NIL coming to North Carolina High School Athletics?

NIL (name, image and likeness) has taken college sports by storm and changed the landscape for amateur athletics, allowing student-athletes to profit and make money from various entities.

Could NIL be making its way into the North Carolina High School ranks?

The NCHSSA Board of Directors will consider a proposal at its meeting this week that would give high school athletes in North Carolina the ability to make money through NIL as well.

NIL became a policy in the NCAA n 2021. There are currently 27 other state high school athletic associations that have adopted NIL policies that allow their student-athletes to make money.

The proposal will be addressed by the NCHSAA Policy Committee on Tuesday and voting on the measure will take place Wednesday.

Under the proposal on the Board’s agenda for the meetings, guidelines are already in place outlining specific activities student-athletes can profit from.

They include appearances, athlete-owned brands, autographs, camps and clinics, group licensing, in-kind deals, instruction, non-fungible tokens, endorsements, promotional activities and social media.

Student-athletes would not be allowed to promote any products like adult entertainment, alcohol, cannabis, controlled substances, firearms, gambling, prescription drugs and tobacco products.

The policy would not allow schools and coaches from using NIL for recruiting players and coaches also cannot serve as an athlete’s agent or representative when deals are made.

All athletes, their parents, coaches and athletic and school administrators would also be required to complete an NLI course every year that is sanctioned by the NFHS (National Federation of High Schools).