West Virginia Latest State to Finalize NIL for High School Athletes

Over 40 states have name, image likeness policy for high schoolers

West Virginia is the latest state to offer name, image and likeness (NIL) for high school athletes. / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Another state has joined the growing list to put in place policies to allow high school student-athletes to secure name, image and likeness deals.

The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission approved the policy back in July of this year, with it going into effect earlier this month, according to a report by WVVA.com.

As one would expect, there are plenty of rules and guidelines that need to be followed, including that no coach can benefit from the NIL deal for the student-athlete.

“No one associated with or acting at the direction of a member school, such as booster clubs, alumni or collectives, may use the promise of NIL opportunity to entice student-athletes to transfer or attend their school,” the policy strictly states.

West Virginia also allows middle schools to receive NIL

The WVSSAC did extend NIL opportunities past just high school, as it starts with those in sixth-grade and moves through graduation. 

One key element that is placed states that student-athletes cannot reference their high school in any such NIL material, including the use of a team logo or by wearing a team uniform.

“They have to keep it independent of their school and athletic life,” WVSSAC Executive Director Wayne Ryan said. “Honestly, have have received notoriety for that, but they can’t use that as part of their advertisement.”

States like California, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Florida and Georgia are among the 44 that allow NIL in high school athletics. Those that do not include Alabama, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.