Huge news! High school athletes in Georgia can now yet participate in NIL activities. High school athletes in most other states can as well! Take a look at some highlights from other states’ legislation related to NIL activities on the high school level! You might notice a few trends…
If you find your state allows NIL for high school student athletes and you want to participate but don’t know how to jump in, our Framework platform is a great way to start! We created Framework to give student athletes a place where they can take online courses to educate themselves on the NIL world, including topics like compliance, income tax consequences, professional etiquette, resume-building techniques, and more.
If your state does not yet allow NIL for high school student athletes, you can get a jump start on NIL by focusing on building your unique brand and establishing a strong social media presence.
Alaska – NIL deals are allowed for high school athletes. Any such endorsement cannot include a student athlete’s affiliation with their school, school’s team, ASAA, or their ASAA Region.
California – NIL deals are allowed for high school athletes. Athletes cannot include any school uniform, team name, or identifying logo.
Colorado – High school athletes are permitted to participate in NIL activities; however, written guidelines will soon be published.
Connecticut – High school athletes are allowed to participate in NIL deals allowed. Athletes must provide their school a copy of the endorsement and athletes cannot enter into an agreement that would be in conflict with the member school. Athletes cannot represent their school/team/CIAC in endorsements. Athletes cannot wear NIL endorsements during school/team activities. Athletes cannot accept deals promoting adult entertainment, alcohol/tobacco/nicotine, cannabis, controlled dangerous substances, prescription pharmaceuticals, gambling/sports betting, or weapons/firearms.
District of Columbia – High school student-athletes may participate in commercial or marketing endorsements provided there is no team, school, or DCSAA affiliation or logo visible. A student-athlete may not appear in uniform. DCSAA must be notified of all student commercials or marketing endorsements.
Hawaii – NIL is not specifically addressed under the HHSAA rules. However, there is a ban on receiving money to play, selling/pawning awards, and signing a professional contract. Without a clear definition of these terms, especially a “professional contract,” participation in NIL may forfeit status.
Idaho – High school student-athletes may participate in and receive compensation for a commercial endorsement provided there is no school, team, league, district, or IHSAA affiliation. A student-athlete may also accept compensation for instructing, supervising, or officiating an organized youth sports program. Idaho places a $300 cap on compensation. The compensation cap provision (IDHSAA Section 8-5) does not specifically address compensation for commercial endorsements, but the ambiguity could be interpreted to include such.
Iowa – NIL endorsements are permissible for high school athletes as long as they are not used as an incentive for athletic performance or used to influence attendance at a particular school. Compensation cannot be provided by a school or any of its agents (booster club, foundation, etc). A student-athlete may not use IHSAA or member school marks or logos; wear apparel bearing such marks or logos; reference IHSAA, a member school, or mascot; or promote activities or products associated with gaming/gambling, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis, banned/illegal substances, adult entertainment, and weapons.
Louisiana – Louisiana has given a position statement allowing high school student-athletes to receive NIL deals. The Constitution and Bylaws of LHSAA have not been changed. LHSAA in its position statement does not provide much guidance on what is allowed, but LHSAA does emphasize that the student-athlete act in their “individual capacity.”
Maine – High school student-athletes can participate in commercial endorsements as long as they do not reference or wear anything identifying member schools, MPA, or logos. Student-athletes are prohibited from promoting adult entertainment products and services, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, controlled dangerous substances, prescription pharmaceuticals, casinos, or any type of gambling, weapons, firearms, or ammunition.
Massachusetts – High school student-athletes may be represented by attorneys/sports agents. Student-athletes may participate in commercial endorsements, promotional activities, social media promotion, product or service advertisements, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Member schools may use a student athlete’s NIL participation in connection with official team activities. A student-athlete must submit copies of any NIL agreement to their member school. Student-athletes cannot utilize school logos or markings. Student-athletes may not participate in NIL activities or endorsements involving adult entertainment products and services, alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, vaping products, cannabis products, controlled dangerous substances, prescription pharmaceuticals, gambling, weapons, firearms, or ammunition.
Minnesota – High school student-athletes may not be compensated for attending a recruiting event or attending a certain school. Student-athletes may engage in commercial activities using their NIL. Compensation must be of market value and not provided by a school agent or official. NIL activities cannot interfere with the student-athlete’s academic or athletic obligations. A student-athlete may receive compensation for officiating, instructing, teaching, or coaching, and may use their NIL to promote the availability of such. Other forms of permissible NIL are non-school-related advertisements and autographs. Athletes cannot promote gambling, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, banned illegal substances, adult entertainment products or services, contraceptive or sexual enhancement products, or weapons/firearms. Student-athletes may not use any logos, names, mascots, or equipment belonging to the member school or MSHSL.
Nebraska – High school student-athletes may only participate in NIL on an individual basis. There can be no reference to the NSAA or a member school in NIL endorsements.
Nevada – High school NIL activity is limited. A student-athlete may participate in a commercial endorsement as long as there is no connection to the athlete’s team, school, or the NIAA. Student-athletes may not appear in their uniforms for endorsements.
New Hampshire – The NHIAA has Handbook notes that high school athletes may participate in a commercial endorsement provided there is no school team, school, or NHIAA affiliation. You can view the Handbook here.
New Jersey – High school student-athletes may receive compensation for coaching or other athletic instruction. Student-athletes may profit from their NIL by participating in commercial endorsements, promotional activities, social media presences, product or service advertisements, and NFTs. No school employee or agent may be involved in a student-athlete’s use of NIL. No reference may be made to the student athlete’s school, team, or the NJSIAA. Student-athletes may not participate in NIL activity involving adult entertainment products and services, alcohol products, tobacco and nicotine-related products, cannabis products, controlled dangerous substances, prescription pharmaceuticals, casinos, gambling/betting of any variety, weapons, firearms, and ammunition.
New York – High school student-athletes may participate in a commercial endorsement as long as there is no school, team, or NYSPHSAA affiliation. Student-athletes cannot appear in uniform or in clothing with logos, marks, etc. representing their school, team, or the NYSPHSAA.
North Dakota – High school student-athletes may participate in NIL as long as there is no use of school uniforms/logos or league logos. Booster clubs are prohibited from involvement with NIL. Further guidance is still to come from the NDHSAA.
Oregon – High school student-athletes may participate in NIL. Any participation, agreement, or contract must be reported to the student-athlete’s school. NIL compensation may not be used to encourage a student-athlete to attend a particular member school. Student-athletes are prohibited from using OSAA or member school apparel, equipment, marks, logos, or insignias while participating in NIL activities. Further, any references to OSAA or the member school are prohibited. Student-athletes are not allowed to use any school practice or game film for NIL purposes. No NIL activities may take place during school team activities. Student-athletes are not allowed to promote adult entertainment products/services, alcohol, tobacco, nicotine products, vaping products, cannabis products, controlled dangerous subjects, prescription pharmaceuticals, political parties and/or candidates, any product illegal for people under the age of 18, any form of gambling, weapons, firearms, or ammunition.
Pennsylvania – High school athletes can participate in NIL monetization. The PIAA does not allow student-athletes to promote adult entertainment, alcohol, gambling/casinos, tobacco/smoking products, opioids/prescription drugs, controlled dangerous substances, or weapons/firearms/ammunition.
Rhode Island – High school student-athletes can appear in commercial endorsements. Student-athletes cannot use their school, team, or RIIL affiliation in NIL activities. Student-athletes cannot appear in any school, team, or RIIL uniforms or apparel. Student-athletes cannot utilize any team or RIIL marks, logos, or insignias.
Utah – High school student-athletes may participate in NIL activities but may not wear school or team uniforms or other identifying apparel while doing so. If a student-athlete lends their name or team affiliation for the purposes of a commercial endorsement of a non-profit, such NIL participation must be approved by the Board of Trustees for said school.
Illinois – As of December of 2022, high school athletes can engage in NIL activities. NIL is not allowed to be to based on performance, school facilities are not to be used for any NIL activities, nor can those activities be performed during school hours or traveling to/during events associated with the school (i.e. practices, games, tournaments, rehearsals, etc.). Athletes are also not permitted to engage in any deals condoning gaming/gambling, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis, banned or illegal substances, adult entertainment products or services, firearms or other weapons or other products/services the school’s Board deems inappropriate.
Maryland – In December of 2022, Maryland allowed its high school athletes to participate in NIL, with limitations. Those limitations include disallowing athletes to reference any schools in NIL activities, wearing or displaying any branding or identifying marks of the school’s, or endorsing/promoting NIL partnerships during school hours and any school-related events and activities. Athletes engaging in brand deals are also not to promote any categories of or relating to betting/gambling, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis, banned or illegal substances, adult entertainment products or services, firearms or other weapons, prescriptions, pharmaceuticals, video/online games, or mobile devices.
New Mexico – As of June 2023, the NMAA voted to allow high school athletes to monetize their NIL, only if they do not appear in school uniforms or display/wear any school branding or marks that may indicate the identification of that school.
North Carolina – It was passed in May of 2023 that high school athletes can engage in NIL activities, granted those athletes abide by their requirements. Before entering into any NIL contracts or deals, athletes must complete an NIL education course. Schools and coaches are prohibited from facilitating any NIL deals, nor are they allowed to act as an athlete’s agent or representative in any capacity. Athletes are not allowed to strike NIL partnerships which condone adult entertainment, alcohol, cannabis, controlled substances, firearms and ammunition, betting or gambling, prescription drugs, tobacco, vaping, or any other Nicotine-related products. Lastly, athletes are not to associate themselves in any way with their school, conference, school district, the NCHSAA, or the NFHS while participating in an NIL deal.
Oklahoma – As of December 2022, high school athletes were granted the right to enter into NIL deals, given those deals are not influenced by performance, do not entail using school facilities or apparel, and the athletes do not use the school’s mascot, branding, etc. during said deal.
Tennessee –
Virginia –
Washington –
Savannah NIL 