Terms of Service

1. Accounts and who can use CleatCam

• You must be 18 or older to create an account.
• A parent or legal guardian may create and manage an account for an athlete under 18. The parent or guardian is responsible for the account, for every booking and payment made with it, and for the athlete's use of CleatCam. Children under 13 may not create accounts, and we don't knowingly collect information from them.
• You agree to give accurate information, to keep it up to date, and to keep your password private. You're responsible for everything that happens on your account, whether or not you authorized it, until you tell us the account was compromised.
• One person, one account. Don't share accounts, sell them, or create a new account to get around a suspension.
• Photographers must be legally able to work in the United States and to receive payments. Our payment processor may ask them to verify their identity, address and bank account before any money is paid out. A photographer under 18 may use CleatCam with a parent or guardian who knows about the account, is responsible for it, and sets up the payout account in their own name.

2. What CleatCam is (and isn't)

CleatCam provides the tools: search, profiles, booking requests, messaging, payments held in escrow, photo delivery and reviews. CleatCam is not a photography business and doesn't take photos itself.

• Photographers are independent contractors. They aren't employees, agents, partners or joint venturers of CleatCam. Each photographer sets their own prices, availability, style and equipment, decides which bookings to accept, and is responsible for their own work, insurance, permits, licenses and taxes. Nothing in these terms creates an employment relationship, and photographers may not represent themselves as working for CleatCam.
• The contract for the shoot is between the athlete and the photographer. CleatCam isn't a party to it. We do, however, enforce the rules in these terms (refunds, holds, suspensions) that both sides agreed to.
• We don't vet photographers in person. We review reports and the photos they deliver, and our payment processor checks their identity and bank account before any money is paid out, but that isn't a background check, a guarantee of skill, or an endorsement. Reviews and portfolios are posted by users.
• Fields and venues aren't ours. We list public parks, complexes and stadiums for convenience. You're responsible for following each venue's, league's and tournament's rules, including any rules about photography and credentials.

3. Photographing minors

Many athletes on CleatCam are minors. Everyone on CleatCam agrees to the following, without exception.

• Consent. By booking a shoot for a minor, the parent or guardian confirms they have the authority to consent to the minor being photographed or filmed at that game, in public view, and to receive the photos.
• Public view only. Photographers may only photograph or film games, practices and events they were booked for, from areas open to spectators, and must follow the field, league and tournament rules. No locker rooms, changing areas, restrooms, vehicles or private spaces, ever.
• No private contact. Photographers may not contact a minor directly outside CleatCam, ask a minor for personal information, give a minor their own contact details, arrange to meet a minor alone, or transport a minor. All communication goes through CleatCam Messages with the parent or guardian's account.
• Delivered photos stay private. Photos of a minor delivered through CleatCam are for that booking only. Photographers may not sell, publish, share or reuse them (including in a portfolio, on social media, in advertising, or in stock libraries) without separate written permission from the parent or guardian. Permission can be withdrawn at any time for future use.
• Photographers' portfolios may only include identifiable minors with the parent or guardian's permission. We may remove any portfolio photo on request from a parent or guardian, without notice to the photographer.
• Other people's children. Game photos naturally include other players. Athletes may share their delivered photos for personal use, but no one may use a photo to target, identify or contact another child.
• Reports come first. Report any safety concern with the Report button. We review reports involving minors before anything else, may suspend accounts while we investigate, and may contact leagues, venues or law enforcement when we believe a child is at risk. We cooperate fully with law enforcement.

4. Photographer rules

• Your profile, portfolio, prices and availability must be accurate and your own. Only upload photos you took and have the right to show.
• Answer booking requests promptly. Requests you don't answer before the game expire.
• Show up on time for every booking you accept, with working equipment. If you can't make it, cancel from the booking as early as possible so the athlete gets a full refund and can find someone else. Repeated late cancellations or no-shows lead to suspension.
• Deliver edited photos through Photo Drop within 7 days after the game. If nothing is delivered by then, everyone who paid is refunded automatically and you aren't paid.
• Deliver what the package promised: the number of photos and the players covered.
• Keep all communication and payment on CleatCam (see sections 6 and 7). Taking a CleatCam athlete off the platform, or asking to be paid outside CleatCam, is grounds for permanent removal.
• You're responsible for your own taxes. Our payment processor may issue you tax forms where the law requires.
• You must have any insurance, permits or credentials your venues and leagues require. CleatCam doesn't provide them.
• You agree to the payment processor's (Stripe's) terms when you connect your bank account.

5. Athlete rules

• Enter accurate game details: field, date, time, team, jersey number and color. The photographer plans around them, and wrong details aren't a reason for a refund.
• Tell the photographer through Messages as soon as a game moves, is delayed or is cancelled.
• Pay through CleatCam only. Don't pay a CleatCam photographer in cash, by app, or in any other way outside CleatCam, even if asked. Payments outside CleatCam aren't protected by our refund rules.
• Reviews must be honest and about a real booking. We remove reviews that are fake, abusive, or about anything other than the shoot.
• For group bookings, the player who booked is responsible for sharing the invite link and for their own share. Each player (or their parent) pays their own share.

6. Bookings

• Every booking starts as a request. The photographer accepts or declines. Nothing is charged until they accept.
• Once accepted, the athlete pays within 24 hours, and at least 12 hours before the game (for games accepted closer than that, within the hour). The booking page shows the exact deadline. If it isn't paid by then, the booking is cancelled automatically and the time is released.
• Group bookings (packages priced per player): every player, including the one who booked, pays their own share through the invite link. The photographer's minimum must be covered 8 hours before the game, either by enough players paying or by the players who paid covering the missing spots. If it isn't covered, the booking is cancelled and everyone who paid is refunded in full. Only players who paid can see the photos.
• Messages before the game are preset. Chat uses a list of preset messages rather than free typing until the game ends, so contact details, links and offers to pay outside CleatCam can't be exchanged. This protects both sides and keeps minors safe. After the game, typing opens until one day after the photographer's last upload, so you can sort out the photos; typed messages are still screened for contact details and outside payments. Don't try to work around it.
• Bookings are for the game, time and field listed. Changing them requires both sides to agree in Messages (the "Suggest another time" message).

7. Payments and fees

• Athletes pay the photographer's price plus a 5% CleatCam service fee (at least $1 per payment; extra photo purchases have no minimum). When a photographer's discount code is used, the fee is figured on the regular price. The total is shown before you pay.
• Photographers receive their price minus a 10% CleatCam platform fee (5% for CleatCam Pro members). Fees may change with notice; the fee in effect when a booking is accepted applies to that booking.
• Escrow. CleatCam holds the athlete's payment until the photos are delivered to Photo Drop. CleatCam checks each delivery, then releases the payment to the photographer 24 hours after delivery, or sooner if the athlete confirms they received their photos. If we can't confirm the delivery is real, the athlete is refunded.
• When a package includes a set number of photos, the athlete picks which ones they get. Photographers may sell extra photos at a price they set; extras are paid on CleatCam and paid out right away.
• Payments are processed by Stripe. CleatCam never sees or stores full card or bank numbers. Photographers' payouts go to the bank account they connect through Stripe.
• Prices are in US dollars. You're responsible for any taxes that apply to you.
• Chargebacks. If you dispute a charge with your bank instead of using our refund process, we may pause your account until it's resolved, and we may recover the disputed amount and any fees from you if the dispute is found to be invalid. Please contact us first; our refund rules are usually faster.
• Off-platform payments are a serious breach. Either side arranging to pay or be paid outside CleatCam for a booking that started on CleatCam may be suspended or permanently removed, and loses the protection of our refund rules.

8. Cancellations and refunds

• Athletes: cancel any time up to 3 hours before kickoff and you get everything back except the card processing fee (about 3% of what you paid), which the card processor keeps whether or not a payment is refunded. If you cancel less than 3 hours before kickoff (for example, the game is called off at the field), the photographer keeps a show-up fee of 20% of the shoot price for holding the time and coming out, and you get the rest back.
• Photographers: if a photographer declines or cancels before the game, the athlete gets a full refund, card fee included. The photographer owes CleatCam that card fee, taken out of their next payout.
• No-shows and missing photos: if the photographer doesn't show up, report it from the booking and, once we confirm it, you get a full refund, service fee and card fee included. If photos aren't delivered within 7 days after the game, everyone who paid is refunded in full automatically. The photographer owes CleatCam the card fee in both cases, and a $10 no-show fee when we confirm they didn't show up, taken out of their next payout.
• After the game starts, bookings can't be cancelled. If something went wrong (the photographer left early, the photos aren't of your player, far fewer photos than promised), report it from the booking before the payment is released. We review reports and decide refunds case by case. When a refund is approved after the game and the photographer wasn't at fault, you get back what you paid minus CleatCam's fees.
• Quality: photography is subjective. We don't refund because you didn't like the style, lighting or editing when the photographer delivered what the package described. Check portfolios before booking.
• Weather and league cancellations: if the game is cancelled, use Messages to reschedule, or cancel (see the show-up fee above).
• Refunds go back to the original card. Your bank may take 5–10 business days to show them.
• Our decisions on refunds under these rules are final within CleatCam, but nothing stops you from the dispute process in section 16.

9. Photos and content

• Copyright stays with the photographer. When photos are delivered, the athlete (and their family) get a permanent, personal, non-commercial license to download, print and share them, for example on social media or for recruiting. Commercial use (selling, advertising, licensing) needs the photographer's permission.
• Photographers may use delivered photos in their own portfolio or marketing only with the athlete's (or parent's) permission. For minors, see section 3.
• Photo Drop isn't permanent storage. Delivered files are deleted 90 days after the last upload to a folder. We remind athletes a week before. Download what you want to keep; we aren't responsible for files deleted after that period.
• Your content. When you post content on CleatCam (profile details, portfolio photos, reviews, messages), you confirm you own it or have permission to post it, and that it doesn't break any law or anyone's rights. You give CleatCam a worldwide, royalty-free license to host, display, resize and distribute that content on CleatCam and to promote CleatCam (for example, a portfolio photo on our home page). You can end the promotional part of this license by removing the content or asking us.
• We don't pre-screen user content, but we may remove anything that breaks these terms, and we check every Photo Drop delivery before releasing payment.
• Copyright complaints. If you believe content on CleatCam infringes your copyright, contact us with the link, a description of the work, your contact details, and a statement that you believe in good faith the use isn't authorized. We'll remove infringing content and may close repeat infringers' accounts.
• CleatCam's own name, logo, design and software belong to CleatCam. Don't copy, scrape, reverse-engineer or resell them.

10. Things you may not do

• Harass, threaten, stalk or discriminate against anyone, or behave inappropriately toward a minor.
• Create fake accounts, impersonate anyone, post misleading profiles, fake reviews or fake bookings, or manipulate ratings.
• Use CleatCam to contact people for anything other than bookings, to recruit for other services, or to collect other users' information.
• Share or ask for phone numbers, emails, social media handles, payment app names or links, or arrange to pay outside CleatCam.
• Upload anything illegal, sexual, violent, hateful, or that infringes someone else's rights, or any photo taken where people expect privacy.
• Use bots, scrapers or automated tools on CleatCam, interfere with its security, or try to access accounts, photos or data that aren't yours.
• Use CleatCam for any sport, event or purpose that's illegal where you are.

11. CleatCam Pro

• Photographers can subscribe to CleatCam Pro monthly or yearly for a lower platform fee and extra features. Prices are shown before you subscribe.
• New members get one free trial. A card is required to start it. If you don't cancel before the trial ends, your plan starts and is charged automatically.
• Pro renews each month or year until cancelled. Cancel any time from Manage subscription; cancelling stops the next renewal, and you keep Pro until the end of the period you paid for.
• Subscription payments aren't refunded unless the law requires it. If we change the Pro price, we'll tell you at least 30 days before it applies to you.
• Featured placement is always labeled "Featured", only goes to Pro photographers who fit the search, and doesn't guarantee bookings.
• If Pro is cancelled or a payment fails, Pro features end and the standard fee applies to new bookings.

12. Reports, suspensions and closing accounts

• Anyone can report a profile, booking or message. We review reports, may ask both sides for information, and may hold payouts while we do.
• We may warn, limit, suspend or permanently remove any account that breaks these terms, puts anyone at risk, or creates legal or financial risk for CleatCam, with or without notice. For anything involving a minor's safety, we act first and ask questions after.
• Suspended or removed accounts don't get subscription refunds. Money already owed for completed, delivered bookings is still paid out unless it's the subject of a report.
• You can delete your account from Settings. Photographers must first finish or cancel upcoming bookings and wait for held payments to be released. Some records are kept where the law requires (see the Privacy Policy).
• We may close CleatCam or any feature at any time. If we do, we'll refund held payments for games that haven't happened yet and give you a reasonable chance to download your photos.

13. Disclaimers

CleatCam is provided "as is" and "as available". To the fullest extent the law allows, we make no warranties of any kind, express or implied, including about merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, accuracy, or that CleatCam will be uninterrupted, secure or error-free. We don't guarantee that any photographer will be available, show up, or produce photos you like, or that any athlete will pay or behave as agreed. You use CleatCam, attend games and meet other users at your own risk.

14. Limits on liability

To the fullest extent the law allows, CleatCam, its owners, staff and contractors aren't liable for: the acts or omissions of any user (including photographers and athletes); injuries, property damage or losses at games or venues; lost profits, lost data, lost photos, or indirect, incidental, special, punitive or consequential damages of any kind, even if we were told they were possible. Our total liability to you for all claims together is limited to the greater of $100 or the fees you paid CleatCam (not amounts paid to photographers) in the 12 months before the claim. Some states don't allow some of these limits, so some may not apply to you.

15. Your responsibility for claims

You agree to defend and reimburse CleatCam for any claim, loss or expense (including reasonable legal fees) that comes from your use of CleatCam, your content, your breach of these terms, your violation of any law or someone's rights, or, for photographers, your services, equipment and conduct at games.

16. Disputes, governing law and arbitration

• Talk to us first. Contact us (section 19) and we'll try to resolve any problem informally within 30 days.
• Texas law governs these terms and any dispute, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.
• Arbitration. If we can't resolve a dispute informally, you and CleatCam agree to resolve it by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, in Harris County, Texas, or by video or phone. Either side may instead bring an individual claim in small claims court. The arbitrator can award the same remedies a court could, but only to you individually.
• No class actions. Disputes are handled one at a time. You and CleatCam waive any right to bring or join a class, collective or representative action.
• Opt out. You can opt out of arbitration by emailing us within 30 days of first accepting these terms, with your name and username. Opting out doesn't affect any other part of these terms.
• Any claim must be started within one year after it arises, or it's permanently barred, where the law allows.
• Nothing in this section stops either side from reporting to, or cooperating with, law enforcement or a government agency, or from seeking a court order to stop misuse of CleatCam or harm to a minor.

17. Changes to CleatCam and these terms

We may change, add or remove features at any time. If we change these terms, we'll post the new version here and update the date above. For important changes (fees, refund rules, arbitration), we'll also tell you in the app or by notification at least 14 days before they take effect. Changes don't apply to bookings already accepted. Continuing to use CleatCam after a change means you accept it; if you don't, stop using CleatCam and delete your account.

18. Other terms

• These terms, the Privacy Policy and any rules shown in the app when you take an action are the whole agreement between you and CleatCam about CleatCam.
• If any part of these terms can't be enforced, the rest still applies.
• If we don't enforce a rule right away, we can still enforce it later.
• You can't transfer your account or these terms to anyone else. We may transfer them to a company that takes over CleatCam, and we'll tell you if that happens.
• Notices to you may be sent through the app, by email, or by notification. Notices to us go to the contact in section 19.
• Neither side is responsible for delays caused by events outside their reasonable control (storms, outages, strikes, government action).

19. Contact

Questions about these terms? use the Report button on any profile or booking. See also how we handle your information in our Privacy Policy.