school-managed channel posts) shall be attributed to and paid out to the School’s Stripe Connect account. The Athlete shall have no claim to revenue generated through school-managed channels, regardless of whether the Athlete’s NIL appears in the content.

6.2. Athlete Channel Revenue. All revenue generated through athlete-owned channels (including subscriptions, premium content purchases, and tips received on athlete-owned channel posts) shall be attributed to and paid out to the Athlete’s Stripe Connect account. The School shall have no claim to revenue generated through athlete-owned channels.

6.3. Team Channel Revenue. Revenue generated through team-managed channels (managed by the School on behalf of a team) shall be attributed to the School unless the School has established a separate revenue-sharing arrangement with team members, documented outside the NextName platform.

6.4. No Cross-Claiming. Neither party shall assert a claim to the other party’s channel revenue based on the affiliation relationship alone. This includes claims based on the Athlete’s appearance in school-managed content, the School’s institutional relationship with the Athlete, or any other aspect of the affiliation.

6.5. Platform Fees. Both parties acknowledge that NextName applies a platform fee to all transactions processed through the platform, as set forth in the applicable Terms of Service and creator tier documentation. The platform fee is deducted prior to payout. Revenue share percentages (80-90% creator share, based on gamification level) apply equally to School and Athlete accounts.

6.6. Disputes Regarding Revenue. Any dispute regarding revenue attribution shall be resolved in accordance with Section 9. Pending resolution, disputed funds shall be held by NextName and shall not be distributed to either party until the dispute is resolved.

7. Affiliation Duration

7.1. Commencement. The affiliation becomes effective upon approval of the Athlete’s affiliation request by the School through the NextName platform.

7.2. Active Period. The affiliation remains active for so long as:

  1. The Athlete remains enrolled at the institution represented by the School;

  2. The Athlete maintains an active account on the NextName platform;

  3. The School maintains an active account on the NextName platform; and

  4. Neither party has terminated the affiliation in accordance with Section 8.

7.3. Seasonal Considerations. The affiliation is not limited to the Athlete’s competitive season. An affiliated Athlete remains affiliated during off-seasons, academic breaks, and periods of athletic ineligibility (e.g., due to injury or academic standing), unless the affiliation is terminated under Section 8.

7.4. No Automatic Renewal. The affiliation does not automatically renew upon graduation, transfer, or withdrawal. A new affiliation request must be submitted if the Athlete enrolls at a different institution that maintains a NextName School account.

8. Termination of Affiliation

8.1. Termination Events. The affiliation terminates automatically upon the occurrence of any of the following:

  1. Transfer. The Athlete transfers to a different institution. The affiliation terminates effective on the date the transfer is entered into the platform or confirmed by the School.

  2. Graduation. The Athlete graduates from the institution. The affiliation terminates effective on the graduation date.

  3. Withdrawal. The Athlete withdraws from the institution or ceases enrollment. The affiliation terminates effective on the date of withdrawal.

  4. Account Termination. Either party’s NextName account is suspended or terminated by NextName for any reason.

8.2. Voluntary Termination. Either party may terminate the affiliation voluntarily by providing seven (7) calendar days’ written notice to the other party through the NextName platform. The notice must be submitted through the platform’s affiliation management interface. During the notice period:

  1. The School may continue to publish content in school-managed channels that was created or planned prior to the notice date;

  2. The Athlete remains subject to the content restrictions in Section 5;

  3. Both parties shall conduct themselves professionally and in accordance with this Agreement.

8.3. Immediate Termination for Cause. Notwithstanding Section 8.2, either party may terminate the affiliation immediately (without a notice period) in the following circumstances:

  1. The other party materially breaches this Agreement and fails to cure the breach within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving written notice of the breach;

  2. The other party engages in conduct that violates applicable law, NCAA/CSC rules, or NextName’s Terms of Service in a manner that poses a material risk to the terminating party’s reputation or compliance standing;

  3. NextName directs the immediate termination of the affiliation due to a violation of platform policies.

8.4. Effect of Termination. Upon termination:

  1. The Athlete shall be removed from the School’s roster and team pages on the platform within five (5) business days;

  2. The School shall cease creating new content featuring the Athlete’s NIL within thirty (30) days;

  3. Existing content published in school-managed channels prior to termination may remain accessible to existing subscribers for the duration of their current subscription period;

  4. The Athlete’s athlete-owned channels and content are not affected by termination of the affiliation;

  5. Any outstanding revenue owed to either party shall be paid in accordance with the platform’s standard payout schedule;

  6. Sections 4.3 (School Content Ownership), 5 (Content Restrictions), 6 (Revenue Attribution), and 9 (Dispute Resolution) shall survive termination.

9. Dispute Resolution

9.1. Good Faith Negotiation. In the event of a dispute arising under or related to this Agreement, the parties shall first attempt to resolve the dispute through good faith negotiation. Either party may initiate the negotiation process by providing written notice of the dispute to the other party through the NextName platform. The parties shall engage in good faith discussions for a period of not less than fifteen (15) calendar days.

9.2. NextName Mediation. If the dispute is not resolved through good faith negotiation, either party may escalate the dispute to NextName for mediation by submitting a written request to legal@nextname.io. NextName shall:

  1. Acknowledge receipt of the mediation request within three (3) business days;

  2. Review the dispute and gather relevant information from both parties;

  3. Propose a resolution within fifteen (15) business days of receiving the mediation request;

  4. NextName’s mediation is non-binding. Either party may accept or reject the proposed resolution.

9.3. Binding Arbitration. If the dispute is not resolved through NextName mediation, either party may submit the dispute to binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator in the state in which the School’s institution is located. The arbitrator’s decision shall be final and binding on both parties.

9.4. Costs. Each party shall bear its own costs in connection with dispute resolution under Sections 9.1 and 9.2. Arbitration costs under Section 9.3 shall be shared equally between the parties unless the arbitrator determines otherwise.

9.5. Injunctive Relief. Nothing in this Section 9 shall preclude either party from seeking injunctive or equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm, including but not limited to unauthorized use of intellectual property or NIL.

9.6. NextName’s Role. NextName acts as a neutral platform provider and mediator. NextName is not a party to this Agreement and shall not be held liable for disputes between the School and the Athlete, except to the extent that NextName’s own actions or omissions directly caused the dispute.

10. General Provisions

10.1. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to its conflict of laws provisions.

10.2. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the NextName Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Athlete Agreement, and School Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties regarding the affiliation relationship. In the event of a conflict between this Agreement and the Terms of Service, the Terms of Service shall prevail.

10.3. Amendments. NextName may update this Agreement from time to time. Material changes will be communicated to both parties through the platform. Continued use of the affiliation features after notification of changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms. If either party objects to a material change, the party may terminate the affiliation in accordance with Section 8.2.

10.4. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

10.5. Waiver. The failure of either party to enforce any right or provision of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

10.6. Notices. All notices under this Agreement shall be delivered through the NextName platform’s messaging system or via email to the contact addresses on file for each party’s account. Notices to NextName shall be sent to legal@nextname.io.

10.7. Assignment. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party and NextName, except that a School may assign this Agreement to a successor institution in the event of a merger or reorganization.

Contact Information

For questions about this Agreement:

  • General inquiries: support@nextname.io
  • Legal questions: legal@nextname.io
  • Compliance concerns: compliance@nextname.io

NextName, Inc. nextname.io

Version 1.0.0 — Pending legal review.

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