Terms of Service

Effective May 22, 2026 · Last updated May 22, 2026

DRAFT · PRE-LAUNCH

This document is a working draft. It has not yet been reviewed by licensed counsel. Athletic Estate, Inc. will republish a final version executed by counsel before opening paid accounts to the public. Do not rely on this draft for legal, tax, or financial decisions.

1. Acceptance

These Terms govern your access to and use of athleticestate.com, www.athleticestate.com, and any related applications, APIs, and services (collectively, the “Platform”) operated by Athletic Estate, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“AE,” “we,” “us”). By creating an account, claiming a Number, holding a Pass, or otherwise using the Platform, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy.

2. Two-entity structure

The Platform is operated jointly by two entities. Athletic Estate, Inc. is the for-profit operator of the commerce, payouts, and athlete-services surfaces. Athletic Estate Association (“AEA”)is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association that operates the Movement pillar, files policy positions, and administers the Shield membership. Sections referencing “the Floor,” “AEA Membership,” or “Movement filings” bind your relationship with AEA; all other sections bind your relationship with AE Inc.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to hold a Pass in your own name. A Minor Athlete (under 18) participates through a verified parent or guardian who holds the controlling Family Pass; the minor never enters into a contract directly with AE until they convert at age 18.

4. Passes

The Platform offers the following Pass types, each with its own activation criteria:

Guest. Read-only access to public surfaces. Auto-activated.
Fan. Free; activated on account creation.
Athlete. Subject to Admin verification of identity + athletic record.
Family. Subject to KYC + relationship-documentation review by AE.
Pro. Subject to credential verification (license / bar / agent registration). Requires a paid subscription ($50/month) and a current W-9.
Coach, Brand, Media, Institution, Promoter. Subject to AE verification appropriate to each role.

You may hold multiple Passes simultaneously. AE reserves the right to suspend any Pass for breach of these Terms or for facts coming to light that change verification status.

5. The Number, the Legacy Line, and the Royalty Pool

Each Athlete is associated with a Number on a Team. Revenue routed through AE on commerce attributable to that Number (MVP endorsements, qualifying Shop purchases, qualifying ticketing) is distributed per the published Money Engine waterfall: (a) Stripe processing fees, (b) AE platform take of ten percent (10%) of net, (c) the remaining 90% to the Athlete Pool, of which 80% is the Star Athlete Share and 20% is the Living Legacy Pool tenure-weighted across all prior holders of the same Number on the same Team who hold an active AE Pass. Unregistered prior holders do not dilute the pool until they register.

The Star/Legacy split, the AE platform percentage, and the Stripe pass-through are platform terms — not Athlete elections — and may be modified prospectively with thirty (30) days’ notice.

6. §409A Election

Athletes elect, from the published menu of options (0/100, 10/90, 25/75, 50/50, or a permitted custom percentage), how their Star Athlete Share is split between immediate income and deferred income subject to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. Elections may be changed during Open Enrollment (November 1 — December 31) only, and once changed lock for at least one year. Year-7 distributions begin paying down the deferred balance at four percent (4%) per year for twenty-five (25) years; the Year-7 schedule itself is fixed and not subject to Athlete election. AE does not provide tax advice; consult a qualified tax professional regarding the consequences of any election.

7. AEA Membership

Athletic Estate Association membership is annual, currently $25 USD per year, billed at sign-up and on each anniversary unless cancelled. Member benefits include the AEA Shield on the Player Card, the right to publish takes and comments on the Floor, and voting rights in AEA member governance once activated. Membership is non-refundable except where required by law. Membership may be revoked for conduct violating the AEA Code of Conduct; the relevant portion of fees for the unused period of a revoked membership will be refunded.

8. Pro Pass — Compliance, Conflicts, and the Athlete-Center Principle

Pro Pass holders subscribe at $50 USD per month and submit credentials covering at least one of: Financial (Series 65 or equivalent), Legal (Bar admission), Agent (players-association certification), or Life (state insurance producer license). The Pro is responsible for keeping credentials current, for running conflict-of-interest checks before accepting a routed Athlete, and for compliance with the laws of every jurisdiction in which the Pro practices.

Athlete-Center principle: AE bills the Pro, never the Athlete. Any side-billing of the Athlete by the Pro for AE-routed engagements is a material breach of these Terms and grounds for immediate Pro Pass revocation.

9. Family Pass — Minor Athletes

Guardians representing Minor Athletes are responsible for the Minor’s participation. Any income attributable to a Minor Athlete is routed to a parent / guardian / custodial structure designated by the Guardian. The Minor Athlete account converts to a self-controlled Athlete Pass at age 18 following a separate W-9 + identity verification.

10. Payments, payouts, taxes

Card payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. AE does not store full card numbers. Payouts to Athletes and Pros are made via Stripe Connect Express; you authorize AE to provide your information to Stripe to onboard you. You must complete IRS Form W-9 (or W-8 equivalent for non-U.S. persons) before AE will issue any payout to you, and you are responsible for taxes on amounts paid to you. AE issues IRS Form 1099-K and Form 1099-NEC where required.

11. Acceptable use

You agree not to: (a) impersonate any Athlete, family member, or Pro; (b) misrepresent your credentials; (c) misuse the Floor to harass, defame, or threaten; (d) attempt to extract bulk Athlete data, scrape, or reverse-engineer the Platform; (e) circumvent verification gates; (f) use the Platform to facilitate gambling or wagering on athletic events; (g) post content that infringes a third party’s rights or violates applicable law.

12. Intellectual property

AE retains all rights in the Platform’s software, branding, the AE Shield, the AEA Shield, and the Number Registry compilation. You retain rights in content you create and grant AE a worldwide, royalty-free license to host, display, and distribute that content on the Platform for so long as your account is active. AE will honor takedown requests under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; designated DMCA agent: dmca@athleticestate.com.

13. Disclaimers

The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.” AE disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. AE makes no warranty regarding the accuracy of athletic records, NIL valuations, or any third-party content. Information presented under “Train the Bag,” “GamePlan,” or by AI Cast characters is not financial, legal, tax, or medical advice.

14. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, AE and its affiliates will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, revenue, data, or goodwill. AE’s aggregate liability arising out of or related to these Terms will not exceed the greater of (a) one hundred U.S. dollars ($100) or (b) the amounts paid by you to AE in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

15. Dispute resolution — arbitration + class waiver

You and AE agree to resolve any dispute arising out of or related to these Terms by binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules, in Dallas, Texas. You waive any right to participate in a class action or class arbitration. Either party may bring an individual action in small-claims court for claims within that court’s jurisdiction. You have the right to opt out of this arbitration provision within thirty (30) days of accepting these Terms by sending written notice to legal@athleticestate.com.

16. Termination

You may close your account at any time from Settings. AE may suspend or terminate your account for breach of these Terms, for failure of required verification, or where required by law. On termination, vested earnings (including any deferred §409A balances) will be paid out under the applicable Year-7 schedule; AEA membership benefits cease prospectively.

17. Changes to these Terms

AE may modify these Terms; the “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be communicated by email and by in-platform notice at least thirty (30) days before they take effect. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

18. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. Subject to Section 15, the exclusive venue for any non-arbitrable claim is the state and federal courts located in Dallas County, Texas.

19. Contact

Athletic Estate, Inc. — hello@athleticestate.com
Legal — legal@athleticestate.com
DMCA — dmca@athleticestate.com