The Basics – Booster Defined
A booster is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer, NIL Collective), or other organization that is known to:
- Hold or have ever held season tickets for any Virginia Tech sport.
- Are or have been a member of an organization promoting VT Athletics (e.g., Hokie Club, Alumni Association, sport-specific booster club).
- Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or a booster organization.
- Have provided benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families (e.g., financial assistance, transportation, equipment).
- Have provided allowable benefits (e.g., approved employment or NIL opportunities, occasional meals) to student-athletes.
- Promote Virginia Tech Athletics in any way.
Once a booster, always a booster. Booster status is permanent, regardless of whether you remain active or continue to give.
Extra Benefits
Even in the age of revenue sharing and NIL, boosters must remember that the long-standing NCAA rules on extra benefits still apply which includes any gift or special arrangement provided to a current or prospective student-athlete (or their family/friends) that is not available to the general student body or public.
NIL and revenue sharing do not turn these benefits into permissible conduct. When in doubt, ask Compliance first.
Examples:
- Use of a vehicle.
- Admission to events.
- Cash or loans.
- Free/reduced-cost services, housing, or goods.
- Payment of bills.
- Awards or meals outside approved settings.
Prospective Student-Athletes (PSAs)
Only coaches and authorized staff may recruit PSAs. A PSA is anyone who has started classes in the ninth grade, including transfer students who are listed in the Transfer Portal.
Permissible Booster Activities:
- Continue contact with a PSA who is an established family friend or neighbor (relationship must pre-date ninth grade).
- View a PSA’s game on your own initiative.
- Receive a call from a PSA if they initiate it and it’s not for recruiting purposes.
- Forward information about a PSA to VT coaches.
Impermissible Booster Activities:
- Contacting PSAs, their families, or coaches to promote VT.
- Assisting with talent evaluation at a coach’s request.
- Hosting or providing benefits/meals to PSAs or their families.
Examples of Impermissible Benefits to PSAs:
- Use of an automobile or transportation.
- Admission to events (athletic, entertainment, etc.).
- Cash, loans, or gifts.
- Free/reduced-cost services, housing, or goods.
- Payment of bills or provision of meals outside your home.
- NIL offers or other inducement designed to secure enrollment at VT.
Enrolled Student-Athletes (SAs)
Boosters may not provide extra benefits to current SAs. An extra benefit is any arrangement not available to the general student body or public.
Permissible Booster Activities:
- Employ SAs in accordance with NCAA/VT rules.
- Provide or arrange NIL activities consistent with NCAA rules and VT protocols.
- Provide a meal to an individual SA or the entire team on infrequent and special occasions. These meals may occur at the booster’s home, a local restaurant, or in conjunction with away competition, but must receive prior Compliance approval.
- Speak with SAs at public events.
Impermissible Benefits to SAs:
- NIL offers designed to secure enrollment at VT or reward athletic achievements.
- Use of a vehicle or transportation.
- Admission to events (athletic, entertainment, etc.).
- Cash or loans of any amount, including co-signing of loans.
- Gifts of any kind, including those on special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, graduation, etc.
- Free/reduced-cost services, housing, storage or goods.
- Payment of bills or utilities.
- Academic assistance outside VT resources.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
May a booster receive a ticket to an athletic event from a current student-athlete?
No. At Virginia Tech, boosters are not permitted to receive a complimentary admission or to purchase a ticket from a current student-athlete or their family members.
May a booster purchase a photo or item that belongs to a current student-athlete or is signed by a current student-athlete?
Yes with conditions. Boosters may purchase autographed photos of student-athletes at fair market value. Any VT equipment or apparel is state property and is not permissible for the student-athlete to sell unless they have exhausted their eligibility and retained ownership of the item. Autographed equipment or apparel not issued by VT may be purchased from the student-athlete at fair market value. Any permissible items purchased by a booster at $600 or more must be reported through the NIL Go platform.
May a booster speak with a student-athlete at an athletic event or banquet?
Yes. Communication with current student-athletes at an athletic event or banquet is always allowed.
May a booster provide a student-athlete with a nominal gift for a special event (e.g., birthday, holiday, wedding, finals week, graduation, etc.)?
No. Provision of any gift, including a gift of nominal value, is considered an extra benefit under NCAA rules and receipt of such benefits can jeopardize the eligibility of the student- athlete.
May a booster host a meal for current student-athletes?
Yes. A booster may host a meal on an occasional basis for any number of current student-athletes provided the meal is approved by the Virginia Tech Athletics Compliance Office prior to occurring. Meals may be hosted in the booster’s home, local restaurants or in a Virginia Tech Athletics facility regularly used for team meals.
Employment of Student-Athletes
Employment is permissible if:
- SA is paid only for work performed.
- Pay rate is commensurate with local market rates.
- Pay is not tied to athletic performance or enrollment.
- Job is registered with Compliance before starting.
- Employer confirms SA’s employment with Compliance.
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)
Recent Changes:
The 2025 House v. NCAA settlement introduced a national NIL clearinghouse (NIL Go), new reporting thresholds, and clarified that boosters may engage in NIL only for legitimate business purposes at fair market value. All significant NIL agreements must now be reported and may be subject to review.
Booster Guidelines:
- You may do NIL deals with VT SAs or PSAs only for bona fide advertising/marketing to the general public, at fair market value for goods/services offered to the general public.
- All third-party NIL agreements are subject to review by NIL Go.
- SAs must report third-party NIL of $600+ (aggregate) within five days of execution of the agreement.
- NIL compensation tied to athletic performance, achievement, or enrollment/attendance at VT is prohibited.
- VT marks/logos/uniforms cannot be used in NIL without University approval.
- No NIL activities may occur during official team or academic activities.
- Agents/attorneys must register with the Compliance Office.
- SAs may not participate in NIL activities that involve a prohibited item or substance listed in the Virginia Tech NIL protocol.
NIL Q&A
Q: May a booster or fan enter into an agreement with a VT student-athlete (“SA”) for the use of their name, image, or likeness in exchange for money, goods or services?
Yes. Before entering such a contract, the proposed agreement or activity must be submitted through NIL Go if the value is $600 or more.
Q: May VT employees assist me with arranging for student athletes to utilize their NIL for compensation with my business, etc.?
Yes .
Q: Does VT assist SAs with NIL-related issues?
Yes. VT will have resources and programming to educate student athletes in how to maximize the use of their NIL for compensation, as well as understanding associated issues (e.g., financial literacy, debt management, time management, budgeting, academic resources, taxation).
Q: May an SA receive NIL-compensation for their athletic performance or participation at VT?
No.
Q: Are there limitations on the compensation or opportunities that can be provided to a SA for use of their NIL?
Yes. Compensation for NIL use shall be fair market value as determined by NIL Go. Additionally, SAs are not permitted to enter into an endorsement contract, or otherwise receive compensation, from any of the following categories or brands:
- Casinos or gambling, including sports betting;
- Alcohol products;
- Adult entertainment;
- Cannabis, cannabinoids, cannabidiol, or other derivatives;
- Dangerous or controlled substances;
- Performance enhancing drugs or substances;
- Drug paraphernalia;
- Tobacco and electronic smoking products and devices; and
- Weapons, including firearms and ammunition;
- Any substances not listed above that appear on the NCAA banned substances list.
Q: Can VT’s marks, logos or other intellectual property be used in a proposed NIL-contract with a VT SA (e.g., SA filming endorsement ad while wearing VT hat or jersey)?
No.
Q: May a booster enter into an NIL agreement with a prospective student-athlete (“PSA”)?
Yes. Boosters may enter NIL agreements with PSA’s if the deal serves a valid business purpose (promoting goods or services to the general public for profit with real deliverables), provides fair market value compensation as determined through NIL Go, and is not offered as an inducement to attend a specific school. While such deals are permitted, they must be legitimate, market-rate, and completely unrelated to recruiting to avoid NCAA violations.
Q: May a contract for NIL compensation stipulate that an SA must compete for, or attend, VT (or any other NCAA member school)?
No. This type of arrangement could impact a student-athlete’s eligibility.
Q: What actions will I need to do when entering into an NIL agreement with a student-athlete?
When working with a student-athlete on an NIL deal, payors should be prepared provide the student-athlete with a contract or document that clearly outlines the deal terms, including compensation and obligations. The student-athlete will be required to upload a copy of this when they enter their deal in NIL Go.
WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK!
NCAA Rules – Top 10 Things to Know
- VT is accountable for booster actions.
- You may share PSA info with VT coaches.
- Continue pre-existing personal relationships only if unrelated to athletics.
- No recruiting PSAs.
- No arranging money or benefits for PSAs/SAs.
- Boosters may enter into NIL agreements with SAs and PSAs subject to applicable rules.
- NIL Agreements must be submitted and approved by NIL Go.
- Violations can cause loss of athletic eligibility.
- Boosters retain their status indefinitely.
- Always ask before you act.
Contact Compliance Before You Act:
(540) 231-2696 • VTCompliance@vt.edu
hokiesports.com/compliance
Hokie Club