Contributor Agreement

Version 2026-10-26 (draft). Last updated October 26, 2026.

This agreement applies to everyone with a Subplot account who submits a story, fan post, quick take or photo ("your work"). It sits alongside our Terms of Use.

1. You are an independent contributor

You are not an employee, agent or partner of The Subplot or Lontra Industries Inc. Contributing is voluntary and unpaid, apart from the revenue share in section 4. You choose what you write and when. The Subplot sets no quotas, hours or deadlines and does not require you to take any story. An editor may suggest ideas, and you may say no.

2. Your work and your rights

• You keep the copyright in your work.
• You give The Subplot a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to publish, edit for length, style and accuracy, promote, archive and adapt your work, including turning it into a video, newsletter item or social post with credit to you.
• You may republish your work anywhere from 7 days after it first appears on The Subplot.
• You waive your moral right to object to edits that are reasonable for publication, but The Subplot will always credit you by the name you choose.

3. What every piece must meet

• Your own words. If you used AI tools to write it, say so when you submit; it will be labelled.
• Every number sourced, with a link. Rumors only when another outlet has reported them, named and linked.
• Photos you took, Creative Commons with a link, or licensed. Every photo credited.
• No betting advice, nothing hateful or harassing, and nothing you were paid by someone else to write without saying so.
• The Community Rules and Standards.

The editor may decline any piece, ask for changes, or remove a published piece that breaks these rules or the law.

4. Revenue share

• You receive 50% of the net ad revenue The Subplot earns on the pages of your published work.
• "Net ad revenue" means what the ad network actually pays The Subplot for those pages, after the network's own deductions and any amounts it holds back for invalid traffic.
• Revenue is counted from each page's views in the ad network's reports. You get a monthly statement with views and earnings for each of your pieces.
• Payment is by Interac e-Transfer, or PayPal outside Canada, within 30 days after the end of each month, once your balance reaches $25 CAD. Smaller balances carry over.
• You must give your legal name and payment details to be paid. If the law requires a tax slip (for example a T4A), you must also give the tax information it needs. You are responsible for your own taxes.
• No ad revenue means no payment. Ads start only after an ad network approves the site, and new sites usually earn a few dollars per 1,000 page views.
• The share covers ad revenue only, not sponsorships, merchandise, subscriptions or other income.
• Any attempt to inflate views or clicks cancels the revenue share for the affected period, and may close your account.
• Unpaid balances under $25 when an account closes are paid if you ask within 12 months.

5. Ending it

Either side can end this agreement at any time by email or by closing the account. Published work stays up unless you ask us to remove it, which we will do within 30 days. You still receive your share of ad revenue earned before the end date.

6. Changes

We may update this agreement with at least 30 days' notice by email. Changes do not reduce revenue already earned.

Contact

editor@subplotsports.com