Mississippi Could Become Next State to Allow NIL For High School Athletes

State is currently one of 14 in the U.S. that does not permit NIL profit.

Mississippi could soon be giving high school student-athletes the opportunity to earn money through NIL. / Eric Shelton/Clarion Ledger via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Mississippi is currently one of 14 states in the United States that does not allow its high school athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness.

But that all could change soon, as a bill has been introduced that would provide an outlet for NIL to be viable in the state.

According to a report by WLOX-WBLT News, Representative Jeffery Harness introduced House Bill 1400, titled the Mississippi High School Student-Athlete NIL Protection Act, earlier this month. If passed, high school students in the state would be allowed to earn compensation.

Mississippi One Of 14 States Not Allowing NIL For High Schoolers

Several restrictions would be put in place for the high school student athletes including a limit on how much they could earn. The bill states that up to $10,000 a year can be paid directly to a student-athlete or parent or legal guardian.

After that amount is reached, any further money would be deposited into a restricted trust account and could not be withdrawn until the student-athlete turns 18 years old or graduates.

Further restrictions include that “it’s not contingent on athletic performance, statistics or participation, it’s not offered as an inducement to enroll in or transfer to a particular schoo, it doesn’t conflict with existing Mississippi law and it explicitly prohibits ‘pay for play.’”

MHSAA Against NIL For Student Athletes

Previously, Mississippi High School Activities Association Executive Director Rickey Neaves told the outlet “NIL is not for high school students.”

“Let’s be realistic,” Neaves said. “Is a 16 or 17-year-old mature enough to handle a million dollars? No. I know when I was that age, I would have blown it and probably ruined my whole career while doing it.

“Now that’s not what everybody would do, but if that happens to one person, that’s one too many.”

The bill also bypasses the involvement of schools, districts, coaches and school employeets, as contracts would be handled strictly between the family of the student-athlete and the compensator.

Bill Will Be Voted On In February, Could Go Into Play This July

If approved any NIL deal in Mississippi would need to be disclosed to the MHSAA, with any disputes between NIL contracts being handled by Mississippi state courts and not the MHSAA.

The bill is to be voted on February 12 and would go into effect on July 1 if approved.

Ohio recently approved NIL late in 2025 while Alabama, Hawaii and Indiana are among those like Mississippi that do not currently have it approved. 

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