Terms of Service

AthleteForge Inc. ("Company", "we", "us") operates the AthleteForge marketplace platform at athleteforge.com. We connect collegiate and professional athletes with brands and agents to facilitate Name, Image, and Likeness ("NIL") deals, sponsorships, and endorsements.

AthleteForge does not itself employ athletes, guarantee income, or act as a sports agent. We provide technology infrastructure to connect parties and facilitate transactions.

2.1 Age Requirement

You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account independently. Users between 13–17 may only use the Platform with verifiable parental or guardian consent. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.

2.2 NCAA / Governing Body Compliance

Collegiate athlete users are solely responsible for ensuring their use of this Platform and any NIL agreements comply with applicable NCAA rules, conference rules, and institutional policies. AthleteForge is not a substitute for legal or compliance advice — consult your institution's compliance office before entering any NIL agreement.

2.3 Account Registration

You agree to provide accurate information during registration and to keep it updated. You are responsible for all activity under your account. Notify us at support@athleteforge.com immediately if you suspect unauthorized access.

AthleteForge grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use the Platform for your personal or internal business purposes.

3.1 For Athletes

• Create a public profile showcasing your name, image, sport, stats, and social reach.
• Browse and apply to brand campaign opportunities.
• Negotiate and execute NIL agreements with brands.
• Receive payments for completed NIL deliverables.
• Access state-specific NIL compliance guidance.

3.2 For Brands

• Create and manage NIL campaign listings.
• Browse athlete profiles and send partnership proposals.
• Manage agreements, deliverables, and payment milestones.
• Access campaign analytics and ROI reporting.

3.3 Platform Fees

AthleteForge charges a 15% platform fee on brand-to-athlete deals, paid by the brand on top of the agreed payout. Deal funds are charged into escrow when the contract is countersigned, released to the athlete's AthleteForge balance when the brand confirms delivery, and transferred on request to the athlete's (or, for athletes under 18, their guardian's) connected bank payout account or Venmo account. Venmo payouts are sent through PayPal; an unclaimed Venmo payout is returned after 30 days and the balance restored. Each withdrawal carries a 4% withdrawal fee deducted from the amount withdrawn, with a $10 minimum withdrawal. Fan tips and subscriptions carry a 5% platform fee. Standard Stripe processing fees (2.9% + $0.30) apply to all transactions. We reserve the right to adjust fees with no less than 30 days written notice. Fee changes will not apply retroactively to existing agreements.

Your photo, your Athlete Card, and shared media. Photos you add appear on a public Athlete Card that anyone with the link can view, and that can be shared as an image, GIF, or short video. By adding a photo you confirm you have the right to use it and that everyone identifiable in it consents. For an athlete under 18, a parent or guardian must approve the use of the athlete's name, image, and likeness; a minor's Card and share media are withheld until that guardian likeness release is on file, and are removed if it is revoked. If you do not want a photo used, do not add it. You can remove a photo at any time from your profile, and anyone can request removal of media through our media removal form. Optional-format cutout background removal runs on your own device, so the original photo is not uploaded to us or any third party for that step.

How we treat you. We never send cold texts or emails on an athlete's behalf, and we never imply that a teammate or classmate has joined. Every message you receive from AthleteForge is one you opted into, and every notification can be turned off in one tap from Settings. Brands can only contact athletes who have marked themselves open to sponsorship, and brands and recruiters cannot message athletes under 18 at all — offers to minors go to the parent or guardian.

All payments are final. There is no refund process. Once a brand funds a deal, the funds are held in escrow and released to the athlete when the brand confirms delivery; the 15% platform fee is earned at funding and is not refundable. Withdrawal fees are deducted at the time of withdrawal and are not refundable. If a brand believes deliverables were not met, it should not confirm delivery and should contact support before the release; disputes are resolved between the parties under the contract, not by refund from AthleteForge. Fan tips and subscriptions are likewise non-refundable; subscriptions can be cancelled at any time and simply stop renewing.

Any NIL agreement entered through the Platform is a direct contract between the Athlete and the Brand. AthleteForge is not a party to any NIL agreement and does not guarantee payment, performance, or legality of any deal.

4.1 Athlete Obligations

• Accurately represent your NIL, social media statistics, and athletic credentials.
• Disclose all NIL agreements to your institution's compliance office as required.
• Ensure sponsored content includes required FTC disclosures (#ad, #sponsored).
• Deliver agreed-upon content, appearances, or services as specified.
• Report NIL earnings accurately for tax purposes (you may receive a 1099-NEC if earnings exceed $600).

4.2 Brand Obligations

• Comply with applicable advertising and consumer protection laws.
• Pay athletes the agreed compensation on time and in full.
• Obtain permissions before using athlete likenesses beyond the agreed scope.
• Not engage student-athletes whose use would violate their institutional rules.

5.1 AthleteForge Proprietary Rights

The Platform, including its software, design, logos, and "AthleteForge" / "AF" marks, is owned by AthleteForge Inc. and protected by U.S. and international copyright, trademark, and trade secret laws. You may not reproduce or modify any part of the Platform without our prior written consent.

5.2 User Content

You retain all ownership rights in content you post. By posting, you grant AthleteForge a worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, display, and distribute your content solely to operate and improve the Platform. This licence ends when you delete your content or account.

5.3 DMCA Copyright Notices

To report copyright infringement, send a written DMCA notice to: legal@athleteforge.com. Your notice must include your signature, identification of the work, location of the infringing material, your contact information, and a statement of good faith belief.

You agree NOT to:

• Post false or misleading information about yourself or your credentials.
• Harass, threaten, or harm any other user.
• Attempt to access another user's account without authorization.
• Scrape or data-mine the Platform without written consent.
• Use the Platform to facilitate any unlawful transaction.
• Reverse-engineer or attempt to extract the Platform's source code.
• Use automated bots or scripts to interact with the Platform.
• Post content that is obscene, defamatory, or infringes third-party rights.

Your use of the Platform is governed by our Privacy Policy, incorporated by reference into these Terms. By using the Platform, you consent to the data practices described there.

Payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. AthleteForge does not hold or guarantee funds. You are solely responsible for all tax obligations arising from payments received. AthleteForge may issue IRS Form 1099-NEC to athletes who receive $600 or more in a calendar year.

You agree to defend and hold harmless AthleteForge, its officers, directors, and employees from any claims arising out of your violation of these Terms, your User Content, or your violation of any third-party rights.

12.1 Informal Resolution

Before formal proceedings, contact us at legal@athleteforge.com and give us 30 days to attempt informal resolution.

12.2 Binding Arbitration

Disputes shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the AAA under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, conducted in English in the State of Delaware.

12.3 Class Action Waiver

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to conflict of laws provisions.

AthleteForge may suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these Terms. You may close your account at any time by contacting support@athleteforge.com.

• Entire Agreement: These Terms and our Privacy Policy are the complete agreement between you and AthleteForge.
• Severability: If any provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.
• Assignment: You may not assign your rights. AthleteForge may assign freely.
• Changes: We may modify these Terms at any time. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.
• Contact: legal@athleteforge.com