Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using the USN website at usn.network, the USN mobile application, or any related services (collectively, the Platform), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree to these terms, you may not use the Platform. USN is operated by Deckard Enterprise International LLC, based in Kansas, United States.

2. Platform Purpose and Mission

USN (Unfiltered Sports Network) is a media and content platform dedicated exclusively to women's sports. The Platform provides athlete-authored stories, journals, scores, rankings, athlete profiles, collegiate coverage, and related content. USN exists to give female athletes a direct, unfiltered voice to fans without editorial interference from sponsors, teams, agents, or media filters. This mission is permanent and non-negotiable. USN will never pivot away from women's sports.

3. Accounts and Registration

You may create a free account on the Platform. By creating an account you represent that all information you provide is accurate, current, and complete, and that you will maintain and promptly update your account information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must be at least 13 years of age to create an account. Users under the age of 18 should review these Terms with a parent or guardian before creating an account. By creating an account you confirm that you meet this age requirement. Athlete verification has its own, separate requirements — see Section 4.

USN reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account at any time for violation of these Terms, for conduct that USN determines in its sole discretion is harmful to the Platform, other users, or USN's mission, or for any other reason with or without notice.

4. Athlete Verification

Athletes may apply for verified status on the Platform. Athlete verification confirms your identity as a real, credible athlete and unlocks story submission, profile features, and referral program participation. By submitting a verification application you confirm that all information provided is accurate, that you are the athlete described, and that you consent to USN verifying your identity using the information provided.

False, misleading, or fraudulent verification applications will be rejected and may result in permanent ineligibility. USN reserves the right to reject any application for any reason and to revoke verified status at any time.

Athletes never pay fees to apply for verification, to publish content, or to participate on the Platform. This is a permanent platform rule.

5. Athlete Content and Intellectual Property

Athletes retain full ownership of the stories, journals, and other content they submit to the Platform. By submitting content to USN, you grant USN a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to publish, display, distribute, archive, promote, and otherwise use your submitted content on the Platform and in connection with USN's mission, marketing, and promotional activities. This license continues for as long as your content remains on the Platform.

An athlete may revoke this license at any time by submitting a written revocation request to legal@usn.network. USN will remove the content from the Platform within 30 days of receiving a valid written revocation request. Revocation does not affect any use of the content that occurred prior to the revocation date. USN reserves the right to retain archival copies as required by applicable law or legal hold obligations.

You represent and warrant that you own or have the necessary rights to submit all content you provide, that your content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, that your content does not contain defamatory, harassing, threatening, or unlawful material, that your content does not violate any person's privacy rights, and that your content complies with applicable NIL rules and regulations if you are a collegiate athlete.

USN publishes athlete stories as submitted. USN does not edit, alter, or modify athlete content. Athletes are solely responsible for the accuracy, quality, and legality of their submitted content. USN reserves the right to remove content that violates these Terms or applicable law.

All USN trademarks, logos, branding, the Beacon Mark, website content, app content, design, and platform infrastructure are owned by Deckard Enterprise International LLC and may not be used without express written permission.

6. Collegiate Athletes and NIL Compliance

Collegiate athletes who participate on the Platform are solely responsible for ensuring that their participation, any content they submit, and any compensation they receive through the Platform complies with their institution's NIL policies, conference rules, and applicable NCAA, NAIA, or other governing body regulations. USN does not provide NIL compliance advice and makes no representations regarding the eligibility or compliance of any athlete's participation on the Platform.

Collegiate athletes who participate in USN's Athlete Referral Program are responsible for disclosing any resulting compensation to their institution's compliance office as required by their institution's policies. By enrolling in the Athlete Referral Program, collegiate athletes confirm that they have reviewed their institution's NIL reporting requirements and accept sole responsibility for any required disclosures.

Before each individual referral payout is issued to a collegiate athlete, USN requires a separate electronic acknowledgment confirming current NIL compliance. Payment will not be released until this acknowledgment is received. This requirement applies to every payout regardless of prior acknowledgments.

7. Athlete Referral Program

Verified athletes may participate in USN's Athlete Referral Program. When a sponsor signs a qualifying annual sponsorship agreement with USN using a verified athlete's referral code, USN pays that athlete 50% of the qualifying net sponsorship amount attributable to the applicable 90-day referral window — not 50% of the full annual contract value. Because sponsor agreements are signed annually, the annual contract value is pro-rated to a monthly figure (annual value divided by 12) to determine how much of that value falls within the 90-day referral window, and the athlete's 50% payout is calculated against that pro-rated 90-day amount, not the contract total. Net amount is calculated after Stripe payment processing fees and any applicable refunds or chargebacks. Processing fees are mandatory and non-negotiable. All fee calculations are disclosed at the time of payout.

The referral payout applies to the initial sponsor contract only. Sponsor renewals, extensions, or subsequent contracts do not qualify for a new referral payout regardless of whether the same referral code is presented. One referral payout per sponsor, per athlete, permanently.

All referral payouts are subject to a mandatory 90-day hold period from the sponsor payment date. No payout will be issued until the sponsor has maintained an active account for 90 consecutive days. If the sponsor cancels their contract within the 90-day satisfaction guarantee window for any reason, the athlete's referral payout is voided entirely. No partial payout will be issued for cancellations within this period.

After the 90-day hold period has cleared, the athlete's earned referral payout will be issued regardless of the athlete's current athletic status. Retirement, career change, inactivity, or removal from the Platform does not void an earned payout once the 90-day hold has been satisfied.

Referral program eligibility requires verified athlete status in good standing at the time the sponsor payment is received. Referral payouts may be withheld or forfeited in cases of fraud, misrepresentation, or violation of these Terms.

Athletes are independent contractors, not employees of USN or Deckard Enterprise International LLC. Receiving a referral payout does not create an employment relationship of any kind. Athletes are solely responsible for all tax obligations arising from referral payments, including federal and state income tax and self-employment tax where applicable. USN does not provide tax advice. USN is required by law to report payments of $600 or more in a calendar year to the Internal Revenue Service and will issue a Form 1099-NEC where required. A completed IRS Form W-9 must be provided before any payment will be issued. Failure to provide a W-9 will result in mandatory backup withholding as required by federal law.

Founding Athletes (the first 10 verified athletes per sport) receive permanent Founding Athlete recognition on the Platform. This recognition has no independent monetary value and does not guarantee any specific financial benefit beyond referral program participation.

8. Athlete Payout Methods and Fees

During USN's founding phase, paper check is the standard payout method for all athlete referral payments. Electronic payment options are available upon request and are subject to processing fees which will be deducted from the gross payout amount. Fee disclosure will be provided before any payment method selection is confirmed.

Current electronic payment fee structure: PayPal transfers are subject to a 2.9% plus $0.30 processing fee deducted from the payout. Stripe electronic payments are subject to a 2.9% plus $0.30 processing fee deducted from the payout. Paper check carries no processing fee. ACH bank transfer is planned for a future release at no fee.

USN works on net revenue, not gross. All payout calculations are based on net amounts after payment processing fees, refunds, and chargebacks have been deducted from sponsor payments received.

9. Sponsorship Terms

Sponsors who participate on the Platform agree that their sponsorship supports athlete visibility and platform operations only. Sponsors have no editorial control over the Platform or over athlete content. Sponsors cannot edit, approve, suppress, influence, or rank athlete stories, journals, or other content. This restriction is absolute and permanent.

All sponsorships are subject to USN review including brand safety, mission alignment, and platform suitability. USN reserves the right to reject any sponsorship application for any reason.

Sponsorship contracts are annual. Refunds for early cancellation are not automatic. They are considered at USN's discretion on a case-by-case basis, as described in the Sponsor Refund Policy. The $500 “It's Okay to Not Be Okay” add-on, where purchased, is a separate flat fee and is non-refundable.

Sponsors who violate these Terms or whose conduct USN determines is inconsistent with the Platform's mission may have their sponsorship terminated without refund.

10. Sponsor Tier Pricing and Business Size Certification

USN uses a tiered pricing model for sponsorships based on business size. Pricing tiers are defined as follows: Small businesses have fewer than 50 employees; Medium businesses have between 50 and 500 employees; Large businesses have more than 500 employees. Sponsors select their own business size tier at the time of application. By selecting a tier, the sponsor certifies that their business meets the definition of that tier as of the date of application.

Within each business size tier, sponsors choose a package level: Community, Feature, Sport, or Founding. Each package level determines the pages and placements where the sponsor's logo appears, as described on the Sponsors page. All package levels are sold on a 12-month contract only. Where a placement slot is shared among multiple sponsors, USN limits that slot to a maximum of five sponsor logos.

By submitting a sponsorship application, sponsors electronically confirm that the business size information they have provided is accurate, truthful, and made in good faith. Intentional misrepresentation of business size to obtain a lower pricing tier constitutes fraud. USN reserves the right to investigate the accuracy of any business size certification at any time. If USN determines that a sponsor has intentionally misrepresented their business size, USN may immediately terminate the sponsorship without refund, recover the difference between the rate paid and the correct tier rate for the full contract period, remove the sponsor from the Platform permanently, and pursue civil remedies available under applicable law. The sponsor's electronic confirmation of business size at the time of application constitutes a binding representation and may be used as evidence in any dispute or legal proceeding.

USN's tiered pricing structure may be updated periodically. Sponsors locked into an active contract are not subject to mid-contract pricing changes. New contracts or renewals are subject to pricing in effect at the time of signing.

11. Women-Owned Business Sponsor Program

USN offers a 25% discount on all sponsorship packages to certified women-owned businesses. This discount is a permanent program policy, not a promotional offer. To qualify, a business must be majority-owned (51% or more) by one or more women and must provide a valid women-owned business certification from an accepted certifying body, including but not limited to WBENC, the SBA Women-Owned Small Business program, or an equivalent state-issued certification.

By applying under the Women-Owned Business program, the applicant certifies that their business meets the eligibility requirements, that the certification document submitted is authentic and current, and that all information provided is accurate. Intentional misrepresentation of women-owned business status to obtain a discounted sponsorship constitutes fraud. If USN determines that a sponsor has fraudulently claimed women-owned business status, USN may immediately terminate the sponsorship without refund, recover the full undiscounted sponsorship amount for the contract period, remove the sponsor from the Platform permanently, and pursue civil remedies available under applicable law.

Women-owned business certifications are subject to review and approval by USN before any discount is applied. Submission of a certification document does not guarantee approval. USN reserves the right to request additional verification at any time.

12. Equity Partner Program

The USN Equity Partner Program allows individuals and organizations to contribute to USN's mission at various tiers. Equity Partner contributions support USN's operations and fund allocations to USN's approved list of women's sports causes. Contributors may select their preferred cause from USN's curated cause list at the time of contribution.

Equity Partner contributions are not currently tax-deductible. USN is not a registered 501(c)(3) organization. The USN Foundation is planned for a future phase of development.

Equity Partner logo display size on the USN Equity Partners page is determined by total year-to-date contribution amount. Display tiers and corresponding logo sizes are defined in USN's Equity Partner display policy, which is subject to change with reasonable notice.

Equity Partner contributions are non-refundable except at USN's sole discretion.

14. Fan Pass Subscriptions

Fan Pass subscriptions provide access to premium content on the Platform. Subscriptions renew automatically until canceled. Cancellation stops future renewal but does not automatically create a refund for the current billing period. All subscription payments are processed via Stripe and subject to USN's Refund Policy.

Fan Pass is available at $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year — 8 months' worth for 12, a 33% saving over paying monthly.

15. Content Advisory and Parental Guidance

USN is intended for users 13 years of age and older. You must be at least 13 years old to create an account or purchase a Fan Pass subscription. Users under the age of 18 should review these Terms with a parent or guardian before creating an account.

Content on USN is written directly by verified athletes and reflects their authentic voice. USN does not pre-screen, censor, or edit athlete-authored stories for language, mature themes, or subject matter. Athlete content may occasionally include strong language, descriptions of physical injury or illness, discussions of mental health challenges, and other mature themes appropriate to the realities of professional athletic life.

USN does not filter content unless it violates our Community Standards, which prohibit harassment, hate speech, threats, explicit sexual content, and illegal material. Athletes are solely responsible for the content they submit. Parents and guardians are encouraged to review USN content alongside younger users.

If you encounter content that you believe violates USN's Community Standards, please report it to support@usn.network.

16. Payments and Billing

All payments on the Platform are processed by Stripe. USN does not store full credit card or banking information. By making a payment you agree to Stripe's terms of service in addition to these Terms. Payment processor fees, bank fees, chargeback fees, and other third-party fees may not be refundable.

Recurring payments will be charged automatically on their renewal date until canceled. You are responsible for ensuring your payment method remains valid. USN reserves the right to suspend access to paid features if payment fails.

17. Unclaimed Payments

Referral payments that cannot be delivered due to inaccurate or missing payment information will be held for 180 days. USN will make reasonable attempts to contact the athlete during this period. If a payment remains unclaimed after 365 days from the original payment date, USN will handle it in accordance with applicable state unclaimed property laws, which may include remittance to the relevant state authority.

18. Payment Disputes

Any dispute regarding a referral payment calculation must be submitted in writing to USN within 30 days of the payment date or expected payment date. Submit disputes to support@usn.network with the subject line Payment Dispute. USN will review and respond within 14 business days. USN's determination is final subject to applicable law.

19. External Content and Stories Aggregation

USN may display externally sourced sports news and stories. For external content USN displays an original AI-written one-sentence summary and an outbound link to the source. USN does not reproduce full external articles. USN is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or availability of external content.

20. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to use the Platform to submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information, to impersonate any person or entity, to harass, threaten, or harm other users, to scrape, copy, or redistribute Platform content without permission, to attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform or its infrastructure, to use the Platform for any unlawful purpose, or to interfere with the Platform's operation or security.

21. Record Retention

USN retains financial and tax records for a minimum of seven years as required by applicable law. Contracts and legal agreements are retained permanently. Personal data is retained in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Athletes may request deletion of personal data subject to these retention obligations.

22. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Platform is provided on an as-is and as-available basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. USN does not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components. USN does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content on the Platform.

23. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, USN and Deckard Enterprise International LLC shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising from your use of or inability to use the Platform, even if USN has been advised of the possibility of such damages. USN's total liability to you for any claim arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform shall not exceed the amount you paid to USN in the twelve months preceding the claim.

24. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Kansas, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Kansas.

For disputes involving athlete referral payments, please first use the payment dispute process described in Section 15 before initiating any legal proceeding.

25. Changes to These Terms

USN reserves the right to update these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated to registered users by email or by prominent notice on the Platform. Changes to payout methods, fees, or the referral program will be communicated with at least 30 days notice before taking effect. Continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

26. Charitable Giving

USN may donate a portion of annual profits to third-party organizations at its sole discretion. Recipient organizations are subject to change without notice. Sponsors and users have no influence over recipient selection. Donation amounts are not guaranteed and depend on platform profitability.

27. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

USN (Unfiltered Sports Network)
Operated by Deckard Enterprise International LLC
Kansas, United States
legal@usn.network