Virginia public high school athletes on verge of profiting from NIL deals
The Virginia High School League is moving toward allowing high school athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.
Virginia HS NIL
- Thread starter MaroonDude
- Start date
While I might like to say a whole lot more on this matter I will confine my initial comment to one observation. I hope the VHSL does a better job of designing, implementing and regulating NIL than the NCAA has done to date.Virginia public high school athletes on verge of profiting from NIL deals
The Virginia High School League is moving toward allowing high school athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.www.insidenova.com
So basically the "Booster Club" could take on a whole new meaning. A business owner and loyal supporter of a given high school could recruit and pay the said athlete to endorse their business and it's all legal. Rent the parent an apartment/house, buy groceries, clothes, and transportation. Damn, what happened to playing for your school, team, and community. By the way what freaking public school significantly benefits financially from high school athletes? This is just another avenue to cheat. What a narcissistic society we have become.
I think money has corrupted football at every level. NFL- free agency, billionaire owners, etc... NCAA- NIL & transfer portal, boosters, etc... We don't need that corruption invading HS sports more than it already has. Can't we just have something pure? Can't we just let these kids be kids a little longer? Play for fun, Love of the game? It sickens me to think what these changes are going to do to HS sports.
NIL doesn’t belong at the high school level IMO.
Even sadder is that the initial vote was a unanimous 31-0.
@Ampipe_High you hit a home run. Unfortunately, we are all being conditioned to ignore right and wrong. We are talking about teenagers having the right to "prosper from playing high school sports"! Why don't we just give them a cut of the gate as well. The 31 school officials who voted for this are just plain idiots. They are so blinded by today's trends and common sense never comes into play anymore. People squawk and get what they want no matter the cost.
I am being honest when I say shut down public high school athletics period. Let the kids fend for themselves on AAU teams. The money being wasted on hs field maintenance, lighting, uniforms, officiating, and insurance alone could fund a ton of new programs to teach vocational skills. God, knows this state and country needs help in the workforce. I will not say where, but I taught a group of high school kids recently and 4-8 could not read the materials being presented. These same 31 administrators who voted for the NIL are the people who are failing to educate their students. What happens after sports? Little Johnny or Joanie can't read or even count the money he or she makes! To quote the late and wise Vince Lombardi I will end by saying "What the hell is going on around here"?
I am being honest when I say shut down public high school athletics period. Let the kids fend for themselves on AAU teams. The money being wasted on hs field maintenance, lighting, uniforms, officiating, and insurance alone could fund a ton of new programs to teach vocational skills. God, knows this state and country needs help in the workforce. I will not say where, but I taught a group of high school kids recently and 4-8 could not read the materials being presented. These same 31 administrators who voted for the NIL are the people who are failing to educate their students. What happens after sports? Little Johnny or Joanie can't read or even count the money he or she makes! To quote the late and wise Vince Lombardi I will end by saying "What the hell is going on around here"?
The death of common sense and the ability to think critically appears to be a diminishing skill at all levels of government and a lot of related agencies. There is not a single shred of doubt in my mind that athletics is an integral part of the education experience for kids but, what it has and is morphing into is something wholly different and far less beneficial to life lessons, at least in my opinion.
31-0 vote. Agree caught up in what’s going on at the collegiate level. College sports have became a dang joke with transfer portal and NIL. Those 31 who voted may have had their ties or bow ties to tight therefore cutting off blood flow. The title Dr. with PHD has a tendency to cut off blood flow to the brain. High school sports should be for fun for kids thus teaching valuable life lessons. What kind of work ethic does NIL for 13-18 year olds teach. I guess I’m old school placing value on working hard for what you get out of life.
My feeling is that if this goes into affect and becomes a reality, it will take the course of NCAA and the VHSL will have limited oversight, which result in a lot of deals being made and students exploiting loopholes in the transfer policy, parents moving, or finding "residence" within a rich NIL area.
Additionally, I've been coaching for over 20 years and a lot of the coaches I've talked to said if this NIL becomes a reality that they will get out. I see this also being the death of the traditional, in the building also a teacher coach and we will have a lot more AAU and youth league style of coaches. The in it for name recognition and glory, more than the love of the game and teaching the sport.
It's the start to the end of sports as most of us know and love. To think, a 15 yr old athlete could be making more than the head coach or even an entire staff. The 31 voters need to read up on how many NCAA coaches have talked about how it's hurt their program and sport and then search for articles about VA approving NIL and the amount of coaches speaking against it.
Additionally, I've been coaching for over 20 years and a lot of the coaches I've talked to said if this NIL becomes a reality that they will get out. I see this also being the death of the traditional, in the building also a teacher coach and we will have a lot more AAU and youth league style of coaches. The in it for name recognition and glory, more than the love of the game and teaching the sport.
It's the start to the end of sports as most of us know and love. To think, a 15 yr old athlete could be making more than the head coach or even an entire staff. The 31 voters need to read up on how many NCAA coaches have talked about how it's hurt their program and sport and then search for articles about VA approving NIL and the amount of coaches speaking against it.
Parents and Administration of students should be outraged, the greatest thing about high school sports is everyone gets treated equally without any money being involved. High school sports will never be the same. 15 to 18 year old kids being payed and told they are great and special before they have done nothing. and I mean nothing . I am disgusted that this is happening .
Here is a link to everyone’s representative on the Executive Committee. If it copied correctly, their email address is a live link, so send your comments and opinions to them.
Another point I just thought of, and I could be wrong, but most athletes would be under the age of 18 and I believe an individual has to be 18 in order to sign a legal contract. If this is still the case, then most deals would be through the athletes parents, which could be even more problematic.
Unless it has changed, in Va those under 18 are minors and therefore were once considered not competent to sign a contract. Don’t think this has changed since I retired from education. But I could be wrong.
While I agree this is all nonsense to even make NIL an official thing at the high school. I feel like it's not really going to be a big deal. Who's really going to waste their time on high school kids when they're trying push all the money on college NIL collectives. I just think this will result in a bunch of nothing. A couple of outliers will happen, but we'll just see a bunch of "Contact me @____ for NIL deals" post and nothing will come of it.
I just hope the high school coaches close their office doors whenever some ignorant parent inevitably starts asking about money deals.
I just hope the high school coaches close their office doors whenever some ignorant parent inevitably starts asking about money deals.
I sure hope you are correct and its much ado about nothing. But, unfortunately, I’m afraid that egotistical adults, be it parents, boosters, fringe coaches, or hanger on types, will fill the most vulnerable kid’s heads full of irrational expectations. Which can only lead to problems.
The pressure to be the BMOC, (and once given some type of compensation that they can flout), will lead to problems. Hell, look at the stupid stuff that some kids do already to be cool already? The pressure to fulfill expectations of being something special will only be exacerbated by the kid’s immaturity and their supposed “guardians“ ego’s.
NIL compensation at the High School level is a huge mistake. And once that genie is out of the bottle, no matter how much it is realized that it was a mistake, there is no going back.
THIS IS ESENTIALLY THE RULES, THE GUIDANCE, AND THE RATIONAL THAT THE VHSL IS CONSIDERING.
I was fortunate enough to have a frank and informative discussion with a representative of the VHSL today concerning this topic. I would like to expand on our discussions on this proposal, but I encourage you readers to carefully read this legislation, and focus on the big picture, not the specific line items, and then let’s talk.
28B-2-4 Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)
Students may receive consideration for the use of their own name, image and likeness (NIL). Common NIL activities include, but are not limited to: social media (or acting as a social media
influencer), product endorsements, personal appearances, autograph sessions, merchandise or apparel sales, or group licensing.
NIL contracts/agreements need to come from analysis of the value an athlete brings for providing a specific service/activity, not as an incentive for enrollment decisions or membership on a team. An athlete forfeits amateur status in a sport by capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money, compensation, endorsements or gifts of monetary value for Intellectual Property of the VHSL or any member school. Intellectual property includes, but is not limited to, activities involving the student’s school team, uniform, mascot, logos, school name, district, region or VHSL (scholarships to institutions of higher learning are specifically exempted).
a) This provision is not intended to restrict the right of any student and their family to engage in NIL activities for financial gain, except as prohibited by this guidance. The following activities are permissible from the use of their own NIL.
Commercial endorsements
Promotional activities
Social media presence
Product or service advertisements
(b) Student-athletes must keep their NIL activities and participating in interscholastic athletics separate. Student-athletes are prohibited from engaging in the following while participating in NIL activities.
Make any reference to the school team, school, district, region or VHSL.
Appear in the uniform of the student’s school and does not utilize the marks, logos, etc. of the school team.
Endorsing or promoting goods or service of any third-party NIL partner during school-based team activities and events, including but not limited to wearing third-party apparel, displaying a third-party logo or brand, and displaying attire-party insignia or identifying mark unless it is part of the standard school uniform for that sport..
(c) Students may not engage in any NIL activities involving, displaying or endorsing the following categories of products and services:
Adult entertainment products and services
Alcohol products
Tobacco and electronic smoking products and devices
Opioids and prescription pharmaceuticals
Controlled dangerous substances
Casinos and gambling, including sports betting
Weapons, firearms and ammunition
(d) No school or anyone employed by or affiliated with a member school, including booster clubs, coaches, administrators, alumni or an NIL Collective*, may solicit, arrange, or negotiate or pay for a student’s NIL, other than their own child.
*NIL Collective: A group of alumni, supporters parents, or other people who form a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, non-profit organization foundation, or other entity to provide NIL opportunities to student-athletes of a specific school.
Students must notify the Principal or Athletic Director in writing of the student’s school upon entering into any type of NIL contracts/agreements within 72 hours after entering into the agreement.
28B-2-4 28B-2-5Penalty: A pupil who has lost his/her amateur standing through violation of this rule shall be ineligible for interscholastic athletic competition. Such student may be reinstated as an amateur by the Executive Committee, provided his/her principal requests in writing his/her reinstatement as an amateur and certifies that the student has not during that one-year period violated this rule, and that the student is not now under contract to, or owned by, any professional athletic organization.
Rationale: In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the NCAA’s rules limiting education-related benefits for student-athletes violated federal antitrust laws. National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston, 141 S.Ct. 2141 (2021). Although the Court’s decision applied specifically to NCAA rules, the ruling has generated expansion of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for high school students. The Virginia High School League proposing legislation to help guide members, parents, and students to clarify how student-athletes may engage in NIL activities for financial gain and still retain athletic eligibility under VHSL regulations.
I was fortunate enough to have a frank and informative discussion with a representative of the VHSL today concerning this topic. I would like to expand on our discussions on this proposal, but I encourage you readers to carefully read this legislation, and focus on the big picture, not the specific line items, and then let’s talk.
28B-2-4 Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)
Students may receive consideration for the use of their own name, image and likeness (NIL). Common NIL activities include, but are not limited to: social media (or acting as a social media
influencer), product endorsements, personal appearances, autograph sessions, merchandise or apparel sales, or group licensing.
NIL contracts/agreements need to come from analysis of the value an athlete brings for providing a specific service/activity, not as an incentive for enrollment decisions or membership on a team. An athlete forfeits amateur status in a sport by capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money, compensation, endorsements or gifts of monetary value for Intellectual Property of the VHSL or any member school. Intellectual property includes, but is not limited to, activities involving the student’s school team, uniform, mascot, logos, school name, district, region or VHSL (scholarships to institutions of higher learning are specifically exempted).
a) This provision is not intended to restrict the right of any student and their family to engage in NIL activities for financial gain, except as prohibited by this guidance. The following activities are permissible from the use of their own NIL.
Commercial endorsements
Promotional activities
Social media presence
Product or service advertisements
(b) Student-athletes must keep their NIL activities and participating in interscholastic athletics separate. Student-athletes are prohibited from engaging in the following while participating in NIL activities.
Make any reference to the school team, school, district, region or VHSL.
Appear in the uniform of the student’s school and does not utilize the marks, logos, etc. of the school team.
Endorsing or promoting goods or service of any third-party NIL partner during school-based team activities and events, including but not limited to wearing third-party apparel, displaying a third-party logo or brand, and displaying attire-party insignia or identifying mark unless it is part of the standard school uniform for that sport..
(c) Students may not engage in any NIL activities involving, displaying or endorsing the following categories of products and services:
Adult entertainment products and services
Alcohol products
Tobacco and electronic smoking products and devices
Opioids and prescription pharmaceuticals
Controlled dangerous substances
Casinos and gambling, including sports betting
Weapons, firearms and ammunition
(d) No school or anyone employed by or affiliated with a member school, including booster clubs, coaches, administrators, alumni or an NIL Collective*, may solicit, arrange, or negotiate or pay for a student’s NIL, other than their own child.
*NIL Collective: A group of alumni, supporters parents, or other people who form a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, non-profit organization foundation, or other entity to provide NIL opportunities to student-athletes of a specific school.
Students must notify the Principal or Athletic Director in writing of the student’s school upon entering into any type of NIL contracts/agreements within 72 hours after entering into the agreement.
28B-2-4 28B-2-5Penalty: A pupil who has lost his/her amateur standing through violation of this rule shall be ineligible for interscholastic athletic competition. Such student may be reinstated as an amateur by the Executive Committee, provided his/her principal requests in writing his/her reinstatement as an amateur and certifies that the student has not during that one-year period violated this rule, and that the student is not now under contract to, or owned by, any professional athletic organization.
Rationale: In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the NCAA’s rules limiting education-related benefits for student-athletes violated federal antitrust laws. National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston, 141 S.Ct. 2141 (2021). Although the Court’s decision applied specifically to NCAA rules, the ruling has generated expansion of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for high school students. The Virginia High School League proposing legislation to help guide members, parents, and students to clarify how student-athletes may engage in NIL activities for financial gain and still retain athletic eligibility under VHSL regulations.
Interesting read Dinwiddie. Thanks. Personally, with math test scores declining, reading and writing skills diminishing, absenteeism on the rise, school physical plants in disrepair and budgets being stressed all around I would consider a focus on NIL akin to roasting marshmallows while the barn burned down.
Preach @cutnjump! I don't care how you write it up people are going to cheat. Just being honest @DinwiddieProud. Aren't you the one who consistently reminds us that the VHSL is not an investigation unit and does not have the man power to do so. They (member schools) will not even address illegal transfers, how are they going to monitor this. You watch Nike and Adidas are going to be all over this. They will hide behind a AAU coach and pay the players for wearing their products. Hell, John Marshall basketball is already funded that way. Serious question. Since when did anti trust laws apply to teenagers who cannot legally enter into a binding contract? To be honest, this may violate Virginia law. I need to review the Code of Virginia to provide specific facts.
Good comments from both of you. I’ll explain what I learned later in the day. What I learned yesterday really helps to clarify what this legislation is all about.
