Parent guide
You stay in charge. Your family keeps 100%.
AthleteForge helps Colorado families find hometown sponsors for their high school athlete, and handles the CHSAA paperwork. Here's exactly how it works.
Parent control
Every decision goes through you.
You own the account
A parent or guardian signs up and adds the athlete. Payouts go to the parent's Stripe account, never the minor's.
Nothing goes public without you
A minor's Card stays unpublished until you sign the media release. You can unpublish it any time from My Athletes.
You co-sign every deal
Your athlete can't accept a sponsor alone. You read the contract and co-sign, or say no.
Your AD hears from you
After you co-sign, one click sends the athletic director a deal packet. We count down the 10 days for you.
How money moves
The deal amount is what you get.
The business pays the deal plus our 15% fee in one card payment. The full deal amount goes to the parent's Stripe account and is released to your bank once the work is done. No payout fees, no subscription.
| Business agrees to | $100 deal |
|---|---|
| Our 15% fee, paid by the business | + $15 |
| Business pays | $115 |
| Your family receives | $100 |
The rules in 30 seconds
Keep the school out of it, and tell your AD.
- No school or district names, logos, uniforms, mascots or facilities in the content.
- No money from the school, booster clubs, boosters or collectives.
- No pay for wins, stats or playing time, and no recruiting incentives.
- No agent managing your athlete's athletic career.
- Tell the athletic director within 10 days of signing.
FAQ
Questions parents ask.
- What does it cost?
- Nothing for families. The business pays our 15% fee on top of the deal amount, and Stripe's processing fee comes out of our share, not yours.
- What kind of deals are typical?
- Small, local ones: a social post for a pizza place, gear from a sporting goods store, a season sponsorship from a family business. Our starter packages run from $50 to $250.
- Does my athlete need a lot of followers?
- No. There's no follower minimum. Local businesses sponsor kids from their community, and any sport counts.
- When do we get paid?
- The business pays when the deal is signed. The money waits in the parent's Stripe account until the business confirms the work is done, then it's sent to your bank.
- What if the business backs out?
- If a deal is cancelled before the money is released, the business can be refunded. Your athlete isn't on the hook for work that wasn't done.
- Can the business use my athlete's school or team?
- No. CHSAA rules don't allow school names, logos, uniforms, mascots or facilities in NIL content. Our contract includes a high school rules clause that says so.
- Does this affect college eligibility?
- High school NIL that follows your state's rules generally doesn't, but rules differ by college division. Ask the college's compliance office if you're unsure.
- Do we have to pay taxes on NIL money?
- NIL income is usually taxable. Keep records of every deal and ask a tax professional.
- Can we delete everything?
- Yes. You can unpublish the Card any time, and you can ask us to delete the account and remove photos or videos. Email support@athleteforge.com.