LSU Under CSC Investigation for Unreported NIL Deal
BATON ROUGE - LSU is officially under investigation by the College Sports Commission (CSC) for a potential violation of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) regulations, stemming from at least one unreported NIL deal by a student-athlete, according to multiple reports.
Right now, the details are thin. The CSC hasn’t confirmed which sport is involved, and reports indicate that LSU’s football program is not part of the inquiry. Still, the issue centers on a student-athlete allegedly failing to report an NIL deal - a misstep that, under current rules, could put the university in violation of compliance standards set by the CSC.
This marks the first publicly known investigation launched by the CSC since its creation, although it’s far from the only school on the commission’s radar. Several universities have reportedly received letters of inquiry recently, tied to concerns that student-athletes may not be properly disclosing NIL agreements.
To understand the backdrop here, it helps to look at how the CSC came into play. The commission was formed following the House settlement last summer - a landmark decision that opened the door for schools to share revenue directly with student-athletes.
As part of that shift, the NIL Go clearinghouse was introduced to oversee and approve NIL deals valued at $600 or more. Every deal must have a legitimate business purpose and fall within what’s considered a reasonable compensation range.
The CSC’s role? Acting as the regulatory watchdog, ensuring that schools and student-athletes alike are staying within the lines - especially when it comes to third-party contracts and how money flows through these new NIL channels.
LSU, for its part, is cooperating.
“We have been in regular communication with the CSC since the organization's formation and appreciate their ongoing collaboration and guidance,” LSU spokesperson Zach Greenwell said in a statement. “We anticipate this specific inquiry will be resolved shortly. We will not comment further on regulatory matters."
Under NIL rules, it's the responsibility of student-athletes - or their representatives - to report deals to the NIL Go platform. Once submitted, the clearinghouse verifies that the agreement is legitimate and meets compliance standards. If a deal goes unreported, even unintentionally, it can trigger a compliance review like this one.
While this investigation is still in its early stages, it underscores just how complex the NIL era has become. Schools are navigating a fast-evolving landscape, and even a single misstep - intentional or not - can put a program under scrutiny. For LSU, this is a moment to tighten the screws on internal oversight and ensure all student-athletes are crystal clear on their reporting responsibilities.
As the CSC continues to establish its authority in this new phase of college athletics, this case could become a bellwether for how NIL enforcement will play out across the country.